FAYETTEVILLE -- The way Eli Hale plays defensive end -- with superior size, speed and skill to consistently overmatch opponents -- you might expect the Fayetteville senior has been a natural at the position for years. Think again.
Hale, a 6-foot-5, 240-pounder, moved to Fayetteville before his ninth grade football season at Ramay Junior High. Back then, offense was more Hale's game, as he began as a fullback then showed off a strong arm in practice and was moved to quarterback.
Eli Hale
SCHOOL Fayetteville
CLASS: Senior
HEIGHT 6-5
WEIGHT 240
POSITION Defensive End
NOTABLE Has committed to the University of California. … Top pass-rushing defender on the Fayetteville defensive line. … Moved to Fayetteville from California before his ninth-grade year. … Played quarterback and fullback in junior high and as a sophomore. Moved to defensive end prior to his junior season. … Nephew of former Rogers High and Arkansas defensive lineman Ryan Hale.
But when Hale made his way to the Purple'Dogs, an opportunity to move to defensive end presented itself. And Hale hasn't looked back -- or slowed down -- since.
"When we moved up Eli as a sophomore he still played some quarterback for the sophomore team," Fayetteville coach Daryl Patton said. "He was a big, athletic kid and we knew we had to figure out a way to get him on the field. So we put him at tight end at the end of that sophomore year.
"The problem was he was behind C.J. O'Grady at tight end. So in the spring before his junior year, coach Jeb Huckeba asked if they could take at look at him at defensive end. And pretty much from there, he went over to defense and had a great junior season. He showed flashes of dominance as a pass rusher and we knew we had something special."
Although Hale didn't come to Fayetteville with defense necessarily on the mind, he's more than thrilled with ending up where he did. And after all, it only seems right that he did, as Hale is the nephew of former Rogers High and Arkansas standing defensive lineman Ryan Hale.
"I love defense," Eli Hale said. "And it's in my blood."
Hale moved to Fayetteville from California. Just as fate would have it, his hard work on the football field has led to an opportunity to head back out west once his high school playing days are over. Hale, who teams up with Akial Byers, Chris Redmon, Rhiver Ewing and others to give Fayetteville a formidable defensive front, committed to play college ball at the University of California early into his senior year.
"Obviously the fact it's in California is awesome," Hale said. "But it's a great education and great quality football in a great conference."
Hale, like all other Fayetteville players, aren't ready to think about college plans or next season just quite yet. Fresh off a stinging loss to rival Bentonville, the Bulldogs enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed from the 7A-West Conference and will face 7A-East No. 3 seed West Memphis at 7 p.m. today at Harmon Stadium.
"We just have to keep working," Hale said. "It's a renewed focus."
Sports on 11/13/2015