When Auburn’s iron man on the defensive line, senior end Marlon Davidson, was announced as out against Ole Miss with a lower back injury, Auburn got a potential glimpse into the future with true freshman Derick Hall making his first career start in Auburn’s 20-14 win.
Davidson’s streak of 47 consecutive starts heading into Ole Miss was second in the NCAA for current FBS players. After exiting against LSU with a lower back injury but returning later in the game, he was still listed as doubtful for the game against Ole Miss.
Hall, the Mississippi native, did not find out about his starting opportunity until close to game time, when defensive line coach Rodney Garner delivered the news.
“Coach G told me right before the game that I was going to be starting with the orange group,” Hall said. “So, you know Marlon just talked to me, told me what I had to do especially playing against a team from Mississippi, it was huge for me.”
In Hall’s first career start, he recorded three tackles and helped Auburn’s defense hold Ole Miss’s offense to its SEC season-low in rushing yards with 167 yards. Before heading to Jordan-Hare, Ole Miss was averaging 276.60 yards against five SEC opponents.
As a freshman, Hall is prone to mistakes, even more so as a freshman making his first career start against an SEC opponent and having to fill the shoes of a potential NFL first-round draft pick.
Ole Miss’s first touchdown was a 4-yard rushing touchdown by Ole Miss quarterback John Rhys Plumlee with 44 seconds before the half to pull Ole Miss within three. Hall made a self-described mistake on the play and ended up allowing Plumlee to find the end zone.
Hall could’ve hung his head following the mistake but was encouraged and coached by Davidson throughout the game. The senior watched the game in street clothes on the sideline and was a big factor in helping Hall throughout the game.
“After that play that happened right before halftime where they scored, I was kind of down and he said pick your head up, you know it happens to everyone,” Hall said. “He just really helped me through the entire game, gave me any pointers or anything that he saw that I needed to work on. He said congrats and that I did a great job.”
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