After sitting on the sideline for nine full weeks awaiting a much-anticipated debut, Naijiel Hale’s competitive nature was on full display before his first career start as a Bobcat.
As Southern Utah sat on the turf stretching Eccles Coliseum turf before SUU’s home finale against Montana State, Hale barked at whoever would listen. The officials warned him and Hale responded, ‘What, isn’t football a competitive game? I’m going to show them how competitive today.”
The former four-star recruit from St. John Boscoe Prep (Bellflower, California) who last played at Washington in 2014 had not played a game since two falls ago in Seattle. He sustained his hype for the duration of warm ups despite multiple warnings from the officiating crew, the final one which caused strength coach Alex Wilcox to grab Hale and escort him away. When Wilcox returned to talk to the officials, all three had smiles on their faces, impressed and surprised by just how fired up Hale actually was was.
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Photos by Brooks Nuanez. All Rights Reserved.
