As he crossed the goal line, Stephen Hall was exhilarated.

And exhausted. 

Hall had just put the punctuation mark on the longest interception return in Washington State Football history.

"I was most definitely gassed," Hall said, reflecting on his 100-yard interception return in a 70-30 blowout victory against Portland State. "It was a good feeling. I was excited."

During the Cougars' season-opening game at Gesa Field, Hall not only made history for the Cougar football program, but it was also for Hall a personal milestone, as it was his first pick-six in any level of football.

"Anytime as a coach you see a player that does all the right things and works that hard and to see him have success, you 're just like "YES!!!" WSU football coach Jake Dickert said. "You want that for him.

"You don't always get that as a coach, so to see Steve make such a big play, and make a bunch of big plays since then, but to have that big crowning moment, it was great," Dickert added.  "You celebrate things like that because you never know when the next one is coming."

The interception return is one moment of Hall's journey as a football player. His path to that historic play and becoming a Cougar was one of overcoming challenges.

As a cornerback at Northwest Mississippi Community College, Hall was receiving multiple scholarship offers from larger schools. However, during his second season, he suffered an ACL injury to his knee.

"Before I got hurt, coaches all over the country contacted me every week," Hall said.

After the injury, Hall said all the communication was "shut off."

"It put that fuel in me to keep going."

Hall recovered and returned to play a full season. While he was showcasing his talents, he happened to catch the eye of General Manager Rob Schlaeger, who was in attendance to watch receiver DT Sheffield.

"WAZZU came to watch one of my teammates," Hall said., "and I played well enough, so the next day they reached out to me."

"Steve had a tremendous game," Dickert said. "We started watching Steve more and more and find out his backstory."

The injury turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

"If it wasn't for this injury, we wouldn't have an opportunity to recruit a player of his stature," Dickert said. "'I've had hundreds of guys come back from this injury. 

"The more you get to know Steve, you know whatever he's got in that tank he's going to give you."

In 2023, Hall saw action in 11 games at cornerback, but did not play in the Apple Cup.

After the game, Hall recalled sitting alone, dejected.

"The feeling I had," Hall said. "I never want that feeling again."

Just like the fuel Hall received by coming back from the injury, Hall used not playing in the Apple Cup as motivation heading into the 2024 season.

"I spent the offseason doing everything I could not to have that feeling again," Hall said. 

"I've talked to a lot of players about positive frustration versus destructive frustration," Dickert said, "Steve always kept it in the right framework.

"We have an analogy of going in the bucket emotionally," Dickert added. "You can dip in there a little bit, but you got to stay dry and be ready to go. If you immerse yourself in there you can't perform. I think he is learning that type of balance."

This season, as a redshirt junior, Hall started every game for the Cougars. In his second year in the program, Hall embraced a leadership role with the team, so much so he was voted captain by his teammates.

"He's really grown in leadership because he realizes he's earned a really powerful voice on our team and everyone's looking at him," Dickert said. "You got to be the guy that's motivating them. You got to be the guy that lifts people up when they're down.

"You're not voted captain because you're a great player, you're voted captain because the guys trust you in the hardest moments," Dickert added. "Understanding that is something he's been really good at."

Dickert points out his mentorship of redshirt freshman defensive back Ethan O'Connor. 

"Ethan's had a tremendous season as a young player," Dickert said. "That is in part because of Steve, every day, bringing Ethan along."

"I take it very seriously," Hall said of his leadership role. "We've got a young group, and they watch everything I do, my body language, how I come to practice. It's contagious. I never want to come in and be sluggish because I know if they see me doing it, they'll do it."

And though his tank may have been empty after his interception return, Hall has worked tirelessly to keep his tank full for his teammates and Dickert; in large part motivated by the scholarship he earned, an opportunity that was previously denied to him.

"It means a lot," Hall says of his scholarship. "Two years ago, I lost everything. No other Power 5 school really gave me a chance again. Coach Dickert always believed in me. The only way I can show him is being out here and giving it my all."