By Rob Tate
SportCast Media
You see John Hallmark and you immediately think that this thinner, but athletically-built guy with the shaggy black hair has to be a wide receiver or perhaps a defensive back for the Magnolia Bulldogs.
Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Hallmark might not physically look like the prototype Magnolia Bulldog offensive lineman the program churns out yearly.
Past guys like Matthew Wykoff, who’s playing at the University of California, and Derek Bowman at the University of South Florida look like the big beefy guys up front.
Heck, Magnolia has three former offensive linemen on the current coaching staff – offensive coordinator Josh McNeill, the former University of Houston standout, as well as assistants Cory Stang (Class of 2017) and Kade Bond (Class of 2020).
“There for a few years, we had no shortage of big offensive linemen,” Magnolia head coach Craig Martin said. “In 2019 and 2020, we had four Division I offensive linemen in those groups. So this is a guy that could very easily be overlooked.”
At 6-foot even and 190 pounds, Hallmark, a senior, is the starting right tackle for the Bulldogs (1-1), who start District 15-6A 7 p.m. Friday at home against Klein Oak.
Through two starts, Martin said Hallmark has graded highly for that unit.
Having been constantly told by those around him that he was too small for the offensive line, Hallmark keeps proving the critics wrong.
“Even my own teammates kind of judged me for a while because they thought I wouldn’t live up to it,” Hallmark explained.
Nothing has been handed to him. He had to earn the eye of the coaching staff and the trust of his peers tasked at protecting quarterback Chase Lowery and opening up holes for star running back Colin Leahey.
“I thought they might hold me back a little and see if somebody else was there,” Hallmark said of the situation heading into this season. “Using me just as a holding place. But they’ve encouraged me, telling me I’m doing good. It’s just always worked out for me.”
Magnolia’s offense has totaled 797 yards and 80 points through two games.
“He’s taken off and ran with it,” Martin said. “You don’t look at him and say, ‘That guy’s a tackle in football’. But the reality is that he is one of our top scorers each week when those guys get graded. I think the other four guys around him are really trusting because of his work ethic, how hard he is working and that this matters to him.”
A HOME ON THE LINE
It’s not like Hallmark showed up in junior high already through a growth spurt and was physically built for the offensive line. Although he might not have physically matched the description of offensive lineman, the role of the position was something he wanted to do.
“I actually didn’t start playing football until seventh grade year,” Hallmark explained. “All my friends were doing it and my family was supportive of me doing sports. I already did baseball, so I gave football a shot and it started working out for me.”Hallmark gravitated to the offensive line.
“I didn’t know what else to play,” Hallmark said. “Coaches said to hop in with them.”
By high school, Hallmark wasn’t much bigger for the typical needs of the position, especially at Magnolia. But he showed hustle, heart and really took to the weight room to improve his body in ways that could help the Bulldogs on the field.
“As a sophomore in particular, he was on our JV ‘B’ team,” Martin said. “He could have very easily been discouraged by that and I’m sure it didn’t make him happy. But it was just about development. Developing physically and developing as a player. He has stuck with it.”
What stood out about Hallmark to Martin was just his scrappiness, a trait that the head coach values in his offensive linemen.
“You don’t see that much anymore in high school football,” Martin said of offensive lineman who lack size. “Since I’ve been here, we’ve had maybe two or three who have started for us and have been under 200 pounds. What he has done is really become a leader of that unit because of work ethic and the way he plays the game.”
Hallmark made varsity last year and had a teammate-mentor to look up to and help him along the way. That was first-team All-District senior Kade Betts.
“He was in front of me and was a good example,” Hallmark said. “He knew how to work. He was super into it and very smart. He was always there to ask questions too. He taught me good work ethic and everything I needed to know.”
Hallmark saw the field a couple times and always had to shake free the nerves.
“I was always really nervous,” Hallmark said. “Once I got some playing time, I was just excited and shaking a lot. But it was always fun. I think I did alright.”
Hallmark’s persistence in the weight room has paid off.
“I knew I needed to put on some weight and try to get stronger,” Hallmark said. “I was trying to get around that 425 (pounds) to the 450 area on squat. That’s when I was able to start moving people, hold my ground and I started getting recognition for it.
Martin is proud of Hallmark’s progress made to help the team.
“There’s not a whole lot you can do about growing and it’s not like you’re asking him to add 100 pounds to be heavier because that’s not his body type,” he said. “But what you can do is get functionally stronger and so that’s what has happened.”
INSTANT IMPACT
Two weeks back, Hallmark made the start in Week 1, a thrilling 59-33 win at Lake Creek. The nerves were still there, but they quickly melted away.
“I was so nervous,” Hallmark said. “After about the first two drives, I was just getting into it and it just got more fluid. That was amazing, First half, we blew them out. So I didn’t have to play the second half. That was the first time I got to do that.”
Offensive linemen don’t get a whole lot of outside publicity other than maybe a great Hudl clip showing a key block. They are rarely mentioned by name in game stories, so Hallmark and his teammates find joy in the offensive’s success in their own ways.
“It’s awesome to see them go through all those gaps and everything,” Hallmark said of how well the rushing attack has done. “It’s also the first year we’ve had a good passing game in a while. We get to do a little more passing plays and experiment with that.”
Martin described Hallmark as someone you would want to be in the ‘Foxhole’ with on the field.
“He’s done great,” Martin said. “The thing is he’s going to be able to fight. As long as you have a guy who’s willing to go to work and go out scrapping – even when you’re tired – and that’s him to a ‘T’.
“He’s a quiet guy and a lead-by-example guy that you’re going to hear talk a ton. He’s just going to go out about his business and
try to do it to the best of his ability.”
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