Summer 1999. The Bengals were top-heavy in players whose first names were pronounced “Corey.”

        There were veterans Corey Dillon and Corey Sawyer Sawyer would be waived) and a rookie safety named Cory Hall.

        Hall, a third-round draft pick out of Fresno State, regularly was handed his teammates' football cards by fans and — with pleas of “Mr.Dillon” or “Mr.Sawyer” — asked to sign.

        But Hall, who's expected to be a big part of an improved defense this year, started carving out his own identity early in the regular season.

        He replaced Greg Myers as the starter at free safety in Game 5 and started the final 12 games, earning spots on all-rookie teams by Pro Football Weekly and Football Digest. He had 49 tackles and one interception, even though he was playing out of position.

        Hall came to camp this year with a plan to make his name and face known.

        “If you look at the position out there, unless I'm really tearing it up, people really aren't going to notice you,” said Hall, 23, a native of Bakersfield, Calif. “We all have helmets on. So if you're not a marquee player, I mean, you're really not known.

        “Last year, no one knew me coming from Fresno State. I wish I could have come from a bigger program. But it's not like that for me, so I have to go the extra mile and do something outrageous.”

        He came to camp with three dozen Superman T-shirts. On the back he signed “Cory Hall” and his number, “26.”

        After every good play, he was going to throw one into the stands.

        But he couldn't do that. The Bengals instituted a rule that required only Bengals clothing during practice.

        So Hall is stuck with the T-shirts, which he said he'll use somehow, and a resolve to make people get to know him without gimmicks.

        He's just going to have to hit harder and get to the ball more often. To that end, he increased his playing weight from 205 to 217 without losing a step of his 4.45 time in the 40-yard dash.

        “Last year, the receiver got me a couple times,” he said. “So I went and put some weight on.”

        He also has been moved to his best position, strong safety, which puts him closer to the line of scrimmage and finds him playing either the tight end or a running back one on one.

        “What got me drafted was my strong safety play. I ripped it in college,” Hall said. “It gets kind of boring back there at free safety. It's like, "Wake up, the play's coming.'”

        Defensive backs coach Ray Horton knows of Hall's desire to make a name for himself and said the second-year safety is working hard to meet his goals.

        Hall, who has seven tackles in three preseason games, is nursing a sprained ankle, the result of an illegal block Saturday night against the Bears.

        He's questionable for the Lions game Friday night at Paul Brown Stadium.

        But he wants to play.

        He wants to hear the P.A. announcer call his name.

        “I've kind of become an entertainer, and people associate that with me,” he said. “I know the best way I can entertain people is to focus on football and make the plays.”

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