BYU QB Jaren Hall ‘Back In The Office’, Ready To Compete For Starting Job

PROVO, Utah – Spring practices will be a big opportunity for Jaren Hall if he wants to become BYU’s next starting quarterback.

Monday was the first of 15 practices for Hall to try and win that job.

👀 Jaren Hall (@J_tom24) 👀#BYUFootball #GoCougs #BYU pic.twitter.com/kSrIWVcyBM

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2021

“It’s the first day back. It seems for me it’s been a repetitive deal to have some sort of dinged-up injury and come back and so I’m used to it at this point. I feel it was just another day, you know, back in the office,” Jaren Hall said.

The former Maple Mountain High School star has been plagued with injuries during his career. Last season he suffered a hip injury during fall camp. But now he’s healthy and is in the thick of one of the most intriguing quarterback races BYU football has seen since the days of Jim McMahon and Marc Wilson.

Hall juggled playing two collegiate sports the past couple of years with football and baseball. Now the bat and glove have been put down for now. He’s not ruling out a return down the road. But he’s got his eyes set on a career on the gridiron.

Jaren Hall on #BYU's QB competition:

"They're a group of studs. It's going to be a fun competition for the 15 practices we have each and every day. I'm just excited to be here with the guys that we have to push each other, get better, & just enjoy the game we love so much." pic.twitter.com/u8hbVXPsXA

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2021

“First thing was simply to try and get my body the most rest I can get. It’s a long process; it’s a long offseason when you don’t have an offseason, you know,” Hall said on why he is focusing on football. “So that was the main factor and just trying to get healthy for this next season and take care of my body.”

Hall isn’t the only quarterback vying for the chance to replace Zach Wilson at quarterback. Baylor Romney, who like Hall already has starting experience under his belt, Jacob Conover and Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters factor into the competition.

“They’re a group of studs,” said Hall on the quarterback room in spring. “It’s gonna be a fun competition for the 15 practices we have each and every day. I’m just excited to be here with the good guys that we have to push each other and get better and enjoy the game that we love so much.”

Jaren Hall at his best

Hall started in two games in 2019 but left both contests early due to concussion protocol. In those games, he showed flashes of his potential. He completed 67 percent of his passes and was a solid 5-of-11 on passes thrown 20 yards or more down the field.

Offensive Coordinator Aaron Roderick wants to see the eventual starting quarterback stretch the ball down the field. Hall knows he can do that, even though many label him as a run-first quarterback.

“Doing what the quarterbacks do, dropping back and throwing the ball,” said Hall when asked by KSL Sports on his strongest attributes as a QB. “That’s what I’ve lived for growing up; that’s what I’ve worked for. Throw the ball first, and then after that point, do whatever we have to do to make plays.”

Head coach Kalani Sitake or Roderick has set no timetable for when they will name a starting quarterback, but Hall wants to put his best play on the field in these 15 spring practices for a chance to win the job.

“No expectations [for the QB battle]. Just go out and control what I can. Because at the end of the day, it’s not something I decide. That’s for the coaches to do, rightfully so. So we just go out and compete and do our best, and when that time comes for them to make that decision, they will.”

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m., KSL Newsradio). Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper and the KSL Sports app.