BYU Greats Puka Nacua, Jaren Hall Reunited To Host Camp For Youth
Jul 16, 2024, 7:35 PM | Updated: Jul 18, 2024, 11:44 am
OREM, Utah— Former BYU football stars Puka Nacua and Jaren Hall teamed up on Tuesday to host a football camp for youth.
The event, sponsored by ProCamps and cost $175, featured kids from first to eighth grade. There wasn’t an official attendance number provided, but many kids from the area wanted to be in the presence of the NFL players. One of them, Nacua, rewrote the rookie record books last season in his first year with the Rams.
Back like they never left.#BYU greats Puka Nacua and Jaren Hall hosted a football camp for youth in Orem.#BYUFootball @kslsports pic.twitter.com/M4v86vtTJP
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) July 16, 2024
Nacua was back at his old school, Orem High School, where he emerged as the state of Utah’s greatest wide receiver.
Puka Nacua, Jaren Hall hosted a camp at Orem High School
“Last year, we went to Jaren’s alma mater (Maple Mountain High) and stuff like that. But I wanted to be able to come back to where I grew up,” Nacua said on Tuesday. “When I first moved here from Las Vegas, I attended the Orem youth football camp. I’m not sure if they’re still doing that one.
“Still, the ability to be able to do my own football camp and obviously to do it with somebody that I know and just to be back in the community where I grew up makes me super happy to see everybody still playing football over here and there’s still a strong community.”
Nacua and Hall were teammates at BYU during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. During Nacua’s two years at BYU, with Jaren Hall as the starting quarterback, he recorded 91 receptions for 1,430 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Last year, in his rookie season with the Rams, Nacua had 1,486 yards on 105 receptions and six touchdown grabs.
As quarterback for BYU, Hall threw for 6,174 yards and completed 65% of his passes during his career.
During his first season with the Vikings, Hall had the opportunity to start in two games. But it’s unclear what his workload will look like this fall in Minnesota after the Vikings selected former Michigan signal-caller JJ McCarthy in the first round.
During the one-day event, Nacua was seen sporting a black Jaren Hall t-shirt, while Hall returned the favor with his own Puka Nacua shirt in royal blue.
Campers went through passing drills. There was also a 40-yard dash drill that led to the winners by age group having the chance to either defend Nacua or try to catch a pass from Jaren Hall against the All-Pro receiver.
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“It’s been a huge blessing,” Nacua said about the support he has received from Utah County fans. “Especially to see all the people that I knew as Cougar fans, and I feel like a majority of them have been able to come and be Rams fans. I know there are guys from BYU spread all over the league, but I would say I definitely felt the love and the journey that I was on this year, and I really appreciate everybody tuning into the story.”
Year two in the NFL
Nacua’s camp tour is over. He held one camp alone in Los Angeles before hosting Tuesday with Hall. Both players now have their sights on training camp with their respective organizations. For Nacua, the Rams begin camp on July 28.
Hall and the Minnesota Vikings begin on July 27.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
