Who Should Start at QB? Max Hall Weighs in on Deseret News

On his way to becoming BYU's all-time winningest quarterback, Max Hall learned a thing or two about how to excel. It all started during the first practice of fall camp.

I loved it. Outside of the fitness testing, I loved it, Hall told the Ys Guys podcast. I loved the football coming up, the two-a-day practices, the film room all the time, and I loved the training. I knew it was time to get ready for the season and get not only myself but my team prepared and aligned. I really enjoyed it.

BYU begins fall camp next week in preparation for its second season in the Big 12. Unlike Hall's three 32-game winning seasons between 2007 and 2009, the Cougars are off to a shaky start at quarterback this year.

Jake Retzlaff, a junior who started the final four games of 2023, and grad transfer Gerry Bohanon are battling for the starting job. Hall suggests a quick decision.

“I've always been a guy that thinks once you get a starting quarterback, 90 percent of the reps (in camp) have to go to him to get him comfortable in the offense,” he said. “It'll be interesting to see how BYU handles that. The more reps you get, the slower the game gets and the reads get more open, but that only happens with the experience of getting the reps.”

Hall has his own quarterback battle at ALA-Queen Creek in Arizona, where he is the offensive coordinator. The level of competition may be different, but the process for finding a starting signal caller is the same.

First, I put the guy in the room that I trust the most, he said. And second, I want to put the guy in the room that, if it's not a perfect play call or things go wrong, he can turn a negative into a positive, who can make a play or make the right decision in the moment.

According to Hall, what matters most is what the rest of the squad does.

I look at the team. I look at how they react to the quarterback. I look at how the quarterback interacts with the receivers and the offensive line. What kind of energy does that quarterback bring to the team, Hall said. If there’s one quarterback, does it feel different? Yeah, you can count completions and you can do all that, but at the end of the day, you want the right energy, the right enthusiasm, the person that gives your team the best chance to win. Team consistency is a big thing.

Run with the ball

Whoever gets the quarterback position, to be successful, BYU will have to run better than it did last season.

Hall is confident that hiring new offensive line coach and running game coordinator TJ Woods and tight ends coach Kevin Gilbride are steps in the right direction.

I like what I see. I like what they're focusing on, Hall said. I think Aaron Roderick is a great offensive coordinator, but his offense runs when you can run the ball. That's the most important thing that needs to happen in this offense and he'll tell you the same thing.

The Cougars averaged just 3.5 yards per attempt last season (5-7).

If they can find a running back who has good continuity with the offensive line and with their new coach and get things going, BYU could have a very explosive offense this year, Hall said. But it comes down to, can we run the ball in the Big 12?

BYU at ASU

When BYU rolls into Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Nov. 23 to take on Arizona State, Hall will be on the Cougars' sidelines watching his two favorite teams.

“I grew up an ASU guy. I have an ASU family. I chose ASU over BYU,” Hall said. “I'm an ASU fan and always will be, but of course I'm going to root for the Cougars. I want to win that game.”

Hall played his freshman year at Arizona State before transferring to BYU after a church mission. He expected to play a reunion game against the Sun Devils in 2009, but it never happened.

My senior year (at BYU) we were supposed to play ASU in the first game, but they backed out and we ended up playing Oklahoma, he said.

Instead of facing the Sun Devils, Hall threw a touchdown pass to McKay Jacobsen with 3:03 left to beat the No. 3 Sooners 14-13 in what would be his most important victory.

Arizona State leads the overall series against BYU 20-8, but the Cougars have won the last three meetings, including a 13-10 decision in their last game in Tempe in 1997. New coach Kenny Dillingham takes over a program that has gone a combined 6-18 over the last two seasons.

As much as I love the Sun Devils, the last couple of years have not lived up to expectations and the stadium has not been full, Hall said. So unless they come in and just have a fantastic year, we (BYU fans) could fill that spot.

Max vs You

Long before the BYU-Arizona State reunion, another important meeting takes place for Hall and his former boss, Ty Detmer.

When ALA-Queen Creek and ALA-Gilbert North play each other on Thursday, September 12, two of BYU's most successful quarterbacks will face off.

It's definitely going to be a chess match, Hall said. I have so much respect for Coach Detmer when he was here with me. He taught me a lot, not just X's and O's, but how to be a coach and how to manage a game.

Detmer and Hall remain No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, at BYU in total offense, passing yards, completions and touchdown passes. Through the air alone, the two have accounted for 26,393 yards and 215 touchdowns.

Hall won the most games (32). Detmer won the Heisman Trophy (1990).

In February, the ALA charter system moved Detmer from head coach at Queen Creek to the same position at the Gilbert North campus, leaving Hall behind at Queen Creek.

The meet-and-greet in midfield during the warm-up for the September match will be unlike any other.

“I'm going to try to get inside his head a little bit. Well, shake hands, give each other a hug, tell each other good luck, duke it out for four quarters and do it again after the game,” Hall said. “The rivalry between these two schools used to be intense, but I think the attitude and the mood is changing a little bit. There's a high level of respect because of everything Ty has accomplished, but unfortunately he's up against me.