Max Hall: Overrated?

[LA Ute]

This Alabama fan became friendly with UteFans.net posters because of the Sugar Bowl. He asks:

I see [Max Hall] has impressive stats overall but, last year he threw Zero touchdowns and 7 INTs against the two top 25 teams he faced all year.

It's one thing to rack up yards against 1-AA Northern Iowa, SDSU and a winless Washington but, he fails when he takes the field against Utah and TCU. In fact, in his career he's thrown ONE TD against Utah and TCU combined and 9 INTs. Am I missing something here? What's all the hype?

Until I started posting here at CUF I didn't follow BYU much, so I don't know enough to defend Max. Besides, as a Ute partisan, I have no desire to do so. Is it as bad as he makes it look? Or is Max better than those numbers?

[Caveat: I'm old enough to know that I may be eating all my mild smack here by Thanksgiving. Just wanted you to know I'll be ready to do that if Max has a bust-out year and the Cougs hand the Utes their rear ends this fall.]

[Viking]

This Alabama fan became friendly with UteFans.net posters because of the Sugar Bowl. He asks:

I see [Max Hall] has impressive stats overall but, last year he threw Zero touchdowns and 7 INTs against the two top 25 teams he faced all year.

It's one thing to rack up yards against 1-AA Northern Iowa, SDSU and a winless Washington but, he fails when he takes the field against Utah and TCU. In fact, in his career he's thrown ONE TD against Utah and TCU combined and 9 INTs. Am I missing something here? What's all the hype?

Until I started posting here at CUF I didn't follow BYU much, so I don't know enough to defend Max. Besides, as a Ute partisan, I have no desire to do so. Is it as bad as he makes it look? Or is Max better than those numbers?

[Caveat: I'm old enough to know that I may be eating all my mild smack here by Thanksgiving. Just wanted you to know I'll be ready to do that if Max has a bust-out year and the Cougs hand the Utes their rear ends this fall.]

Max is an average QB and disappointing to anyone who thinks he's a legacy-type player. Can't look off receivers.

[smokymountainrain]

This Alabama fan became friendly with UteFans.net posters because of the Sugar Bowl. He asks:

I see [Max Hall] has impressive stats overall but, last year he threw Zero touchdowns and 7 INTs against the two top 25 teams he faced all year.

It's one thing to rack up yards against 1-AA Northern Iowa, SDSU and a winless Washington but, he fails when he takes the field against Utah and TCU. In fact, in his career he's thrown ONE TD against Utah and TCU combined and 9 INTs. Am I missing something here? What's all the hype?

Until I started posting here at CUF I didn't follow BYU much, so I don't know enough to defend Max. Besides, as a Ute partisan, I have no desire to do so. Is it as bad as he makes it look? Or is Max better than those numbers?

[Caveat: I'm old enough to know that I may be eating all my mild smack here by Thanksgiving. Just wanted you to know I'll be ready to do that if Max has a bust-out year and the Cougs hand the Utes their rear ends this fall.]

QBs have bad games.

He didn't play well against those two teams and it cost his team. But to judge a guy's three year career (approx. 36 games)- a career that hasn't even been completed at that - based on two bad games would be just a little silly, to be sure.

He wasn't even first team all-conference last year, was he? Perhaps I'm not seeing the hype that would put him in a position to be "overrated".

[RockyBalboa]

Come End of November these questions will be better answered.

These are the same questions people had of John Beck before his Senior season.

Max Hall has better numbers than John Beck did at this point in his career by the way.

It's funny how Halls wins over TCU and Utah in 07' keep on conveniently getting over-looked.

[RockyBalboa]

QBs have bad games.

He didn't play well against those two teams and it cost his team. But to judge a guy's three year career (approx. 36 games)- a career that hasn't even been completed at that - based on two bad games would be just a little silly, to be sure.

He wasn't even first team all-conference last year, was he? Perhaps I'm not seeing the hype that would put him in a position to be "overrated".

BJ was 1st Team QB and MWC Offensive Player of the Year and deservedly so. Max Hall was 2nd Team.

Yewt "fans" are pissed that BYU fans would dare to use the history of success that BYU Senior QB's have had in the past to show that there's a very good chance of Hall following that route as well.

Early on in his career Beck was noted for being a cry baby after losing it in a press conference after a game.

The very last pass of John Becks BYU career made Kyle Whittingham cry. Karma has a way of being very funny.

[Colly Wolly]

The very last pass of John Becks BYU career made Kyle Whittingham cry. Karma has a way of being very funny.

Although I love the point you've made here, Beck torched Oregon a few weeks later.

[pellegrino]

It's funny how Halls wins over TCU and Utah in 07' keep on conveniently getting over-looked.

If you look at those games you'll notice a key element. Max was actually looking off receivers in '07. His main problem last year was that he thought he could do anything he wanted and all he wanted to do was throw the ball to Collie. That's fine, but that doesn't mean you stare him down as soon as the ball was snapped. If Hall wants to improve his game he'll spread the ball around and make sure to look off his favorite receivers.

[DU Ute]

We should really be looking at Max's performance in the signature showcase of modern BYU football... The Veg.

[CJF]

Come End of November these questions will be better answered.

These are the same questions people had of John Beck before his Senior season.

Max Hall has better numbers than John Beck did at this point in his career by the way.

It's funny how Halls wins over TCU and Utah in 07' keep on conveniently getting over-looked.

Beck always had a NFL arm and talent. Hall does not. He is a system QB. He is good, but when playing top talent that can cover the system, Hall struggles. Beck was able to pick TCU apart because he could punish TCU with pin point darts. Hall doesn't have that ability. He never will. Hall could be Sark though. Fiesty leader with good talent around him and will benefit greatly from a good ground game. His arm strength does not allow him to be a great QB in my opinion.

That said, he still should be the MWC offensive player of the year this year. I think he'll have a better overall year than Dalton.

[RockyBalboa]

Beck always had a NFL arm and talent. Hall does not. He is a system QB. He is good, but when playing top talent that can cover the system, Hall struggles. Beck was able to pick TCU apart because he could punish TCU with pin point darts. Hall doesn't have that ability. He never will. Hall could be Sark though. Fiesty leader with good talent around him and will benefit greatly from a good ground game. His arm strength does not allow him to be a great QB in my opinion.

That said, he still should be the MWC offensive player of the year this year. I think he'll have a better overall year than Dalton.

I see your point about Beck being able to throw darts in,,,and it's a valid one, while I don't think Hall is an NFL caliber QB, I also think arm strength is overated at the college level. There are quite a few College QB's that have very good careers without having a gun of arm.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Rocky hit the nail on the head I think, Max is basically where John Beck was going into his senior season. With the exception that Max has a bowl win and a win over Utah already. If anything Max is slightly ahead of Beck going into their senior seasons.

[CJF]

I see your point about Beck being able to throw darts in,,,and it's a valid one, while I don't think Hall is an NFL caliber QB, I also think arm strength is overated at the college level. There are quite a few College QB's that have very good careers without having a gun of arm.

Completely agree. Like I said, I think Hall will win the offensive MVP for the MWC this year. But arm strength does make a difference when you're playing a defense that is faster/more skilled than the offensive skill players. Beck was able to do that. Hall won't and didn't last year. And really hasn't in his career. A key was that the running game also struggled last year. Unga was not the same runner as his freshman year. That hurts Hall. Play action last year was not nearly as effective as it had been. That helps negate the fast defenses.

[RockyBalboa]

Play action last year was not nearly as effective as it had been. That helps negate the fast defenses.

Enter McKay Jacobsen and a healthy Harvey Unga.

McKay Avg nearly 20 YPC as a Freshman.

[CJF]

Enter McKay Jacobsen and a healthy Harvey Unga.

McKay Avg nearly 20 YPC as a Freshman.

I think Unga is the key for the BYU offense this year. If he is down a little on the weight and healthy, Hall becomes a very dangerous QB. If not, I think next year will look a lot like last year. I hope Jacobsen can stay healthy. Tough to do right after a mission.

Any word on Ashworth? Is he staying?

[Hot Lunch]

Let's also point out that one of his bad games last year, he was missing his #2 target who had torn his MCL the week before. I actually had a Ute fan who I respected tell me that Utah did a great job of taking Pitta out of the game. LOL.

I don't think Max is overrated at all. I think he is an above average college quarterback. I don't think you can overlook the stats he put up over the past 2 years and the fact that as a starting quarterback, he is 21-5 during his soph. and jr seasons. Regardless of who it was against, that is a very impressive record. He is entering his senior year with some talent around him and has a chance to really seperate himself this season from others.

I agree with Rocky that he is a system quarterback, but he is a good one at that. I think there are many Offenses out there where Max would not be successful in but that is why coaches do what they do, they find kids to fit there systems. Some do better than others in that system.