QB Jaren Hall

part 2:
Quarterback coaches look for the smallest of clues, and John Beck is no different.
Beck, a quarterback at BYU from 2003 to 2006 who went on to have a six-year NFL career, is a private QB coach for 3DQB in Southern California and has worked with Drew Brees, Dak Prescott and others. A couple of years ago, he was introduced to a new client: Jaren Hall.
Beck met with Hall’s father, Kalin, who explained that Jaren was hoping to become BYU’s starter and, eventually, an NFL quarterback. Beck, who had just worked with Zach Wilson, began to evaluate Hall and immediately identified two important characteristics.
The first: Hall’s lower body was twitchy. The second: Hall’s throwing motion was very natural, which Beck attributed to Hall’s baseball background.
“He was this compact, very fluid thrower,” Beck said. “It didn’t look mechanical.”
Surely, Hall’s multisport background contributed to this quality. But it should also be noted that Hall had been refining his quarterbacking skills for years with Dustin Smith.
At gyms in Orem, Utah, Smith would set up drills to help Hall shorten his stride. The less Hall lunged, the more he could rotate, and the more accurately he’d be able to place his passes.
Simultaneously, Smith worked with Hall on his extension. Initially, Hall would short-arm passes, affecting the overall velocity. The further behind his throw he could position his hand, the more pop he could create.
Smith also discussed the art of playmaking with Hall. The center fielder and former high school basketball player was so gifted athletically that he could extend plays and scamper up the field. The challenge for Smith was shifting Hall’s perspective: Rather than his athleticism being a play-creating skill, it should be a play-extending skill.
Throughout their years of workouts together, Smith reiterated multiple phrases.
“You never go broke taking a profit.” In other words, eliminate the chunk losses and turnovers, and you’ll give yourself a chance to succeed in the long run.
“Shotgun makes lazy feet on quarterbacks.” Learn how to operate from under center, and you’ll separate yourself in an era of QBs who only specialize in spread concepts and run-pass options.
“The overall vision was so that when he did get his chance, there was no reason for anybody to say, ‘Yeah, but … ’” Smith said.
And there were plenty of people prepared to say, “Yeah, but … ” During the first year of Hall’s mission to California, Smith raved to folks about Hall’s potential. But many of those folks also asked whether Hall, who stands 6 feet and 207 pounds, might be better served as a receiver.
The thought irked Smith. Several years earlier, Taysom Hill was BYU’s quarterback. He was only 6-foot-2, yet folks never suggested a position change despite his running ability. Why would they do so with Hall?
Smith couldn’t help but consider BYU’s history and the fact that no Black quarterback had ever started for the school.
“With Jaren, it seemed like everybody was so quick to turn him into a skill player,” Smith said. “He had to fight a little harder to get people to legitimize him as a quarterback.”
Beck, meanwhile, who knows more about quarterback play than most, had no doubts about Hall’s ability.
When Roderick named Hall as BYU’s starter in 2021, he proceeded to throw for 2,583 yards, 20 touchdowns and only five interceptions in leading the Cougars to a 10-3 season. Included in that mark was a 26-17, punch-you-in-the-mouth victory over Utah.
“That’s what I expected,” Beck said. “He’s got all these tools. He works hard. He’s smart. He processes well. He got to watch Zach Wilson. That’s what I expected.”
In recent weeks, after the Vikings drafted Jaren Hall in the fifth round, multiple people asked John Beck the same question: What do you think?
“He couldn’t have asked for a better fit,” Beck responded.
Couldn’t he have gone higher, though? Why did he fall to the fifth round after a senior season in which he threw for 3,171 yards, 31 touchdowns and six interceptions?
“Guys,” Beck said, “round doesn’t matter.”  What matters, he has learned, are the franchise, the people and the overall match.
As it relates to Hall and Minnesota, Beck has known coach Kevin O’Connell since they were college quarterbacks together in the mid-2000s. From afar, Beck has respected O’Connell’s coaching trajectory. He also admires O’Connell’s system — specifically how it doesn’t require its quarterbacks to play “hero ball” on third down.
Beck is also close with Les Pico, the Vikings’ executive director of player development, who Beck says represents a cultural standard the Vikings are hoping to reach. A standard of helping players reach their fullest potential.
That standard embodies who Hall is and has long been — the type of person who is always listening and absorbing, waiting until the right time to make his mark.

I am way more excited about this guy than I should be.

@"kmillard" said: I am way more excited about this guy than I should be.

You're welcome.  :p

Good read. It's interesting to me how little difference there can be between a 2nd overall pick and a 5th rounder. 

They competed against each other in high school with no distinct winner. They competed for the starting job at BYU, with Hall's baseball commitment putting him at a disadvantage against Wilson. Both have great college careers.

Wilson goes 2nd overall. Two years later, Hall goes 5th round. Which one ends up the better pro? Anyone's guess. 

@"MaroonBells" said: Good read. It's interesting to me how little difference there can be between a 2nd overall pick and a 5th rounder. 

They competed against each other in high school with no distinct winner. They competed for the starting job at BYU, with Hall's baseball commitment putting him at a disadvantage against Wilson. Both have great college careers.

Wilson goes 2nd overall. Two years later, Hall goes 5th round. Which one ends up the better pro? Anyone's guess. 

It's questionable whether Wilson will even be in the league in a year or two.

It was interesting that Hall's mentor was preaching about working under center.  Never saw any snaps there from him, though I only watched a small sample of his work, but it didn't seem like a part of the team's offense.

Also interesting to learn of the connection to KOC.

@"StickyBun" said:

@"kmillard" said: I am way more excited about this guy than I should be.

You're welcome.  :p

This never works. Ever. Getting desperate.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/qb-coach-says-49ers-trey-lance-needed-drastic-adjustment-to-throwing-motion-now-has-patrick-mahomes-support/

@"StickyBun" said: This never works. Ever. Getting desperate.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/qb-coach-says-49ers-trey-lance-needed-drastic-adjustment-to-throwing-motion-now-has-patrick-mahomes-support/

I assumed when the news of "multiple teams" interested in Lance came out last month that it was b.s., the team trying to pump up a market to dump him.  But this news, I have no idea what the purpose is.  Maybe to placate the 49er fan base when he gets on the field this fall and stinks?   Brock Purdy had surgery on March 10th and it is normally a 9-12 month recovery so maybe he would be back in December, but it's just as likely he doesn't play this year.  So it's the dynamic duo of Lance and Darnold.   :#