BYU football: Hall is more prepared this season

PROVO — BYU quarterbacks coach Brandon Doman has seen this before — a senior QB putting up big numbers, orchestrating a potent offensive attack, being an unflappable leader and, most importantly, winning games.

He saw it three years ago with John Beck, and he said now it's happening with Max Hall.

"He's definitely peaking right now. He's definitely coming into his own," Doman said of Hall. "I remember John Beck doing this about this time when he was a senior. I think it's a byproduct of being a senior and feeling the rhythm of the game. It is confidence. Just the experience alone — all the live bullets he's seen, the different coverages he's seen, and the ups and the downs that he's had — are so valuable. He's special guy, and we hope he continues playing the way that he's been playing."

The last two weeks, Hall has completed 48 of 66 passes for 666 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. In last week's victory over San Diego State, Hall showed that he can hurt opposing defenses by running the ball, too, gaining 47 yards and a TD on 14 carries.

For the No. 16 Cougars to knock off No. 10 TCU Saturday (5:30 p.m., Versus), they'll need another strong performance from Hall.

"His last two games have been exceptional," said BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall. "He looks poised; he looks super-confident and in complete command. No matter what gets thrown at him, he's smiling most of the time. And that's a good sign."

Through the first five games of the season, Hall threw 10 interceptions. Since then, he's cut down on his mistakes.

"He had those 10 interceptions and he saw what happened. He recognized that our team is not going to be a championship football team with turnovers," Doman said. "I don't want anybody reading this to think that if he throws another interception that our wheels are going to fall off. He very well could walk out on Saturday and throw an interception. We're not going to fall apart out there if it happens.

"But I do expect that he's going to play like a veteran, a three-year starting senior. I think he was the best quarterback in the nation last week, in my opinion. If he plays like that, he'll finish as the best quarterback in the country. I wouldn't shy away of saying that to anybody. I think he's capable of being that guy."

Hall said he isn't sure if he's peaking, but he likes the way he has been playing lately.