Playing football at BYU requires thick skin and the ability to stay calm under pressure, especially when you're the starting quarterback in Provo. With former BYU Cougars like Zach Wilson and Jim McMahon leaving big shoes to fill as the leader of Utah's most prestigious football program, it takes a specific kind of talent to lead the Brigham Young University onto the field.
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Thankfully, Jaren Hall has all of the charisma, skill and poise required to be a leader for BYU Football, and a lot of his success comes from his parents, Hollie Hall and Kalin Hall.
Jaren Hall's Parents Met at BYU
Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images
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Growing up in Spanish Fork, Utah, Jaren isn't the only athlete in the family. Kalin, Jaren's father, was a running back for BYU during the early 1990s. Hill's mother, Hollie, was a BYU gymnast during that time and the two formed a connection that then led to a strong marriage.
The couple has strong ties to the Mormon church and Jaren and his siblings have served full-time missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with Jaren serving his in Roseville, California.
Jaren's older brother, KJ Hall, was running back for the Cougars a few years before Jaren arrived on campus. But Jaren's not the only football player on the current BYU roster. Kyson Hall is a wide receiver for the Cougars, making the BYU offense a real family affair for the Hall family. All they need is a fullback and they've got themselves an offense!
It’s official. Just wanted to thank everyone who supported Jaren and Bre, this past weekend. Special thanks to Doug & Bev McCarter for raising such an amazing daughter. Also, thanks to all of our family, friends and everyone else who helped with the arrangements. God is good🤙🏽. pic.twitter.com/65PWmwWQLO
— Kalin Hall (@Kdog1924) December 9, 2019
Off the gridiron, Jaren's younger brother Dawsen (not Dawson) is an outfielder on BYU's baseball team and is a member of BYU's current sophomore class. Jaren's final sibling is Mateya, who is 10, but loves soccer.
Hall met his wife at BYU, too. Following in the footsteps of his parents, former Utah Valley University soccer player Breanna McCarter became Jaren Hall's Wife at Mount Timpanogos, Utah Temple, in 2019, which they announced on social media. The couple have a baby daughter, Jayda Mae Hall, who was born in 2021.
A History-Making QB in BYU's Backyard
Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
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While Jaren Hall has been making headlines on the field by upsetting teams like No. 9 Baylor and being named Maple Mountain High's 2015 Offensive Football Player of the Year, it was in 2019 that Hall made BYU history as the first African-American player to start a game for BYU, when the cougars took on USF. But Hall made sure that haters and bigots couldn't say his ethnicity was the only reason he was given the starting job. While Hall may be the first Black quarterback to start for the Cougars, the former three-star prospect was ready to take the reins for himself, regardless of his status as an African-American football player.
After getting reps as Zach Wilson's backup, the Maple Mountain High School star took over full-time under center in 2021, leading Provo's football team to an 8-2 record.
The hope is that Jaren can use his talents to make his way to throwing touchdowns and in the NFL, which would vastly increase his net worth and continue BYU's QB pipeline to the Major American football scene. And according to KSL Sports, Hall is climbing up draft boards every week. But one thing is for sure; Hall is an important part of BYU's depth chart.
"Listen, I don't know if I can do it justice by saying how good his leadership is," BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said in a postgame press conference. "Our culture is about truth, and it doesn't matter if you are a walk-on or a captain, if you speak the truth, we're going to listen. And it takes a really good group of young men who are willing to follow."
Whether it's Utah State, Oregon or any other team that may line up opposite him, Jaren Hall is a leader on the field for BYU. And while NIL deals may bolster Jaren Hall's net worth, he knows that the most valuable thing you can have in this world is the trust of the men you lead. Plus, it's always possible he'll be a pro football quarterback, just like Wilson and McMahon before him.
This article was originally published on September 17, 2022, and has been updated since.
