PROVO, Utah, Dec. 28, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Former BYU quarterback Jaren Hall will start for the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night, eight weeks after his first NFL start ended early with a big hit and a concussion.
Since that Week 9 start, Hall has recovered and worked his way back to the top of the depth chart for the Vikings’ Week 17 matchup with the Green Bay Packers.
“He’s had a few great weeks of preparation, and I look forward to seeing what Jaren can do,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Thursday after naming Hall the starter. “There’s a lot of reasons we brought Jaren in here, having to do with his ability and what we look forward to seeing come to life on Sunday night.”
O’Connell’s decision to start Hall creates a matchup for former Beehive State QBs, with former Utah State star Jordan Love starting for the Packers on Sunday night.
Hall, a fifth-round pick (164th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft, made his NFL debut in Week 8 when Minnesota starter Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury vs. Green Bay at Lambeau Field.
The rookie filled in nicely the rest of the way, completing 3 of 4 passes for 23 yards as the Vikings closed out a 24-10 victory over the Packers.
Hall led Minnesota on two offensive possessions the following week in Atlanta, completing 5 of 6 passes for 78 yards before a big hit near the goal line sidelined him early in the Vikings’ 31-28 victory over the Falcons. He also gained 11 yards on two rushing attempts in his limited action.
Hall has been the backup to Vikings QB Nick Mullens the past two weeks but has not seen any game action since Week 9.
“You’ve just got to take every opportunity you’re given,” Hall said Thursday. “For me, being on practice squad and giving our defense [looks] every day the last couple of weeks has been great. With that, you’re always preparing.”
O’Connell said he believes Hall has made the most of his extended time between starts.
“What made me feel comfortable with this was knowing how Jaren has put in the work throughout this time,” he said. “Even the past couple of weeks with being the No. 2 and how he’s really taken advantage of that and the comfort he feels in the game plan.”
Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips called Hall “a cool customer.”
“He has a calmness and coolness about him,” Phillips said. “He doesn’t get rattled, and it doesn’t ever feel like it’s too big of a moment for him. Maybe that’s his maturity, maybe he’s a little bit older than most rookies, maybe that’s how he’s always been. You definitely don’t get any type of sense this would be something he couldn’t handle.”
