BYU QB Jaren Hall ‘Not Close’ To Playing In New Mexico Bowl Against SMU
Dec 14, 2022, 8:58 PM
The latest with BYU QB Jaren Hall as they touch down in Albuquerque for the New Mexico Bowl. (Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
(Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The latest Jaren Hall watch took place in New Mexico on Wednesday.
As expected, the banged-up Hall is trending toward not playing against the SMU Mustangs.
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake spoke with the media for a few minutes as the team arrived for a New Mexico Bowl “Welcome Dinner” at an amusement center called “Main Event” on Wednesday night.
#BYU coach Kalani Sitake on Jaren Hall: “It’s looking more like close to not performing.”#BYUFootball #NewMexicoBowl pic.twitter.com/XydUm5J9g2
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 15, 2022
Sitake was asked about the possibility of Hall playing on Saturday.
“I think the closer we get to the game, it’s going to be hard for me to say yes to that one,” said Sitake. “… We thought on Monday when I talked to you guys in the press conference, I thought there would be a chance. … But it’s looking more like not close to performing.”
Jaren Hall was wearing a boot as he walked off the plane
Earlier in the day, the BYU planes touched down in Albuquerque to kick off bowl week. The first player off the aircraft was Hall, who was accompanied by his wife, Breanna. Hall was wearing a boot on his right foot as he walked down the steps with a mariachi band greeting him and the team’s arrival.
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The fifth-year junior suffered a right ankle injury during the second half in the win over the Stanford Cardinal on November 26.
Since that win on The Farm, Hall told KSL Sports that he would play in the bowl game and that everything would be “A-OK” with his ankle injury.
BYU coaches have not been as positive this week regarding Hall’s availability. Earlier in the week, Sitake acknowledged that Hall hasn’t practiced “as much as we’d like him to.”
Then on Tuesday, BYU’s final practice in Provo for the season, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick told reporters, “Yesterday, I thought he had a great chance to play. Today, I would say his chances are not quite as good as I had hoped.”
Hall has a history of playing in games where he doesn’t practice. The 2021 Boise State and 2022 Notre Dame games are examples of that. With Hall having a potential NFL career coming soon, no one at BYU wants to risk further damage to the ankle.
Who is the backup QB for BYU entering the New Mexico Bowl?
If BYU’s depth chart holds up this week, the next quarterback up is Cade Fennegan. A Dallas native, Fennegan would get a crack at a hometown team in the Mustangs.
Welcome Dinner at the @NMBowl@BYUFootball vs. @SMUFB pic.twitter.com/yE9vkkLlsz
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 15, 2022
Fennegan hasn’t played in any live game snaps during his time at BYU. However, if he does get the number one nod, it could be an early opportunity for him to make a case for being BYU’s starting quarterback entering the Big 12 next season.
BYU will practice tomorrow near University Stadium on the University of New Mexico campus.
BYU vs. SMU
2022 New Mexico Bowl
Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. (MT)
TV: ABC
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM – Extended pregame begins at Noon)
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Mitch will be in Albuquerque for the 2022 New Mexico Bowl between BYU and SMU. Follow his coverage on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
