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PROVO - Former BYU quarterback Gifford Nielsen stopped by practice the other day, and ran across current Cougar quarterback Max Hall, who was winding down after a long day and visiting with his wife, McKinzi.

"This is one of the all-time great quarterbacks in BYU history," Hall explained to his wife as he shook Nielsenıs hand.

Question now becomes, will Hall join him?

Certainly, he appears well on his way. Hall, the transfer from Arizona State, enters his junior season in 2008 as one of the top 25 quarterbacks in the country, and if he puts up the same type of numbers as he did in 2007, could enter his senior season as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate.

"His leadership, his ability to read defenses and make plays - I would put him up there with some of the best in the country," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said.

In Hallıs first season, he led the league in almost every passing category and was 14th nationally in total offense as the nationıs top-ranked sophomore quarterback.

"It is every quarterbackıs dream to lead a team to a conference championship, so thatıs still my primary goal," Hall said. "All those individual honors and things donıt mean a thing if we donıt win. So, really, thatıs all I am focused on right now."

Hall was the 2007 MWC first-team quarterback and was voted by the media as the preseason MWC offensive player of the year for 2008, so the momentum is there for the native of Mesa, Ariz., to do something special this season. Seemingly, he has the offensive weapons around him to do that: four of his five offensive linemen return from 2007, along with both starting receivers, Austin Collie and Michael Reed, and sophomore running back Harvey Unga.

"Iım confident about the year we are going to have because of the guys we have around me," he said. "Itıs not all going to be on me, and thatıs a nice thing to have."

BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said Hall flourishes because he understands BYUıs system and stays within himself.

"He can get outside the pocket and make plays, but I really like his poise and his overall grasp of what it takes to win," the coach said.

Max Hall's key stats in 2007:

Att-Cmp-Int Pct. Yds TD

Max Hall 298-496-12 60.1 3,848 26

Big loss/key newcomer: Dallas Reynolds for Tom Sorensen

The player snapping the ball to Max Hall this year probably won't be the one he believed it would be. Due to projected starter Tom Sorensen's shoulder injury, all-conference left tackle Dallas Reynolds has been moved to center and will be the quarterback of the offensive line. "Dallas will be fine," Hall said. "He is a fast learner and he's more athletic than people think. We're in good hands."