QB Hall is ready for his opportunity with Lobos
Redshirt freshman is now the backup behind Tuioti
Trae Hall has been in this situation before, but this time there’s a different feel about being basically one play away from becoming University of New Mexico’s No. 1 quarterback.
The redshirt freshman is the Lobos’ backup, just like last year when injuries bumped him up the depth chart. This year, a shoulder injury to Brandt Hughes and more recently an indecent exposure accusation and subsequent indefinite suspension dealt to Sheriron Jones have made Hall the No. 2 quarterback behind Tevaka Tuioti.
“When my number gets called I feel like I will be ready,” said Hall, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound strong-armed quarterback from Henderson, Texas. “It’s really a blessing to be able to have this opportunity.”
Hall said he is anxious to, “show everyone what I can do.”
UNM coach Bob Davie has been preparing Hall for more playing time, knowing that it could come as soon as Saturday when the Lobos (2-5, 0-3 in Mountain West Conference) try to end their four-game skid in their homecoming game against Hawaii (4-3, 1-2), which has lost two straight.
“It’s been a pretty consistent conversation
with him that, ‘at some point you’re going to get your opportunity,’” Davie said. “‘At some point you can take advantage of this opportunity and the rest of the story can be written. You can get your opportunity and not give the job back to anybody else.’ He’s put in the practice time and the work. We do have confidence in him . ... (Jones’ suspension is) unfortunate, but sometimes unfortunate things lead to other people’s opportunities even though it’s a hard pill to swallow. You have to step up and take advantage if you get your opportunity.”
Davie said being consistent with how he prepares the Lobos on and off the field is his way to keep Jones’ suspension from becoming a distraction for the team.
At least once a week, Davie will remind his players the dangers that can occur while being a college football player. During meetings, he will sometimes show the Lobos articles from across the nation that are the equivalent to cautionary tales.
This week, he used as an example UNM’s own quarterback Jones, who has been summoned to appear in Metropolitan Court on Nov. 7 to enter his plea of the indecent exposure accusation that reportedly took place Friday morning, hours before the Lobos left for Wyoming.
“There’s no way that we could ever address every situation that somebody would get themselves into,” Davie said after Thursday’s practice. “It always comes down to at that moment, making the right decision. None of us know what happened, actually.”
Hall, who was Jones’ backup last season, said he has done his best to learn from the quarterbacks ahead of him while he’s been at UNM. He was speaking about on-the-field lessons, during an interview after Wednesday’s practice and after news broke about the Jones controversy.
“They showed me the ropes,” Hall said of the UNM quarterbacks. “They influenced me. They gave me tips and showed me the ways I had to be a great quarterback. It was a blessing to have them be able to teach me what to do and what not to do on the field.”
Hall was recruited when the Lobos ran the tripleoption on offense. He continues to show an ability to run during practices, but he has also picked up the new spread-based offense and has made big plays with his arm.
But he is well aware that practice is much different than the game.
“I feel like I’ve made progress and I’ve really developed,” Hall said. “I’ve seen others get injured. It’s fittin’ to be my turn. I’ve been working hard and waiting for the opportunity.”