This is a great article because it truly captures Max Hall's irrepressible persona.
Max Hall has always been on a mission (pun very much intended) and while we can debate whether it was a "calculated" move on Whiz's part to get this kid ready sooner, rather than later (Whiz denies Max Hall's emergence in TC had anything to do with ML's release---which, imo, is a classic Whiz "white lie"---because, on the one hand, ML might have been on the way out anyway, but, on the other hand, it is very significant that after releasing ML, Whiz did not bring in another QB as he was fine with Max Hall as his #2---and Whiz was not going to cut a 5th round pick in John Skelton---so, in essence, the fact that Max Hall had done so well in TC enabled Whiz to release ML knowing that if DA were to struggle, he could turn to Hall for a spark)...
But...back to Max Hall being on a mission...it is Max Hall who is the "calculated" one.
First of all, let's be real, Hall didn't transfer from ASU because of its reputation as a party school. He's the grandson of ASU legend Whizzer White and would have relished the chance to further the family legacy at ASU. He transferred to BYU because he smelled out the QB situation at ASU and at BYU and believed he had a better shot of starting there...and he went there with the full intention of becoming the starter and was fully prepared to do so when he arrived. You have to love the anecdote about Hall's antics in the first scrimmage. From the get-go, he was going to make an immediate mark, no matter what it was going to take.
Same thing with the Cardinals. Max Hall didn't sign with the Cardinals because he's a hometown boy. Sure, that was a nice bonus. He signed with the Cardinals because he assessed the QB situation for every team in the NFL and he realized that his BEST chance of not only making the team, but becoming the starter, perhaps even as soon as this year, was with the Cardinals.
He saw that Matt Leinart's contract situation and dubious status as the starter...he saw that the best the Cardinals could do to challenge ML was to sign DA...and he was not even fazed in the least by the drafting of John Skelton, because he knew that his age and experience would propel him right past Skelton from the get-go. The question was how quickly he could challenge ML and DA.
Max Hall came to TC totally ready and on a mission. He knew his playbook. He knew what his chances would be. And just as a first scrimmage made a big difference for Hall at BYU, it was the same this summer at Flagstaff, where Hall, after a mere week of practice (where he had already created a buzz from the coaches and reporters such as Mortensen and King), Hall moved the ball and passed for a TD, whereas ML and John Skelton did not.
This is one of the reasons why Whiz said that Hall was the best QB in camp. Max Hall shows up. And he shows up prepared and loaded for bear.
