Will Hall (American football)
Encyclopedia
Will Hall is the head football
coach at the University of West Alabama
. He is in his first season. He grew up in Mississippi and attended the University of North Alabama
where he played quarterback
from 2002 to 2003. He won the Harlon Hill Trophy
in 2003. He began his coaching career in 2004 and held assistant coaching positions at Presbyterian, Henderson State
, Southwest Baptist, Arkansas-Monticello and West Alabama. Hall was promoted as West Alabama's head football coach on November 17, 2010, after the retirement of Bobby Wallace.
, Hall graduated from Amory High School. Playing for his father Bobby Hall, Will led the 1998 Amory Panthers squad to the MHSAA
Class 3A State Championship. After high school, he attended Northwest Mississippi Community College
where he played quarterback for the Rangers for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. Both seasons at Northwest, Hall was named a NJCAA
Football All-American. In 2000 he set a NJCAA record for total offense in a season with 4,075 total yards (93 rushing and 3,982 passing). Hall also set a NJCAA record when he threw nine touchdown passes in a 69–37 victory over East Mississippi Community College
in the 2000 season.
After Northwest Mississippi, Hall attended the University of North Alabama
where he lettered as quarterback
for the Lions
for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Following the 2003 season he won the Harlon Hill Trophy
as the top player in NCAA
Division II football. He won the award after leading the Lions to a 13–1 record en route to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs. For the season, Hall completed 71.8 percent of his passes in throwing for 3,531 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also rushed for 467 yards and five touchdowns.
After participating in the 2004 Cactus Bowl
, Hall signed a contract to play for the Tupelo FireAnts
of the National Indoor Football League
for the 2004 season
. Playing once again for his father, who was the head coach for the team, during the fourteen game season he passed for 2,046 yards and 44 touchdowns. Hall also rushed for 422 yards and thirteen touchdowns.
at Presbyterian College
in 2004. From Presbyterian he went to Henderson State University
for 2005, Southwest Baptist University
for 2006 and the University of Arkansas at Monticello
for 2007. In December 2007 Hall was hired to serve as offensive coordinator
at the University of West Alabama
Under his leadership, the Tigers' offense saw significant improvement, and by 2010 led the Gulf South Conference
in pass efficiency with a 155.8 rating. During his tenure West Alabama had consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1991–92 and to the NCAA second round of the 2009 Division II playoffs.
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach at the University of West Alabama
University of West Alabama
The University of West Alabama is a public university located in Livingston, Alabama, United States. It is currently on probation with its regional accrediting body....
. He is in his first season. He grew up in Mississippi and attended the University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is a coeducational university located in Florence, Alabama, and the state's oldest four-year public university....
where he played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
from 2002 to 2003. He won the Harlon Hill Trophy
Harlon Hill Trophy
The Harlon Hill Trophy is an award in American college football given to the individual selected as the most valuable player in NCAA Division II. The award is named for former University of North Alabama and National Football League player Harlon Hill...
in 2003. He began his coaching career in 2004 and held assistant coaching positions at Presbyterian, Henderson State
Henderson State Reddies football
The Henerson State Reddies football program is a college football team that represents Henderson State University. The team is a member of the Great American Conference which is in the Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Reddies are currently coached by Scott Maxfield,...
, Southwest Baptist, Arkansas-Monticello and West Alabama. Hall was promoted as West Alabama's head football coach on November 17, 2010, after the retirement of Bobby Wallace.
Early years
A native of Amory, MississippiAmory, Mississippi
Amory is a city in Monroe County, Mississippi, United States. The population is 6,956 as of the 2000 census.-History:Amory was the first planned city in Mississippi. The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad needed a mid-point between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama for their...
, Hall graduated from Amory High School. Playing for his father Bobby Hall, Will led the 1998 Amory Panthers squad to the MHSAA
Mississippi High School Activities Association
The Mississippi High School Activities Association is the official sanctioning body of all public and some private junior high and high school academic and athletic competitions in the State of Mississippi. It is a non-profit organization and is headquartered in Clinton, Mississippi...
Class 3A State Championship. After high school, he attended Northwest Mississippi Community College
Northwest Mississippi Community College
Northwest Mississippi Community College is a two-year public community college located in Senatobia, Mississippi, USA and has been in existence since 1928. As of August 2008, Northwest's enrollment exceeds 7,100 students. There are approximately 3,000 students on the Senatobia campus—1,100 of which...
where he played quarterback for the Rangers for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. Both seasons at Northwest, Hall was named a NJCAA
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
Football All-American. In 2000 he set a NJCAA record for total offense in a season with 4,075 total yards (93 rushing and 3,982 passing). Hall also set a NJCAA record when he threw nine touchdown passes in a 69–37 victory over East Mississippi Community College
East Mississippi Community College
East Mississippi Community College , also known as East Mississippi Junior College, is a community college system in Mississippi with its headquarters in the Thomas L. Davis, Jr...
in the 2000 season.
After Northwest Mississippi, Hall attended the University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is a coeducational university located in Florence, Alabama, and the state's oldest four-year public university....
where he lettered as quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Lions
North Alabama Lions football
The North Alabama Lions football team represents the University of North Alabama in the NCAA Division II competing as a member of the East Division of the Gulf South Conference . UNA plays its home games at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama...
for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Following the 2003 season he won the Harlon Hill Trophy
Harlon Hill Trophy
The Harlon Hill Trophy is an award in American college football given to the individual selected as the most valuable player in NCAA Division II. The award is named for former University of North Alabama and National Football League player Harlon Hill...
as the top player in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division II football. He won the award after leading the Lions to a 13–1 record en route to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs. For the season, Hall completed 71.8 percent of his passes in throwing for 3,531 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also rushed for 467 yards and five touchdowns.
After participating in the 2004 Cactus Bowl
Cactus Bowl
The Cactus Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played each January in Kingsville, Texas which showcases the best NFL draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility in NCAA Division II...
, Hall signed a contract to play for the Tupelo FireAnts
Tupelo FireAnts
The Tupelo FireAnts were a professional indoor football team that played their home games at the BancorpSouth Center in Tupelo, Mississippi. They started off as a charter member of the National Indoor Football League . Despite two seemingly good records in 2001 and 2004, they failed to make the...
of the National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, af2, however, that changed briefly with their expansion into AFL...
for the 2004 season
2004 National Indoor Football League season
The 2004 National Indoor Football League season was the fourth season of the National Indoor Football League. The league champions were the Lexington Horsemen, who defeated the Sioux Falls Storm in Indoor Bowl IV.-Standings:...
. Playing once again for his father, who was the head coach for the team, during the fourteen game season he passed for 2,046 yards and 44 touchdowns. Hall also rushed for 422 yards and thirteen touchdowns.
Assistant coaching career
Hall started his coaching career as the quarterbacks coachQuarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....
at Presbyterian College
Presbyterian College
Presbyterian College is a private liberal arts college in Clinton, South Carolina, USA. Presbyterian College, or PC, is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. PC was founded in 1880 by William Plumer Jacobs, a prominent Presbyterian minister who also founded the nearby Thornwell Home and...
in 2004. From Presbyterian he went to Henderson State University
Henderson State University
Henderson State University, founded in 1890 as Arkadelphia Methodist College, is a four-year public liberal arts university located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, United States. It is Arkansas's only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges...
for 2005, Southwest Baptist University
Southwest Baptist University
Southwest Baptist University is a private institute of higher education affiliated with the Missouri Baptist Convention which is part of the Southern Baptist Convention. In 2003 there were approximately 3,600 students attending at one of SBU's four Missouri, United States campuses in Bolivar,...
for 2006 and the University of Arkansas at Monticello
University of Arkansas at Monticello
The University of Arkansas at Monticello is a public university and college for vocational and technical education located in Monticello, Arkansas, United States....
for 2007. In December 2007 Hall was hired to serve as offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
at the University of West Alabama
University of West Alabama
The University of West Alabama is a public university located in Livingston, Alabama, United States. It is currently on probation with its regional accrediting body....
Under his leadership, the Tigers' offense saw significant improvement, and by 2010 led the Gulf South Conference
Gulf South Conference
The Gulf South Conference is a College Athletic Conference which operates in the southeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division II.-History:...
in pass efficiency with a 155.8 rating. During his tenure West Alabama had consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1991–92 and to the NCAA second round of the 2009 Division II playoffs.
Head coaching career
On November 17, 2010, Hall was promoted from his position of offensive coordinator to head coach effective January 1, 2011, to replace the retiring Bobby Wallace. In his first season as head coach, Hall led the Tigers to an 8–3 regular season, but lost in the first round of the 2011 Division II playoffs to his alma mater North Alabama2011 North Alabama Lions football team
The 2011 North Alabama Lions football team represents the University of North Alabama in the 2011 NCAA Division II college football season.-Schedule:...
.