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BYU fans everywhere are familiar with the trend. Ever since LaVell Edwards became the school's head coach (1972), the Cougars have had a successful football season when they have had a senior as the clear-cut starter at quarterback. That will happen this fall, as Riley Nelson enters preseason camp — which begins Thursday at 3:30 p.m. — as the unquestioned starter. One of those seniors, Max Hall, helped the Cougars go 11-2 in 2009. That after John Beck directed BYU to an 11-2 mark in 2006. I caught up with Hall at BYU football media day and asked him what Nelson can expect this year. "I think he is going to come into this year a lot more prepared, because he is not going to be battling for a spot. He's going to have all the reps in the offseason, he is going to be able to just take control of the whole team," Hall said. "And he will be able to just play this year. He's not worrying about someone on the sideline trying to come in. He's going to know the offense better; he's not going to be worried about his reads or anything like that. He's going to be able to go out there and just play. You really don't get that until your senior year, when you only have to worry about going out there and leading your guys and playing your way." It is no secret that Hall often clashed with since-departed offensive coordinator Robert Anae over the play-calling and other issues. Does he see any differences in the BYU offense now that his good friend, Brandon Doman, is calling the shots? "Yeah, I see differences," he said. "I see it with Riley, especially, just because Riley has a different set of talents. He is a lot better on his feet than I was, and he's better at making plays on the run. So they get him out of the pocket a lot more. But a lot of the base concepts are the same, a lot of the philosophy is the same. The identity might be a little different with Riley, but it is still the same base stuff." Back on June 27, Hall was a free agent hoping to get a call from an NFL team to join its camp. Doesn't look like that has happened. So what's next? "If nothing works out, I will come back and finish my degree and probably start coaching somewhere," he said. "Right now, I am really just focused on playing somewhere. I am in good shape, the shoulder is healthy, and I have been working really hard. So hopefully I get that chance. If not, I have some backup plans." Of course, Hall left as the winningest quarterback in school history, but many folks around the state will remember him for the comments he made about rival Utah after the Cougars' downed the Utes in overtime, 26-23, on Nov. 28, 2009. He apologized the next day, but the rant lives on. Any regrets, three years later? "I am way happy with how my career went," he said. "I don't regret one thing that I did while I was at BYU. I am proud that I was able to be a good quarterback at BYU, and that I took that whole thing on and took that huge responsibility on and handled it how I did. So, it was a huge blessing for me in my life and I wouldn't change anything."