by Elizabeth Stone
On Friday, November 22, 2013, the University of West Georgia held a press conference to announce Will Hall as the new head football coach at UWG. Coach Hall joins UWG after three successful seasons as the University of West Alabama head football coach, where he led the team to back-to-back Gulf South Conference Championships.
“I am extremely excited to be the head football coach at West Georgia,” says Coach Hall, a two-time GSC Coach of the Year. “A lot of time, effort and money have been put into building this football program over the last few years. I feel like the vision of both Dr. Marrero and Coach Dickey for this place is unbelievable.”
Coach Hall is already planning for the future of the program. “We will work tirelessly to continue to build on the foundation that has been laid,” he says. “Wolves fans will be proud of our players both on and off the field. We must unite as one from this point forward to make this place what it should be. It is time to take the next step and become a perennial power, not only in this conference, but throughout the nation.”
Coach Hall became the UWA head football coach following the 2010 season, after serving as the UWA offensive coordinator for three seasons. In his first season as head coach, Coach Hall led the Tigers to an 8-4 season, the school’s best season since 1975, and hosted an NCAA playoff game for the first time in the school’s history. Coach Hall was named the 2011 GSC Co-Coach of the Year.
“This is a very exciting day for UWG athletics,” said Daryl Dickey, director of athletics at UWG. “We have been able to attract one of the brightest young stars to lead our football program into the future and to join our university and Carrollton community. Coach Hall is the right man at the right time, and I am extremely excited about the direction and future of our football program.”
In 2012, UWA received its first preseason top 10 ranking in school history. Coach Hall continued to better the team, leading UWA to win the GSC Championship for the second time in school history and the first since 1971. The 2012 team led the nation in pass defense and pass efficiency defense, led the conference in total defense, rushing offense and pass efficiency offense and led the conference in 1st Team Academic All-Conference Selections. UWA’s Ridge Wilson was named the GSC Defensive Player of the Year. Hall was once again named the GSC Coach of the Year in 2012.
"We are thrilled to have Coach Hall take over the football program,” said Dr. Bill Estes, vice president for university advancement. “His track record at UWA has been stellar, and we look forward to having him lead West Georgia to national prominence. We are fortunate to have in Will a coach who is as driven to have his players graduate as to win championships."
Under Coach Hall’s leadership in 2013, UWA was the GSC Co-Champion, breaking 10 conference records on offense and 12 school records on offense during the season. UWA led the nation in pass efficiency and yards per play and led the conference in virtually every offensive category including points per game, total yards per game, rushing, pass efficiency, third down percentage and first downs.
Before joining UWA, Coach Hall served as the offensive coordinator for the University of Arkansas at Monticello from 2006 to 2007, Southwest Baptist University from 2005 to 2006 and Henderson State University in 2005. He was also the quarterbacks coach and play caller for Presbyterian College in 2004.
Coach Hall graduated from the University of North Alabama in 2004, where he played quarterback for the Lions. For his accomplishments on the field, Hall was named the 2003 Harlon Hill Trophy Winner, the Division II equivalent to the Heisman Trophy. He was also named a 2003 1st Team All-American quarterback by D2Football.com, AP, Daktronics and Football Gazette.
Coach Hall will begin coaching at UWG immediately in preparation for the 2014 season. He and his wife Rebecca, both originally from Amory, Mississippi, have two sons, Trip and Pete.
"I am thrilled to have Will Hall and his wife Rebecca join the UWG family and the Carrollton community,” said Dr. Kyle Marrero, president of UWG. “Coach Hall represents the next steps in our future success and growth of athletics. His history reflects the balance of building a winning tradition on and off the field, understanding that they are first and foremost, student athletes."
