Norwalk’s Hall has proven to be a team player

NORWALK — All summer long, AJ Hall worked hard and prepared himself to be the next quarterback at Norwalk High School.

With 2015 starter Krishtjan Frrokaj planning on transferring to a private school, Hall — who had been the team’s JV quarterback, and grew up playing the position in the youth ranks — wanted to be ready.

He lifted, he learned the playbook front to back, he dragged receivers out on to Testa Field to run routes, and was the quarterback when Norwalk competed in the annual 7-on-7 Rip it and Grip It tournament at New Canaan High School.

Come of the start of the season, Hall was as ready as he could be to lead the Bears into a new season.

So why four games into the season is Hall just 1-for-2 passing for 20 yards?

The same reason he has made 11 catches for 208 yards and a team-high average of 18.9 yards per catch.

Hall is playing wide receiver for the 3-1 Bears.

On the opening day of the football season, Frrokaj — whose transfer had fallen through — returned to the Bears.

Coach Sean Ireland made no promises to either quarterback, both of whom battled against each other, friend vs. friend, to win the job.

“We were close friends last year as quarterbacks,” Hall said. “When he came back, nothing stopped us. When I was playing quarterback, I was helping him in the slot. And when he was at quarterback, he was helping me.”

In the end, Ireland realized, the best thing for the team is to put Hall as a slot receiver and Frrokaj back at quarterback.

“I can go back to the day I pulled him and Krishtjan in,” Ireland said. “I said my job was to put the best team on the field and our best team was with AJ at slot and Krishtjan at quarterback.”

Hall, now a junior, never looked back.

He didn’t walk off in a huff. He didn’t pout. He didn’t hold any grudges.

He turned the page and started working to become the best 5-foot-7, 150-pound slot receiver he could be.

“I wasn’t disappointed because I knew I was going to play,” Hall said. “Whatever is best for the team. If he wanted me at slot, that’s fine. I’ve played quarterback my whole life, but this is 10 times more fun because it’s (varsity) football and everybody is watching you and cheering you on.”

Hall’s action, though, also set a team-first mentality for the rest of the Bears, who were rebuilding on defense after last year’s 5-4 campaign.

“You’re always anxious to see how a good takes something like that, especially with a glamour position, and he took it in stride,” Ireland said. “There were no complaints and he worked just as hard from the first day to now. He’s just a great kid.”

While Frrokaj acts as a coach on the field from his spot under center, so too does Hall — who knows everything there is to know about the Norwalk offense.

“We talk all the time about coaches on the field and he’s one of them,” Ireland said. “He’s a student of the game and he’s all about this team.”

During Wednesday’s practice, running back Deandre Russell wasn’t able to participate, so Hall took his place in the back field on plays called for him.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we asked him what the left guard did on (a certain play) and he’d know it,” Ireland said.

Hall admits he’s got a pretty good grasp on the playbook.

“I know where everybody is supposed to be on the field. I now all the plays,” he said.

As a wide receiver, Hall isn’t the biggest or most athletic player the FCIAC has to offer.

“He’s not overly fast, he’s not overly strong,” Ireland said. “But he’s quick — he’s a jitterbug — and he has great hands.”

And he has a knack for making defenders miss.

“I’d be surprised if the first guy has ever made a tackle on him,” Ireland said. “He always makes the first guy miss. He’s a tough kid.”

Hall might be the starting quarterback next year, as a senior. But he’s not looking that far ahead.

He’s only look as far as Thursday’s game against Bridgeport Central and after that he’ll only look forward another week to face Westhill.

After winning its first two games, Norwalk has dropped two straight and given up 92 points in the process.

“We just have to get back on track,” said Hall, who is also a cornerback. “He have to play Norwalk football. I don’t have an answer for what’s happened, we just haven’t been playing our game. But that’s what these two weeks were for.”

Hall once again helped the team get ready any way he could.

Now it’s time to play again.