"Heaps a victim of Unga’s saga, but shouldn’t be"

[SpiffCoug]

Excellent retorts. I'll just question a few points. The FSU game simply could not have had more than a few 3rd stringers. You only travel 53 players on the road. You've got 24 starters (maybe 23 if your kicker is pulling double/triple duty [punt, kicking, kickoffs]). Two teams makes it 46 players (22 1st & 2nd team offense and defense and 2 kickers). That leaves at most 7 third string players. At any rate, it doesn't really matter, I'd still take FSU's second and third teamers over any high school team.

The offensive line is on record as saying they enjoy blocking for Nelson (it was reported by Jay Drew in an interview last week). So who should we go with: the receivers' opinion or the offensive line's? I really don't know.

I have seen Riley throw live. Against FSU, against TCU and in the spring game. I saw enough from him to make me believe that we would be okay with him running the offense.

One big hangup I have with backing Riley is what happens if he does struggle and we take a few games to make the switch. Now we've wasted talent in Heaps by not playing him sooner. This is my conundrum and likely the coaches too.

I really think the coaches want to be patient with Heaps. But what happens if they go with Nelson and he proves to be unsuccessful. What if they make the switch and Heaps shows he's not ready. Do you go back to Riley? Do you go to Lark or Munns? I think the coaches have to be very careful or they're going to really ruin the 2010 season by messing too much with the QBs.

If coaches do go with Riley, I almost hope they announce to Jake, the team, the media and the fans (in that order, not all at once) that Heaps is going to RS. That Nelson is the guy and Lark and Munns will be the back ups. Then it's clear that job is Nelson's and will be Nelson's.

I see that as almost the only way a controversy is averted. If Heaps isn't completely shelved, then the competition is never really over and the team won't rally behind the starter. Those in the Heaps camp may not come over and the team is divided and stink up the joint.

It's one heck of a decision. I also want to say that I'm not sure that Coaches Mendenhall, Anae and Doman have a wrong decision to make. I think we have two excellent QBs. Both of whom can/will win a lot of games for BYU over the next two years. I don't either QB is the difference between 11 wins and 7 wins. If it were somehow possible, I really think our record will be the same with either QB.

[SpiffCoug]

And if sno wants to compare high school stats and accomplishments with Heaps go ahead and try... its not even close.

Did you even bother to look at the stats from high school that Sno posted? Here are the links again. I'll wait while you go look at them. They're from both QBs senior years.
http://www.maxpreps.com/athletes/NfwIhI ... -heaps.htm
http://www.maxpreps.com/athletes/LV2kEb ... nelson.htm
Did you go? If not, I'll post them here:
Heaps 2009
Comp 213
Att 352
Comp% 60.51
INT 7
Yards 3191
TD 45
Passing Efficiency (using college formula) 174.87
Yds/Att 9.07
Yds/Com 14.98
INT% 1.9
TD% 12.8
Rush Att 66
Yards 153
TD 9

Nelson 2005 193 286 3784 270.3 .675 50 6 88 141
Comp 193
Att 286
Comp% 67.48
INT 6
Yards 3784
TD 50
Passing Efficiency (using college formula) 232.12
Yds/Com 19.61
Yds/Att 13.23
TD% 17.5
INT% 2.1
Rush Att 120
Yards 1150
TD 29

Nelson was AMAZING his senior year. He was more accurate and more efficient than Heaps. Nelson's stats were other-worldly.

[WestCoastCat]

Your grasping for straws... statics 5 years ago mean very little and frankly to compare statics with Heaps you have to factor in that he only played to half time most of his junior and senior year seasons. (i dont know if you knew that?)

To compare 3a competition in northern Utah (no disrespect intended) and the highest classification in Washington State is a bit unrealistic. Its not apples to apples... but thats ok...

Lets just say this... you have your favorite in the race and I have mine. I am hedging my bets based on the talent evaluation from most of the top collegiate coaches in the country.

What it all comes down to in my opinion is who moves the team better on a consistent basis. Nelson is 4 years older than Heaps. If Heaps is even close to Nelson in this race thats not good for Nelson... imho

My opinion is if Heaps is the starting qb Nelson will be in the game too. I think we will see quarterback sharing this year. Unless Heaps falls flat on his face in the fall, which I dont expect him to do, we will get an opportunity to both enjoy watching our favorite qb's play.

[SpiffCoug]

I bet 3A in Utah is much closer to 4A in Washington than 4A to Washington is to D1 football.

You can't have your cake and eat it too. Either high school stats are relevant or they aren't.

And yes, I did know that Heaps didn't play every down of every game. Maybe Nelson didn't either.

Unfortunately, I think you're right in that we're going to see BOTH QBs this year. I don't think that's the best situation for either QB or the team.

My biggest fear is that Nelson starts and struggles. Heaps comes in and shows he's not quite ready. Then we spend the rest of the year like we did in 2002 and 2003 going between QBs and never really finding one.

[Mars]

Nelson 2005
Comp 193 , Att 286, Comp% 67.48
INT 6, Yards 3784, TD 50
Passing Efficiency (using college formula) 232.12
Rush Att 120, Yards 1150, TD 29

Nelson was AMAZING his senior year... Nelson's stats were other-worldly.

I had forgotten just how good Riley's high school stats were- thanks for posting them. I think it's easy to remember how James Lark outshined Nelson when they both were juniors, and forget what happened the year after that. Especially with the time lag and all the recruiting that has happened since then.