QB Competition Update

[SpiffCoug]

I haven't seen much to show that Nelson isn't accurate. Just that Heaps is proving to be extremely accurate.

[gmj81]

I would love to see Jake slaughter the Huskies after the way the school and fans treated him and his family. That said, I just want the win and don't care who gets it for us or by how many points it comes. Playing against your hometown university not only in your freshman year, but in your very first collegiate game would be hard for anybody and would require maturity beyond any freshman's years. Jake just might have that maturity (certainly he has more than most but does he have enough to cope with that situation?) but unless it's obvious to the coaches that he's mentally ready for the game regardless of how much better he looks than Nelson or Lark, I think I'd rather have Riley start. There's just too much scarring that could take place from a bad start in that game.

[Mars]

I haven't seen much to show that Nelson isn't accurate. Just that Heaps is proving to be extremely accurate.

Except for that horribly thrown interception (that was called back) in very limited playing time last year...

[snoscythe]

I haven't seen much to show that Nelson isn't accurate. Just that Heaps is proving to be extremely accurate.

Except for that horribly thrown interception (that was called back) in very limited playing time last year...

Yeah, because we totally count interceptions the defense has to commit fouls to get....

Even if you do count the phantom interception in his PER ranking or 186.16 for last year, it dropped his rating to a sucky 166.16.

[Mars]

Greg Wrubell tends to say it best:

" It doesn't take long to realize that Jake Heaps is a special player and the best quarterback currently in the BYU program... I anticipate that Mendenhall and Anae will simply start the best quarterback who gives BYU the best chance to win against Washington, and if it's Nelson, that means he will have had a heck of a summer... When it comes time for the decision to made, I expect that BYU's starting quarterback will be Jake Heaps. We're only about three months away from finding out whether that will indeed be the case. "

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=498&sid=10949480

[SpiffCoug]

I'm still not sold that Heaps is the best QB right now. I think he has the most talent and will wind up being the best of the bunch currently in the program.

The question to me is, how much can Heaps improve given time (i.e. a redshirt season). If the answer is not much then it strengthens the case to have him play. But to me, if he is that talented but being given time to develop wouldn't improve his game seems counter-intuitive. That would suggest his ceiling isn't much higher than where he is right now.

If the answer is he would definitely improve, then it would seem waiting for him would be most beneficial for both BYU and Heaps.

That's what I can't get past. I think Heaps is going to be absolute stud and is going to be a great QB for BYU. But I don't see what he brings to BYU next year that we don't already have.

I don't think Heaps is the difference between 7 wins or 11 wins next year. I don't think our win total changes with Nelson or Heaps. If I thought we could win more games with Heaps, my opinion would be we go with him. But I just don't see him winning any more games as a true freshman than Nelson will.

So, my opinion is one of patience. Let Heaps develop. Let him learn. Let him prepare. Let him be a team player. Let him get familiar with BYU and D1 football.

[Lawboy]

Not sure Heaps can really be classified as a true freshman for 2010. He registered in January, had spring ball with the team, and summer workouts as well. He is more like a redshirt freshman right now as it is. And because of this, I think he will be ready to play. especially with the chance to go after our secondary in practice often. that will help him acclimate quickly. I think he will be ready for UW.