Why wouldn't you give Lark some reps Saturday?

Heaps isn't getting it done, there are serious concerns about Riley's throwing ability, and our defense alone should be able to ensure a win against SJSU (regardless of our QB), so why not see what Lark is made of?



When Texas sat Gilbert (who's performance was similar to Heaps) they trotted two different QB's out to the field and have been having some great results mixing things up and playing to the ability of their young QB's.



I'm not saying I think Lark will be the guy, I just think we might need a plan "C" at this point.

Why not try?

I'm gonna say this: Because since Riley's been healthy, the only concerns about his throwing ability are in people's minds. He showed he can throw just fine on Saturday. Put the rock in the hot hand and roll with it. If that changes, then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

I'd start Riley Nelson. Plan on keeping him in till the 3rd Qtr. If we built a solid cushion - I'd bring in Lark for 2 or 3 series. Depending on how he did - maybe rotate Heaps back in. You don't want to alienate Heaps completely.



It will be very interesting to see what Bronco & Doman decide to do.

I think it's honesty time for Heaps. Doman should sit him down in his office and say, "Jake, you aren't playing well this year, you're not throwing well, you're missing receivers by a mile, you're throwing bullets when you should be soft, and you're killing us on third downs. Can you explain this to me?" Regardless of Heaps' answer, I would say, "Jake, we're going to sit you for a game, just watch this game, and learn. Then on Monday, we'll talk again.



If Nelson and Lark sparkle, I'd sit Heaps for another game (same conversation), if they flop, then it's time to give Heaps another shot, but he needs to understand the starting QB job is not necessarily his, he'd better earn it, or he's on the bench again.



I recall Andy Dalton saying in an interview, that Patterson told him to stop throwing interceptions or he would not play him, it was that simple. He didn't say he had to throw for 400 yards a game, or that he had to throw a bunch of TDs, he just said, quit throwing interceptions. I wonder what would happen if Doman said to Jake, "Jake, hit your receivers, that's all, just hit your receivers, if you can't do that, you're not going to play anymore at BYU."

Schmoe wrote:
I'm gonna say this: Because since Riley's been healthy, the only concerns about his throwing ability are in people's minds. He showed he can throw just fine on Saturday. Put the rock in the hot hand and roll with it. If that changes, then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

+13

Schmoe wrote:
I'm gonna say this: Because since Riley's been healthy, the only concerns about his throwing ability are in people's minds. He showed he can throw just fine on Saturday. Put the rock in the hot hand and roll with it. If that changes, then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

People really seem stuck on the idea that Riley isn't strong enough. He's strong enough. Is he as strong as Heaps? No, but he's strong enough.

Have any coaches ever expressed that Riley can't make throws or that he is too weak? Because much like climate change I think its an unfounded hypothisis - at the very least there isn't enough hard evidence to back it up. News flash people, the coaches wouldn't keep a kid on scholarship out of pity. If Doman and Bronco didn't think Nelson could run the offense he wouldn't be on the team and UT sure as heck wouldn't be #2.



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I wouldn't even give Lark meaningful reps beyond 3rd stringer reps at this point. Saturday should be Nelson's game, and if Nelson struggles, Heaps' gets what may be his last chance of the season.



Lark is at least a week out from climbing up my depth chart.

Schmoe wrote:
I'm gonna say this: Because since Riley's been healthy, the only concerns about his throwing ability are in people's minds. He showed he can throw just fine on Saturday. Put the rock in the hot hand and roll with it. If that changes, then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

I disagree that Riley can throw "just fine." After watching the game again Riley missed several throws that should have been pretty straight forward. What I can't say though is that he was any worse than Heaps, which, stats-wise at least, he certainly wasn't. Where I definitely agree with you are your last two sentences. I think you definitely have to ride this wave and if, for whatever reason, Riley doesn't cut the mustard in a game or two or three or more, then you have to trust yourself to make that judgement when it comes just like you made it when Jake wasn't getting it done. But the Football world is so unpredictable (with injuries, changes in momentum, and lucky and unlucky bounces) that you can't afford not to go with what is clearly working.

Schmoe wrote:
I'm gonna say this: Because since Riley's been healthy, the only concerns about his throwing ability are in people's minds. He showed he can throw just fine on Saturday. Put the rock in the hot hand and roll with it. If that changes, then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

I disagree that Riley can throw "just fine." After watching the game again Riley missed several throws that should have been pretty straight forward. What I can't say though is that he was any worse than Heaps, which, stats-wise at least, he certainly wasn't. Where I definitely agree with you are your last two sentences. I think you definitely have to ride this wave and if, for whatever reason, Riley doesn't cut the mustard in a game or two or three or more, then you have to trust yourself to make that judgement when it comes just like you made it when Jake wasn't getting it done. But the Football world is so unpredictable (with injuries, changes in momentum, and lucky and unlucky bounces) that you can't afford not to go with what is clearly working.

snoscythe wrote:
I wouldn't even give Lark meaningful reps beyond 3rd stringer reps at this point. Saturday should be Nelson's game, and if Nelson struggles, Heaps' gets what may be his last chance of the season.



Lark is at least a week out from climbing up my depth chart.

Anybody one of our qbs will do well saturday. it is sjsu. the difficult games are over. tcu is surely our most difficult and maybe hawaii. but at this point it doesn't matter who plays really. it should get easier for any of of our quarterbacks. Jake took us through the gauntlet of our schedule with two loses. if our coaching was better we should have had just one loss (texas).



lark, heaps, and/or riley should be able to win this game with their eyes closed. Jake ha something wrong with him. If benching him for just two quarters last game didn't fix that he should keep sitting.

Why wouldn't I? Well, I've got a few conditional reasons why I wouldn't:



1) If the game is in jeopardy. Yeah, I know, shouldn't happen, but this is a weird season. If it's close, I don't want him in.

2) If I plan on beating TCU. I need to have my starting QB - whoever he/they might be - as battle tested as possible before the TCU game. Can I get Riley ready for that job? I think so. Can I get Jake ready for that job? It's possible. Can I get Lark ready for that job? I don't know that I can. Maybe if this were the 2nd/3rd week of the season, but not now.

3) If I don't want to become Gary Crowton. The QB carousel is bad. We have recent experience to show that it is bad. And for some reason I have this aversion to doing the same things that have been bad in the not-so-distant past, unless I have a "Nephi, you really just need to man up and whack off his head"-type moment.

4) If I'm not going to let him pass. If he's just going in there to hand the ball off, there's no point in him going out there. If he's on the field, he better be chucking it around so I can see what he's made of.



That said, if the game is comfortably in hand and I've had a chance to observe both Riley and Jake playing exceptionally well in multiple series by the end of the 3rd, I might put Lark out there with the full playbook at his disposal and let him have at it. For example, if we go up 28+ by the half with Riley at the helm, and Jake can get 2-3 TDs in the 3rd, sure, put Lark in for the 4th and call the exact same offense for him. With TCU looming, I don't see another option that makes much sense.