Doesn't it bother anyone that . . .

This team can sway with emotion so easily? I mean terrible play from multiple facets of the team are magically better by changing the QB? I would have thought these guys had a lot more mental toughness than to let one player bring them down only to "turn it on" once another QB is playing. I have no inside information on what goes on with this team behind the scenes, but the way this team has responded to Riley and Heaps so distnctly, I think reveals more about them than we are getting from the supposed inside sources. I don't mind having Riley lead us or Heaps,but it bothers me that this team has let rifts, cliches or whatever affect their play on the field. I thought we left all that stuff behind last year, but apparently not. So to me this is the most disappointing part of the season so far, not that we lost games, but that we let petty differences affect our play on the field.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

If it was a lineman or a WR or a RB, sure. But the QB is by nature the focal point of the team, and SHOULD be the leader. If one person is not a leader (yet), or not the right kind of a leader, and they are replaced by someone who is, then I expect the team to react. JMO

BYULV wrote:
This team can sway with emotion so easily? I mean terrible play from multiple facets of the team are magically better by changing the QB? I would have thought these guys had a lot more mental toughness than to let one player bring them down only to "turn it on" once another QB is playing. I have no inside information on what goes on with this team behind the scenes, but the way this team has responded to Riley and Heaps so distnctly, I think reveals more about them than we are getting from the supposed inside sources. I don't mind having Riley lead us or Heaps,but it bothers me that this team has let rifts, cliches or whatever affect their play on the field. I thought we left all that stuff behind last year, but apparently not. So to me this is the most disappointing part of the season so far, not that we lost games, but that we let petty differences affect our play on the field.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

These are very competitive guys. This is very normal. I remember leaving my first job to go someplace that didn't have politics. How naive I was. I would rather deal with this than a bunch of guys that are just happy to be there.



This is why such a big deal is made of leadership in all organizations. It is why Apple with and without Steve Jobs ends up being two different things. If you want to be a great QB - you better figure out how to be a great leader. It comes down to an inate ability to get people to believe that their efforts will make a difference in something of importance.



Examples - if a receiver is trying to run a route - is he more likely to lay himself out and expose himself blindly - if his QB rushed throws previously and threw him the ball with a freight train headed for his head - Apo is a changed man. He may bounce back. He has nothing against Heaps - but he probably looks to see who is coming rather than focusing only on the ball.



If you are a receiver and you know Heaps is going to lock onto Apo and not look at his other reads - might you get a little apathetic on route running and adjusting routes and be shocked when a ball comes rocketing above or behind you - and drop it.



Also, if Heaps throws a timing pass 1 second too soon and like a rocket and high or behind you - do you think you might be more likely to drop it even though you really want to catch it.



Nobody on this team was trying to undermine Jake Heaps on the field although some felt he should not be on the field - and rightfully so. A few accurate and timely passes spread around liberally would have fixed all of that.



Might Hoffman and Nelson become the object of a bit of envy or resentment if that connection continues to dominate? Human nature. Hopefully others fight harder and make plays when it comes their way. Kind of like how the RBs seemed to run harder when Alisa broke into the rotation in a big way.

Y 4 Ever wrote:
If it was a lineman or a WR or a RB, sure. But the QB is by nature the focal point of the team, and SHOULD be the leader. If one person is not a leader (yet), or not the right kind of a leader, and they are replaced by someone who is, then I expect the team to react. JMO

I agree there should be some reaction, but if one guy can bring down or lift up the other 21guys to the extent we have seen, I think our guys may be a bit more fragile than we think. I think the QB should be the leader, however, if you have a young QB who is not yet the natural leader, you would expect the team to rally around him and boost him up until he is a leader. If there is not enough team unity this will not happen. I think heaps may have become a victim of team rifts (maybe he was the source of them or not, I don't know) which just seemed magnify his struggles to the point he became totally ineffective. I just think there is a lot more blame/credit to go around for the teams failures and successes than just Jake or Riley.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Cougarbib2 wrote:

This team can sway with emotion so easily? I mean terrible play from multiple facets of the team are magically better by changing the QB? I would have thought these guys had a lot more mental toughness than to let one player bring them down only to "turn it on" once another QB is playing. I have no inside information on what goes on with this team behind the scenes, but the way this team has responded to Riley and Heaps so distnctly, I think reveals more about them than we are getting from the supposed inside sources. I don't mind having Riley lead us or Heaps,but it bothers me that this team has let rifts, cliches or whatever affect their play on the field. I thought we left all that stuff behind last year, but apparently not. So to me this is the most disappointing part of the season so far, not that we lost games, but that we let petty differences affect our play on the field.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

These are very competitive guys. This is very normal. I remember leaving my first job to go someplace that didn't have politics. How naive I was. I would rather deal with this than a bunch of guys that are just happy to be there.



Thisis why such a bit deal ismade of leadership in all organizations. It is why Apple with and without Steve Jobs ends up bineg two different things. If you want to be a great QB - you better figure out how to be a great leader. It comes down to an inate ability to get people to believe that their efforts will make a difference in something of improtance.



Examples - if a receiver is trying to run a route - is he more likely to lay himself out and expose himslef blindly - if his QB rushed throws previously and threw him the ball with a freight train headed for his head - APo is a changed man. He may bounce back. He has nothing against Heaps - but he probably looks to see who is coming rather than focusing only on the ball.



If you are a receiver and you know Heaps is going to lock onto Apo and not look at his other reads - might you get a littel apathetic on route running and adjusting routes.



Also, if Heaps throws a timing pass 1 second too soon and like a rocket and high or behind you - do you think you might be more likely to drop it even though you really want to catch it.



Nobody on this team was trying to undermine Jake Heaps on the field although some felt he should not be on the field - and rightfully so. A few accurate and timely passes spread around liberally would have fixed all of that.



Might Hoffman and Nelson become the object of a bit of envy or resentment if that connection continues to dominate? Human nature. Hopefully others fight harder and make plays when it comes their way. Kind of like how the RBs seemed to run harder when Alisa broke into the rotation in a big way.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, just saying that a cohesive, mentally tough team doesn't let these issues affect them the way our team has. If a receiver or running back is going to run a route faster and better for one QB over another than I'm not sure I want that type of player on my team. I want players that are going to go 100% every down regardless of who they are playing with.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

We would all like that. If teams had that - they would not need leaders.



Even in war - Rally The Troops - even in battle - that is what leaders do and great things happen - it comes from alignment of purpose and a vision and a belief that one can succeed and help the team succeed at something that is important.



It is what your fitness coach does - personal trainer - physical therapist - come on - give me 3 more - you can do it - the last three give 90% of the growth - stick with it - three more.

Any division I athlete should have enough internal drive to overcome petty differences and lack of leadership. To just not play because someone is not being a good leader is lame.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

BYULV wrote:
Any division I athlete should have enough internal drive to overcome petty differences and lack of leadership. To just not play because someone is not being a good leader is lame.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

To not understand the value of leadership is lame. Every organizatoin has them, develops them, hires recruiters to find them - and pays them really big bucks because they lift the entire organization to greater achievement.

Cougarbib2 wrote:

Any division I athlete should have enough internal drive to overcome petty differences and lack of leadership. To just not play because someone is not being a good leader is lame.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

To not understand the value of leadership is lame. Every organizatoin has them, develops them, hires recruiters to find them - and pays them really big bucks because they lift the entire organization to greater achievement.

I'm not disagreeing the value of leadership, I am arguing that we should have a lot more leadership than just the QB. And, these players have been playing long enough and been in the top at what they do for years. There is no reason any of them couldn't and shouldn't be a leader; if not vocally, then at least by their play. I appreciate the value of a good leader, but I would rather have a bunch of self motivated guys who will do everything in their power to succeed than a group of guys waiting to be motivated by someone else.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Guys didn't play hard because they don't like Heaps or because he's a poor leader. They didn't play hard for him because he was playing poorly, and wasn't making plays.



These same guys played hard for him last year when he started making plays. When he never made consistent plays this year, they began looking for someone who would.

Amen and Amen. Welcome to the choir. This team has had more than just petty differences. There has been a pervasive undertow of poison and collusion. And its not just Jake or Riley, though each of them brought their own attitudes and performance on the field.

But when a Sr leader tells other players, that they dont have to follow or listen to Jake (who no doubt was trying to bare the mantle of leadership)--youre darn right there was more going on than just sloppy routes (last year and some this year).

But its over now. And we move forward--well, some of us who arent constipated and arent still blaming Jake for all their woes in life.

I love what Riley has done for the team since stepping in and taking this team by the horns. Alot of credit to him!! And not alot of credit to those who should have been leading out and werent.

Football is a game of emotion, it doesn't bother me one bit.

Yes it bothers me, but I don't think that it is limited to this team... I think most teams are like that.



Re watch the Texas game - they were like that



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Schmoe wrote:
Football is a game of emotion, it doesn't bother me one bit.

I dare say it probably would bother you if it were the other way around.

This topic and most of the replies misses the point. There was no rift in the team making players not play hard for Heaps. To think so is merely an attempt to make excuses for the absolute worst qb play in the modern BYU history. Time to grow up people and just admit that the problem really was Heaps.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

I think it is hard for us (those of us who love watching and playing football but never had D-1 talent) to understand how a player might not give 100 percent on every play, but it is reality.



Look at it from their perspective. Playing in these football games is second nature to them. They practice and play week in and week out and are not paid millions of dollars for it.



Do you give your all everyday in your job, your calling in church, your home teaching? We all coast a little at times. Why should we be so naive as to not think players may not do the same on the football field?



That is the hardest thing for coaches. Nick Saban said it on the radio or maybe it was TV here in Alabama. He has to really work to get his kids up for playing every week. Now enter a QB on the field who is laying his very health on the line with the way he plays. That might tend to remind you that maybe you need to kick it in an extra gear.



That doesn't bother me one bit. It is reality. The coaches have to deal with reality while they help players aspire to and live the ideal.

hawkwing wrote:
This topic and most of the replies misses the point. There was no rift in the team making players not play hard for Heaps. To think so is merely an attempt to make excuses for the absolute worst qb play in the modern BYU history. Time to grow up people and just admit that the problem really was Heaps.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

I refuse to put all the blame on heaps. see the coaching staff mistakes and the running game. if our coaches weren't idiots we win the texas game with heaps. heaps was part of the problem, not the only problem. Not sure if that was what you were implying or not.

Ever watched or studied an ostrich burying its head in the sand? Not phenomonologically different from watching a child put his hands over his eyes and truly believing that a certain thing doesn't exist.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

We are talking about reality here right? In a perfect world, socialism would work too. Everyone would work hard, we would all share equally and get rich equally but in reality, people are selfish. The leadership hoards all the wealth, dominates the weak, murders whomever gets in their way and you end up with the very rich elite and the very poor working class.



In fantasy land, everyone on BYU's football team would play 100% every play regardless of who is playing QB (even if the QB is not getting it done). But in reality, football players just want to win so when a guy comes in and replaces the guy that wasn't getting it done and stars making plays and running the offense the way it is supposed to be run, everyone plays harder because of anticipated success.

jonnylingo wrote:

This topic and most of the replies misses the point. There was no rift in the team making players not play hard for Heaps. To think so is merely an attempt to make excuses for the absolute worst qb play in the modern BYU history. Time to grow up people and just admit that the problem really was Heaps.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

I refuse to put all the blame on heaps. see the coaching staff mistakes and the running game. if our coaches weren't idiots we win the texas game with heaps. heaps was part of the problem, not the only problem. Not sure if that was what you were implying or not.

You're right, not all of the blame falls on Heaps. There were a number, and still are a number, of coaching mistakes being made. In all this lead to an extremely ineffective offense with the most ineffective QB BYU has EVER had since Mark Lyons. Of course after 3 or 4 games of this the players got demotivated. And when Riley Nelson came in and provided a spark and some toughness and grit it relight the fire in the other players to the same level it was at going into the Ole Miss game. To think and say that the players have been trying to hurt Jake Heaps career by not playing well is not only wrong, it's shameful and hurtful.