An Athlete and a Head-Case

You know the saying: When you can't pick between two quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks?



That is exactly where we are right now. We have Nelson who is a gritty player that makes plays and moves the ball based on his athleticism. We have Heaps who is the blue chip prospect, camp MVP, practice Heisman, but shrinks during game time and can't seem to overcome whatever is going on in his head to go through his reads and make throws like he does in practice.



This is a crappy situation to be in. Do we turn the offense over to Nelson and accept the fact that we are going to win the easy games but will not win any of the big games next year? Is 8 wins acceptable next year? We cannot expect Nelson to win games at Boise State, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, and Utah. I believe we've seen the ceiling on Nelson's athleticism last night.



Do we go back to Heaps and try to figure out how to fix his game day issues? That's a huge gamble because if he doesn't improve we will lose a couple of games that Nelson would have won against our beatable opponents. But if the gamble pays off do we get a couple of big wins next year and possibly set ourselves up for a potentially huge year with a fixed Heaps as a senior.



Or do we commit to redshirting Heaps next year and roll with Nelson/Lark/Hill/Munns no matter who gets injured next year? 8 wins is okay?



I'm already looking forward to Hill and Mangum. Hopefully we can get back to the days where you have an elite QB that is the entrenched starter and the next QB comes in and backs up for two years before being given the offense.

Considering the head-case made games against the weakest opponents questionable as to outcome, I think the obvious choice is the athlete, who at least has you in the game against the stronger opponents.

Have to go with the athlete. Its no comparison. Unless jake finds something between now and next year, RN has been proven to have better outcomes. If we don't botch 3 punts we have a very realistic chance to beat tcu--even with a few picks. I'm not a riley-homer, but with the dynamics of this team such as they are, RN gives us our best chance to win. He does need to take his game up one more level. But he's shown that and let's see if he can do it one more level up.



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You go with the real athlete. Riley isn't good enough. He may be better than Heaps but he's not good enough. Lark needs to finish this season off. Riley has a clear ceiling and investing time in him is a waste.



No matter who we start at QB the next three games we are going to win. Jake played his way off the field and for me Riley played his way off the field last night. That was not a good QB performance. Riley may be our best running back but he is a liability throwing the ball. You heard the announcers. TCU's plan was to FORCE OUR QB TO THROW THE BALL. That says it all to me.

fifthqb wrote:
You go with the real athlete. Riley isn't good enough. He may be better than Heaps but he's not good enough. Lark needs to finish this season off. Riley has a clear ceiling and investing time in him is a waste.



No matter who we start at QB the next three games we are going to win. Jake played his way off the field and for me Riley played his way off the field last night. That was not a good QB performance. Riley may be our best running back but he is a liability throwing the ball. You heard the announcers. TCU's plan was to FORCE OUR QB TO THROW THE BALL. That says it all to me.

I gotta call BS. I know you're a die-hard Lark fan, but I haven't seen anything from Lark or Nelson that indicates it's time to give Lark a shot. Saying Nelson played his way "off the field last night" is a bit of a stretch considering Nelson was half the reason why we were even in the game last night, the other half being our defense.

Is there an uncommitted good JC QB out there. Nelson isn't good enough. Heaps is transferring. The other QBs aren't better than those two. BYU needs help at that spot as soon as next year.

stuckinbig10country wrote:
Is there an uncommitted good JC QB out there. Nelson isn't good enough. Heaps is transferring. The other QBs aren't better than those two. BYU needs help at that spot as soon as next year.

Heaps is transferring? And you know how? And I'm going to assume that Nelson is still below his ceiling after only 4 games of playing serious minutes. Next year, he should be adequate.

stuckinbig10country wrote:
Is there an uncommitted good JC QB out there. Nelson isn't good enough. Heaps is transferring. The other QBs aren't better than those two. BYU needs help at that spot as soon as next year.

Are you 100% sure Heaps is transfering?

Why is Heaps transferring? It is clear he has a shot to start next year. Riley does not have the job locked up at all. Graduate a few players, bring in a new class, get a new dynamic, and let's see what happens. Jake can learn from this, and get better as a result. Plus, RIley is going to get hurt eventually, just a matter of time. Unless he learns to slide and to throw balls away to avoid hits.



THe things that makes RIley the player he is, also has a negative side to it. Riley is a double edged sword, and last night, it was BYU that got cut more by it.

Lawboy wrote:
Why is Heaps transferring? It is clear he has a shot to start next year. Riley does not have the job locked up at all. Graduate a few players, bring in a new class, get a new dynamic, and let's see what happens. Jake can learn from this, and get better as a result. Plus, RIley is going to get hurt eventually, just a matter of time. Unless he learns to slide and to throw balls away to avoid hits.



THe things that makes RIley the player he is, also has a negative side to it. Riley is a double edged sword, and last night, it was BYU that got cut more by it.

I think that double edged sword cut both ways equally well last night. And Heaps. Wow I just realized that next year he'll not only be a upperclassman, but an entitled one at that! :whistle: ;)

stuckinbig10country wrote:
Is there an uncommitted good JC QB out there. Nelson isn't good enough. Heaps is transferring. The other QBs aren't better than those two. BYU needs help at that spot as soon as next year.

Really? When and where too?

Lawboy wrote:
Why is Heaps transferring? It is clear he has a shot to start next year. Riley does not have the job locked up at all. Graduate a few players, bring in a new class, get a new dynamic, and let's see what happens. Jake can learn from this, and get better as a result. Plus, RIley is going to get hurt eventually, just a matter of time. Unless he learns to slide and to throw balls away to avoid hits.



THe things that makes RIley the player he is, also has a negative side to it. Riley is a double edged sword, and last night, it was BYU that got cut more by it.

Wow the doom and gloom has hit a new level. Now all of a sudden we have no QB's? Nelson played well enough to beat a team that has slaughtered us 3 years in a row. He played TCU better then Max hall ever did and nearly as well as John Beck did. His performance was not perfect last night but if it wasn't for 3 blown punts....BYU wins.

Riey played against the worst TCU defense since Pattersen's first year as head coach. Beck hung 51 on that team.



Not sure my post was doom and gloom. It was stating what is clear--Riley did not lock down the job last night. Heaps still has a shot. So I guess saying guys should compete for the job now qualifies as saying we have no QB's?



Every team has a different dynamic. The 2012 BYU team may work better with Heaps than Riley. THe 2011 version does better with Riley. Chemistry changes year to year. Too early to pencil anyone in as the QB for next year. Still a few games to go.

frdbtr wrote:

Why is Heaps transferring? It is clear he has a shot to start next year. Riley does not have the job locked up at all. Graduate a few players, bring in a new class, get a new dynamic, and let's see what happens. Jake can learn from this, and get better as a result. Plus, RIley is going to get hurt eventually, just a matter of time. Unless he learns to slide and to throw balls away to avoid hits.



THe things that makes RIley the player he is, also has a negative side to it. Riley is a double edged sword, and last night, it was BYU that got cut more by it.

Wow the doom and gloom has hit a new level. Now all of a sudden we have no QB's? Nelson played well enough to beat a team that has slaughtered us 3 years in a row. He played TCU better then Max hall ever did and nearly as well as John Beck did. His performance was not perfect last night but if it wasn't for 3 blown punts....BYU wins.

I agree, people need to buck up. You're all a bunch of emo kids today. TCU was a better team, without our mistakes we had a chance to win. Those mistakes were not the coaches fault. Fact. The end let's move on.

frdbtr wrote:

Is there an uncommitted good JC QB out there. Nelson isn't good enough. Heaps is transferring. The other QBs aren't better than those two. BYU needs help at that spot as soon as next year.

Really? When and where too?

I said it in jest a few weeks ago, but I am now convinced that Stuck is somehow related to Heaps. Always rooting for him and dogging Riley. Then somehow either he knows that a transfer will happen or he's just so darned mad about his boy getting an unfair shake that he should transfer.



Embarrassing either way.

snoscythe wrote:

You go with the real athlete. Riley isn't good enough. He may be better than Heaps but he's not good enough. Lark needs to finish this season off. Riley has a clear ceiling and investing time in him is a waste.



No matter who we start at QB the next three games we are going to win. Jake played his way off the field and for me Riley played his way off the field last night. That was not a good QB performance. Riley may be our best running back but he is a liability throwing the ball. You heard the announcers. TCU's plan was to FORCE OUR QB TO THROW THE BALL. That says it all to me.

I gotta call BS. I know you're a die-hard Lark fan, but I haven't seen anything from Lark or Nelson that indicates it's time to give Lark a shot. Saying Nelson played his way "off the field last night" is a bit of a stretch considering Nelson was half the reason why we were even in the game last night, the other half being our defense.

Who has seen anything from Lark other than the way he sends plays in from the sidelines? And why can't we see what Munns looks like in a real game?

cougman wrote:

fifthqb wrote:
You go with the real athlete. Riley isn't good enough. He may be better than Heaps but he's not good enough. Lark needs to finish this season off. Riley has a clear ceiling and investing time in him is a waste.



No matter who we start at QB the next three games we are going to win. Jake played his way off the field and for me Riley played his way off the field last night. That was not a good QB performance. Riley may be our best running back but he is a liability throwing the ball. You heard the announcers. TCU's plan was to FORCE OUR QB TO THROW THE BALL. That says it all to me.

I gotta call BS. I know you're a die-hard Lark fan, but I haven't seen anything from Lark or Nelson that indicates it's time to give Lark a shot. Saying Nelson played his way "off the field last night" is a bit of a stretch considering Nelson was half the reason why we were even in the game last night, the other half being our defense.

Who has seen anything from Lark other than the way he sends plays in from the sidelines? And why can't we see what Munns looks like in a real game?

now there's some sound logic. :roll:

fifthqb wrote:
You go with the real athlete. Riley isn't good enough. He may be better than Heaps but he's not good enough. Lark needs to finish this season off. Riley has a clear ceiling and investing time in him is a waste.



No matter who we start at QB the next three games we are going to win. Jake played his way off the field and for me Riley played his way off the field last night. That was not a good QB performance. Riley may be our best running back but he is a liability throwing the ball. You heard the announcers. TCU's plan was to FORCE OUR QB TO THROW THE BALL. That says it all to me.

Lark has how much experience? I say play Riley the rest of the year, then next year, start Riley/Lark, and redshirt Heaps.



And why in the world would Jake leave? As a freshman, he said he came to BYU because of the quarterback expectations. I doubt he'll give up and go elsewhere. That'd be the stupidest move of his college career.



Heaps should sit for a year to develop as much in the offseason and season without wasting a year. Then he would battle for the job against the next guy two years from now.

Lark has no experience. But how much good is experience doing on the field thus far? Nelson was not good last night. To say that nelson put to bed the qb controversy is beyond me. I know lark won't play. I'm fine with that if the qb on the field isn't doing as much bad as good. Nelson is the reason we scored but was just as much of a problem as asset. He's not good enough.



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Anyone read the book Moneyball?



Billy Beane is the perfect example of a stupendous athlete that couldn't wrap his head around the game. I don't care how much talent you have, if you can't put it to good use than it's worthless.



Right now, I'll gladly take Riley.