Official: Jake Gone. Bronco Comments.

Well, it is now official.



http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7319444/byu-cougars-quarterback-jake-heaps-transferring" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Bronco is classy about it, as should be cougar fans.

DarthMagnus wrote:
Well, it is now official.



http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7319444/byu-cougars-quarterback-jake-heaps-transferring" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Bronco is classy about it, as should be cougar fans.

I disagree. Fan's don't need to be classy, that is why we are fans. I'm actually glad he is gone, we don't need quitters on our team.

Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

kfilly20 wrote:
Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I think that Lark will back up Riley just fine. If Jake had stayed they would have redshirted him and it would have pissed me off to no end if they burned that redshirt if Riley got hurt. No matter what Riley was the starter and Lark the backup next year. Jake was on the shelf. Since he quit and went elsewhere, we don't need him. BYU football doesn't need quitters.

kfilly20 wrote:
Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I get your point, but let's look at a counter. How good has Riley become once he started getting meaningful snaps? This hawaii game was Nelson's coming out party in my book. His throws were sharp. He threw with zip, confidence and simply beat Hawaii with his arm. Career high yards and zero TOs. Amazingly complete game. That's what happens I think when the qb (not named Heaps) gets the starting job. They get better.



Now transition that idea to Lark, who knows he will likely see meaningful time next year and he'll also be getting all the reps with the 2s.



FWIW one of my favorite games as a Cougar fan was when Jason Beck filled in for John who was injured that week. Jason threw for 300 some yards and just played awesome as a backup. John was back the next week, but no one in Cougar-dom was that worried about John going down after that.

frdbtr wrote:

Well, it is now official.



http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7319444/byu-cougars-quarterback-jake-heaps-transferring" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Bronco is classy about it, as should be cougar fans.

I disagree. Fan's don't need to be classy, that is why we are fans. I'm actually glad he is gone, we don't need quitters on our team.

Ok then, don't be classy about it. Attack Jake and his character and congratulate each other on how much more honorable you are than he is. But remember, that behavior really only reflects on you, not Heaps.

DarthMagnus wrote:

DarthMagnus wrote:
Well, it is now official.



http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7319444/byu-cougars-quarterback-jake-heaps-transferring" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Bronco is classy about it, as should be cougar fans.

I disagree. Fan's don't need to be classy, that is why we are fans. I'm actually glad he is gone, we don't need quitters on our team.

Ok then, don't be classy about it. Attack Jake and his character and congratulate each other on how much more honorable you are than he is. But remember, that behavior really only reflects on you, not Heaps.

Coaches have to be classy, fans are "fanatics" and can say what we want. I have only pointed out the obvious with Jake, i have not attacked his manhood or said anything personal. Steve Young called his dad once when he was running the scout team for BYU asking if he could quit and come home. His own words are "my dad said, that I could quit but I couldn't come home because we don't let quitters come home" You know the rest. Heaps had 2 choices, he could stick it out at BYU, he could redshirt next year and run the scout team running each play at 100%, come back in 2013 and put 100% of his energy into winning the starting job, then have 2 great years as BYU's starting QB. Second choice since it was easier is quit. Do you want that guy on our team? I am dispointed that he left but not sorry that he is gone.

Not thinking you have the support of coaches and players (and fans, to that extent) in the present, or for the future - is a much different thing than quitting.

DarthMagnus wrote:

DarthMagnus wrote:
Well, it is now official.



http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7319444/byu-cougars-quarterback-jake-heaps-transferring" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Bronco is classy about it, as should be cougar fans.

I disagree. Fan's don't need to be classy, that is why we are fans. I'm actually glad he is gone, we don't need quitters on our team.

Ok then, don't be classy about it. Attack Jake and his character and congratulate each other on how much more honorable you are than he is. But remember, that behavior really only reflects on you, not Heaps.

You're both right, I think. As a fan, I don't think you have to be as diplomatic as Bronco. Armchair coaching/analyzing/quarterbacking is a big part of being a fan. You're SUPPOSED to have an opinion about the events that a team deals with. If your QB transfers without much explanation, and there are rumblings about his character, I don't see anything wrong in entertaining notions that the rumors could be true.



On the other hand, there's never any reason to crucify a young man. Most of us were pretty stupid at 20 years of age, and I'm certainly glad I wasn't in the spotlight at the same time in my life. On top of that, more than a few people have suggested that Heaps' personal life isn't in a great place right now. We could be making a tough situation (for him) worse by beating up on him.



There's nothing wrong in venting your disappointment in Jake, IMO. There is something wrong with name-calling, openly insulting, or mocking Heaps, or hoping he fails for vengeance purposes. Just my opinion.

frdbtr wrote:

Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I think that Lark will back up Riley just fine. If Jake had stayed they would have redshirted him and it would have pissed me off to no end if they burned that redshirt if Riley got hurt. No matter what Riley was the starter and Lark the backup next year. Jake was on the shelf. Since he quit and went elsewhere, we don't need him. BYU football doesn't need quitters.

Oh please. Enough of the "quitters comment." Are you going to cal Kav and Fangupo quitters as well?

Dcr36 wrote:

frdbtr wrote:

Well, it is now official.



http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7319444/byu-cougars-quarterback-jake-heaps-transferring" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Bronco is classy about it, as should be cougar fans.

I disagree. Fan's don't need to be classy, that is why we are fans. I'm actually glad he is gone, we don't need quitters on our team.

Ok then, don't be classy about it. Attack Jake and his character and congratulate each other on how much more honorable you are than he is. But remember, that behavior really only reflects on you, not Heaps.

You're both right, I think. As a fan, I don't think you have to be as diplomatic as Bronco. Armchair coaching/analyzing/quarterbacking is a big part of being a fan. You're SUPPOSED to have an opinion about the events that a team deals with. If your QB transfers without much explanation, and there are rumblings about his character, I don't see anything wrong in entertaining notions that the rumors could be true.



On the other hand, there's never any reason to crucify a young man. Most of us were pretty stupid at 20 years of age, and I'm certainly glad I wasn't in the spotlight at the same time in my life. On top of that, more than a few people have suggested that Heaps' personal life isn't in a great place right now. We could be making a tough situation (for him) worse by beating up on him.



There's nothing wrong in venting your disappointment in Jake, IMO. There is something wrong with name-calling, openly insulting, or mocking Heaps, or hoping he fails for vengeance purposes. Just my opinion.

Absolutely agree. Well said.

jonnylingo wrote:

kfilly20 wrote:
Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I think that Lark will back up Riley just fine. If Jake had stayed they would have redshirted him and it would have pissed me off to no end if they burned that redshirt if Riley got hurt. No matter what Riley was the starter and Lark the backup next year. Jake was on the shelf. Since he quit and went elsewhere, we don't need him. BYU football doesn't need quitters.

Oh please. Enough of the "quitters comment." Are you going to cal Kav and Fangupo quitters as well?

Did either of those guys leave USC after having been handed the starting job as freshmen and then being benched for poor play? I didn't think so.

frdbtr wrote:

frdbtr wrote:

Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I think that Lark will back up Riley just fine. If Jake had stayed they would have redshirted him and it would have pissed me off to no end if they burned that redshirt if Riley got hurt. No matter what Riley was the starter and Lark the backup next year. Jake was on the shelf. Since he quit and went elsewhere, we don't need him. BYU football doesn't need quitters.

Oh please. Enough of the "quitters comment." Are you going to cal Kav and Fangupo quitters as well?

Did either of those guys leave USC after having been handed the starting job as freshmen and then being benched for poor play? I didn't think so.

do you really want to bicker over irrelevant distinctions? Just knock it off. You sound dumb. Jake has made it through a whole lot of crap at byu. He is not perfect, but the last thing he needs is uninformed fans calling him a quitter. You don't know anything about his decision and why he made it. Nor does he or us care about your uninformed opinion.

frdbtr wrote:

frdbtr wrote:

Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I think that Lark will back up Riley just fine. If Jake had stayed they would have redshirted him and it would have pissed me off to no end if they burned that redshirt if Riley got hurt. No matter what Riley was the starter and Lark the backup next year. Jake was on the shelf. Since he quit and went elsewhere, we don't need him. BYU football doesn't need quitters.

Oh please. Enough of the "quitters comment." Are you going to cal Kav and Fangupo quitters as well?

Did either of those guys leave USC after having been handed the starting job as freshmen and then being benched for poor play? I didn't think so.

So you are assuming that you now the reason behind Heaps transferring? Let me assure you, y ou know very little about the entire situation so don't presume you know why Jake left. When it suits you and your team, you pick and choose the reasons you think are appropriate excuses and then broadly apply your condemnation to people you don't agree with.



I find it rather interesting that people are saying, "Good riddance. I'm glad he's gone. I don't want people like Jake on the team anyways. We're better off without him". With voices like that screaming to be heard amongst the fan base, its no wonder Jake didn't feel the support and backing.



I wish Jake would have stayed and fought to get his starting role back or just contributed to the team however he was able. He has to look out for his own interests though. And in that case, you can't, on the one hand, argue that you never wanted him anyways and point out he is quitter and then turn around and say that BYU fans gave him all the support he could have ever wanted.

jonnylingo wrote:

jonnylingo wrote:

kfilly20 wrote:
Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I think that Lark will back up Riley just fine. If Jake had stayed they would have redshirted him and it would have pissed me off to no end if they burned that redshirt if Riley got hurt. No matter what Riley was the starter and Lark the backup next year. Jake was on the shelf. Since he quit and went elsewhere, we don't need him. BYU football doesn't need quitters.

Oh please. Enough of the "quitters comment." Are you going to cal Kav and Fangupo quitters as well?

Did either of those guys leave USC after having been handed the starting job as freshmen and then being benched for poor play? I didn't think so.

do you really want to bicker over irrelevant distinctions? Just knock it off. You sound dumb. Jake has made it through a whole lot of crap at byu. He is not perfect, but the last thing he needs is uninformed fans calling him a quitter. You don't know anything about his decision and why he made it. Nor does he or us care about your uninformed opinion.

My opinion is no more uninformed then your own. I was one of the posters who wanted Jake to redshirt last year, you were one who was worshipping at the alter of Jake winning 4 heisman trophy's while he was here. I figure that my opinion holds a little intelligence due to that distinction alone. I am willing to admit coaching mistakes with Jake but he lost his starting job due to poor play, was on a weekly bishops interview with Bishop/coach Bronco and yet he leaves the very second things get hard. He is a quitter and I am not sorry he is gone.

DarthMagnus wrote:

jonnylingo wrote:

kfilly20 wrote:
Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I think that Lark will back up Riley just fine. If Jake had stayed they would have redshirted him and it would have pissed me off to no end if they burned that redshirt if Riley got hurt. No matter what Riley was the starter and Lark the backup next year. Jake was on the shelf. Since he quit and went elsewhere, we don't need him. BYU football doesn't need quitters.

Oh please. Enough of the "quitters comment." Are you going to cal Kav and Fangupo quitters as well?

Did either of those guys leave USC after having been handed the starting job as freshmen and then being benched for poor play? I didn't think so.

So you are assuming that you now the reason behind Heaps transferring? Let me assure you, y ou know very little about the entire situation so don't presume you know why Jake left. When it suits you and your team, you pick and choose the reasons you think are appropriate excuses and then broadly apply your condemnation to people you don't agree with.



I find it rather interesting that people are saying, "Good riddance. I'm glad he's gone. I don't want people like Jake on the team anyways. We're better off without him". With voices like that screaming to be heard amongst the fan base, its no wonder Jake didn't feel the support and backing.



I wish Jake would have stayed and fought to get his starting role back or just contributed to the team however he was able. He has to look out for his own interests though. And in that case, you can't, on the one hand, argue that you never wanted him anyways and point out he is quitter and then turn around and say that BYU fans gave him all the support he could have ever wanted.

I never said that I "never" wanted him here. I never said that I am glad that he is gone. If you do a search for my past feelings on this, I pointed out very adamently that I wanted him here, I wanted him to redshirt next year (like I thought he should have done last year) and then take over the starting job in 2013. I thought BYU was the best place for him to maximize his potential. Then I would always clarify that if he does decide to leave, he is a quitter and we don't need quitters at BYU. My opinion is perfectly consistant. I am not glad he is gone; I am not sorry that he is leaving there is a difference in those statements.

frdbtr wrote:

frdbtr wrote:

Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I think that Lark will back up Riley just fine. If Jake had stayed they would have redshirted him and it would have pissed me off to no end if they burned that redshirt if Riley got hurt. No matter what Riley was the starter and Lark the backup next year. Jake was on the shelf. Since he quit and went elsewhere, we don't need him. BYU football doesn't need quitters.

Oh please. Enough of the "quitters comment." Are you going to cal Kav and Fangupo quitters as well?

Did either of those guys leave USC after having been handed the starting job as freshmen and then being benched for poor play? I didn't think so.

What about Riley Nelson? Didn't he transfer from USU after being handed the starting job there before his mission? Why is he being hailed for transferring to BYU, when Heaps is being ridiculed for leaving? Riley's the hero, Jake's the goat, simply because one came to BYU, and one left. LAME!

Ungoy wrote:

jonnylingo wrote:

kfilly20 wrote:
Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I think that Lark will back up Riley just fine. If Jake had stayed they would have redshirted him and it would have pissed me off to no end if they burned that redshirt if Riley got hurt. No matter what Riley was the starter and Lark the backup next year. Jake was on the shelf. Since he quit and went elsewhere, we don't need him. BYU football doesn't need quitters.

Oh please. Enough of the "quitters comment." Are you going to cal Kav and Fangupo quitters as well?

Did either of those guys leave USC after having been handed the starting job as freshmen and then being benched for poor play? I didn't think so.

What about Riley Nelson? Didn't he transfer from USU after being handed the starting job there before his mission? Why is he being hailed for transferring to BYU, when Heaps is being ridiculed for leaving? Riley's the hero, Jake's the goat, simply because one came to BYU, and one left. LAME!

Riley didn't quit USU after losing his starting job with poor play. You are going to have to come at me harder if you want this to work. every example you have tried is not the same.

frdbtr wrote:

frdbtr wrote:

frdbtr wrote:

Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I think that Lark will back up Riley just fine. If Jake had stayed they would have redshirted him and it would have pissed me off to no end if they burned that redshirt if Riley got hurt. No matter what Riley was the starter and Lark the backup next year. Jake was on the shelf. Since he quit and went elsewhere, we don't need him. BYU football doesn't need quitters.

Oh please. Enough of the "quitters comment." Are you going to cal Kav and Fangupo quitters as well?

Did either of those guys leave USC after having been handed the starting job as freshmen and then being benched for poor play? I didn't think so.

What about Riley Nelson? Didn't he transfer from USU after being handed the starting job there before his mission? Why is he being hailed for transferring to BYU, when Heaps is being ridiculed for leaving? Riley's the hero, Jake's the goat, simply because one came to BYU, and one left. LAME!

Riley didn't quit USU after losing his starting job with poor play. You are going to have to come at me harder if you want this to work. every example you have tried is not the same.

You are just making yourself look dumber and dumber my friend. do you think you are cool trying to back up your opinion that a 20 year old student athlete is a quitter? This isn't the courtroom my friend and you just look ridiculous. is it that important to you that everyone knows your opinion that he is a 'quitter.' I have decided that I am not engaging in this conversation anymore. It is pointless and classless in my opinion (which I am probably in no place to judge).



Let him go in peace. Whatever you feel about him, Heaps did a lot of good for BYU. Your bashing of him serves no purpose. Not needed. Please just shut up.

frdbtr wrote:

frdbtr wrote:

frdbtr wrote:

Will you be glad when Riley gets hurt and we dont have a capable back up?

I think that Lark will back up Riley just fine. If Jake had stayed they would have redshirted him and it would have pissed me off to no end if they burned that redshirt if Riley got hurt. No matter what Riley was the starter and Lark the backup next year. Jake was on the shelf. Since he quit and went elsewhere, we don't need him. BYU football doesn't need quitters.

Oh please. Enough of the "quitters comment." Are you going to cal Kav and Fangupo quitters as well?

Did either of those guys leave USC after having been handed the starting job as freshmen and then being benched for poor play? I didn't think so.

So you are assuming that you now the reason behind Heaps transferring? Let me assure you, y ou know very little about the entire situation so don't presume you know why Jake left. When it suits you and your team, you pick and choose the reasons you think are appropriate excuses and then broadly apply your condemnation to people you don't agree with.



I find it rather interesting that people are saying, "Good riddance. I'm glad he's gone. I don't want people like Jake on the team anyways. We're better off without him". With voices like that screaming to be heard amongst the fan base, its no wonder Jake didn't feel the support and backing.



I wish Jake would have stayed and fought to get his starting role back or just contributed to the team however he was able. He has to look out for his own interests though. And in that case, you can't, on the one hand, argue that you never wanted him anyways and point out he is quitter and then turn around and say that BYU fans gave him all the support he could have ever wanted.

I never said that I "never" wanted him here. I never said that I am glad that he is gone. If you do a search for my past feelings on this, I pointed out very adamently that I wanted him here, I wanted him to redshirt next year (like I thought he should have done last year) and then take over the starting job in 2013. I thought BYU was the best place for him to maximize his potential. Then I would always clarify that if he does decide to leave, he is a quitter and we don't need quitters at BYU. My opinion is perfectly consistant. I am not glad he is gone; I am not sorry that he is leaving there is a difference in those statements.

I am definitely generalizing sentiments from around the board but you don't help your case when your over all tone is that he is a quitter, a disappointment, someone you're not sorry to see go etc. Perhaps I am wrong for misinterpreting that tone. I apologize.



My main point though is that when people transfer to BYU, you're okay with it because you have rationalized and deemed their reasons appropriate. I find this rather ridiculous. You cannot say that Jake pursued transferring for different reasons than Riley or anyone else who chose to transfer to BYU. You can bring up the fact that Jake lost the starting job but that alone means nothing. CORRELATION IS NOT CAUSATION! As such, condemning Jake as a quitter inevitably must lead to condemning anybody who has transferred onto BYU's team to also be a quitter.



But don't misunderstand me. I don't apply that kind of pick and choose logic, nor do I embrace an ideology where you must either condemn everybody or condemn nobody. I think people should generally do what is in their best interests when it comes to college sports. Players are exploited by universities (including BYU) to the point that I think players have every right to look at a situation and say, "this isn't for me anymore" and walk away without having their character assassinated or being called a quitter. Anecdotal stories about Steve Young have no relevance to this situation. Who cares what Steve Young did? Who cares what Steve Young's dad thought? Honestly, how is what Steve Young's dad thought about quitting relevant to anything about what quitting really is? That you would even bring that up, I think, just goes to show that you really are only interested in picking and choosing the stories and cases that support your ideas while ignoring the simple facts of the situation. The fact here is that Jake made a very difficult decision to do something he genuinely believes to be in his best interest. And for that he is now a disappointment and a quitter apparently.



To what degree should Jake have been loyal to BYU? Was his commission to them absolute? Could he under no circumstances pursue a different path without being labeled a "quitter?"