Jake Heaps attended 3 of 66 off-season workouts

Due to injury, wedding, and a family vacation. Of course Riley attended all of them according to the D News Top 10 Sports Stories of 2011 article. I am still vacation challenged - maybe someone could pop a link.



Talk about opening the door wide open for your back-up to become the team leader. Miscalculation of astronomical proportions. That was 63 opportunities to prepare - missed.



It showed.



Dick Harmon points out that Riley is smart and knew what buttons to push re fitting in with the gritty, roll-up-your-sleeves culture. It reminds me of 2010 when Riley took off the green shirt and invited contact. He was trying to show strengths that make him different.



IDK why the attendance info was kept quiet all season. It may have helped fans see who should be held most accountable for Jake regressing in 2011. Maybe our five star QB mis-handled himself again.



There were similar rumblings in 2010, but excuses about not being invited. I never saw attendance figures quoted for 2010.



Perhaps football was 7th on Jake's priority list. Perhaps that lack of urgency affected other player's off-season effort. Perhaps the coaches should have acted sooner and slapped a red-shirt on Jake until it became clear he was hungry to play football.







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Although Jake could have easily had football be priority #5 and do the same thing. "My family is going on this vacation, and since family is more important than football. . ." A lot of people blame Bronco's low football priority for the team's failures, but there's so much room for interpretation as to what priority 5 means in terms of time and commitment. Keeping the same priorities and attending all the workouts are not at odds with each other unless a player chooses to take that interpretation.

Are summer workouts "optional"? It sounds like the military version of "optional but highly encouraged." As in, if you don't go, someone is watching and will make sure you get screwed in the end somehow.

Well of course someone will note who was there and who wasn't. As a player, I'd be pretty upset if I attended all the optional workouts and it wasn't noticed by the coaching staff.

CAFB_04-12 wrote:
Are summer workouts "optional"? It sounds like the military version of "optional but highly encouraged." As in, if you don't go, someone is watching and will make sure you get screwed in the end somehow.

I think teammates are pretty aware if the team leader is only there 3 out of 66 times. But that is not the point. Jake apparently could have used the practice.



My best friend's son is a team captain for UW.



I know from that situation that team captains are expected to get the younger players to understand the importance of these practices and set an example of consistency and hard work.



For two years posters have been asking me for proof other than my word that I have heard comments about Jake's work ethic from two top players on this team. Two that I have never heard disparaged on this board.



Now you have it in writing from Dick Harmon.



If Jake skipped the practices but came out smokin in Oct - well then he might take the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl even while skipping practices. Worked for Jim and his sore buttocks in Chicago - not so well for Jake in Provo.



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If true, I'm surprised and a little disappointed it took the coaches so long to put Nelson in.

I forget, it's still okay to quote DesNews, right? For reference:

Harmon said of the 66 off-season workouts last year, Heaps managed to attend just three because of injuries, his marriage and a family trip.



"This team was reluctant to follow him," said Harmon. "Yes, Nelson is the anti-Jake. He was there at every practice, willing to do anything, wash windows, shine cars, sit at the back of the bus … Riley is so smart, and he knew the emotional buttons he could push. He embraced the warrior spirit that Bronco Mendenhall loves so much."

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700211614/Top-10-sports-stories-of-2011.html?pg=3



Two thoughts -



1. I'm severely confused about what the practice organization was like during the off-season. We have these workouts, which Jake apparently DIDN'T attend. But there were player-organized practices that Jake DID attend, right? I generally don't share gossip, but I did hear that Jake was pretty annoyed that a key member of the offense didn't attend his practices last summer, to the point where Jake wasn't even sure that said player would be on the team this year.



So now I've heard that teammates were mad at Jake for not attending workouts, and Jake was mad at teammates for not attending practice. Can someone sort me out, please?



2. Harmon's could have more reasons to think Riley "pushed the emotional buttons" than the simple fact that he attended workouts. But if not, that's one of the stupidest things I've ever read - "Riley is a master emotional manipulator - he went to workouts!" That's like saying "That employee really sucked up to his boss - he showed up to work every day and did his job!" So manipulative!

My understanding is off-season workouts are usually run by the strength and conditioning coach. He puts them through their workout and then usually position groups run through some drills led by position captains. There might be some skelly drill and 7-on-7 scrimmages run by the players.



Technically the coaching staff can't monitor these workouts, or take attendance. But as was mentioned, I'd be very surprised if Bronco, et al, didn't know who was and wasn't attending. And teammates certainly take notice.

SpiffCoug wrote:
My understanding is off-season workouts are usually run by the strength and conditioning coach. He puts them through their workout and then usually position groups run through some drills led by position captains. There might be some skelly drill and 7-on-7 scrimmages run by the players.



Technically the coaching staff can't monitor these workouts, or take attendance. But as was mentioned, I'd be very surprised if Bronco, et al, didn't know who was and wasn't attending. And teammates certainly take notice.

Further - coaching staff is not allowed to be there or organize it by NCAA rules limiting the number of practices.



So usually, in the off season, you will hear all kinds of talk about how hungry the team is and how team leaders have emerged and stepped up and players are all staying in Provo for the summer, and they are pushing each other to improve and they are working on timing, etc.



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SpiffCoug wrote:
My understanding is off-season workouts are usually run by the strength and conditioning coach. He puts them through their workout and then usually position groups run through some drills led by position captains. There might be some skelly drill and 7-on-7 scrimmages run by the players.



Technically the coaching staff can't monitor these workouts, or take attendance. But as was mentioned, I'd be very surprised if Bronco, et al, didn't know who was and wasn't attending. And teammates certainly take notice.

The S&C coach is allowed to attend in an effort to prevent injuries etc. But they usually let the coaches know "how well" the sessions are attended.



Does anyone remember what injuries he was nursing last summer?



Optional in name only. The players hold each other accountable to be at these workouts. They expect the other players to make every workout except in certain situations. In the eyes of the players its all about putting the team first and not showing up to 63 of 66 workouts is a harrowing number. I heard rumblings that he may have had his own S&C coach but that still doesn't excuse one from being at the "team" workouts.

His rib injury?



Here's one of my questions: why come to just three? I mean, if you're going to skip the workouts, then skip the workouts. Coming to three doesn't really help you and just makes your absence in the other workouts that much more startk.

This puts the final nail in Jake's coffin in my mind. I felt he was soft mentally. Add to that - he felt gifted & special. Jake felt he didn't have to work like the other guys. I guarantee that drove a wedge & caused team relation problems.



I remember reading a book about Alexander the Great. He made it a point with his soldiers to: Be the first one up, last one to bed, during the days march he would get off his horse & walk with the soldiers - building relationships, and, when chow time came - he ate after the men got their food. That's a leader.



Jake is gifted athletically, he knows nothing about the responsibilities of leadership.

Cougarbib2 wrote:

Are summer workouts "optional"? It sounds like the military version of "optional but highly encouraged." As in, if you don't go, someone is watching and will make sure you get screwed in the end somehow.

I think teammates are pretty aware if the team leader is only there 3 out of 66 times. But that is not the point. Jake apparently could have used the practice.

I think that is the point. It is about being there with the team. How well can you get behind someone (throw blocks with no helmet, scrap for every last yard, run every route of every play to the best of your ability, take hits and no alligator arms) and give everything youv'e got if you feel like the "leader" won't or doesnt' do the same? I think leading by example is far more effective than leading with words and slogans. That is why I appreciate Bronco running the Y with the players. I am sure the players appreciate that he is willing to push himself along with them. I firmly believe that is why our D is so successful. People lay it all out there for him because they know he would do the same for them.



Now I think I might have a better understanding of the fumble against Utah. Instead of dropping on it when he misfired on the the throw attempt (I don't blame him for trying to throw it), he dove over it and tried to hit it out of bounds.

Reviewing the historical Independence season, this seems to be part of the situation that we witnessed in level of play and some lack-luster performances in certain halfs of the games. Having Riley in charge and his chemistry that he has with both the O and D, should ensure much more team unity, consistent workouts, and challenging physical training. Should see some great results as a result of this new change in the team.



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CAFB_04-12 wrote:
Are summer workouts "optional"? It sounds like the military version of "optional but highly encouraged." As in, if you don't go, someone is watching and will make sure you get screwed in the end somehow.

:lol: :lol:

byucougar1 wrote:
Reviewing the historical Independence season, this seems to be part of the situation that we witnessed in level of play and some lack-luster performances in certain halfs of the games. Having Riley in charge and his chemistry that he has with both the O and D, should ensure much more team unity, consistent workouts, and challenging physical training. Should see some great results as a result of this new change in the team.



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IF Riley keeps it up this next off-season. If he rests on his laurels and skips off-season workouts, we'll be right back where we were at the start of 2011.

imuakahuku wrote:

I think that is the point. It is about being there with the team.

The more I think about it, the more I agree with you. I don't know what the precedent is with BYU quarterbacks, but I would think that even if you're injured, you should be there. Even if you're not going to be able to lift weights with the rest of the guys, a team leader should be there because, well, you're the team leader. That's 63 opportunities to win minds and hearts lost.

Dcr36 wrote:

I think that is the point. It is about being there with the team.

The more I think about it, the more I agree with you. I don't know what the precedent is with BYU quarterbacks, but I would think that even if you're injured, you should be there. Even if you're not going to be able to lift weights with the rest of the guys, a team leader should be there because, well, you're the team leader. That's 63 opportunities to win minds and hearts lost.

Bingo!!!

SpiffCoug wrote:

Reviewing the historical Independence season, this seems to be part of the situation that we witnessed in level of play and some lack-luster performances in certain halfs of the games. Having Riley in charge and his chemistry that he has with both the O and D, should ensure much more team unity, consistent workouts, and challenging physical training. Should see some great results as a result of this new change in the team.



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IF Riley keeps it up this next off-season. If he rests on his laurels and skips off-season workouts, we'll be right back where we were at the start of 2011.

AS bad as that might potentially be, it will still be better than the beginning of 2011 fall camp. Where we had Heaps, the designated starter, who shows up, having missed all those workouts, Nelson having attended them all, and then Heaps is still the starter.

The hard part for coaches, I presume, is that Jake was statistically outperforming Riley in fall camp, who spend all summer working out with teammates.

If this report is true, Boo on the coaches. Boo on Jake as well, but who is running this team??!! :angry: I'm glad it wasn't me. But what a no-win dilemma. And thats exactly what this team offense proceeded to do. Not turn out winning performances.

And I'm sorry if I harped on the team not giving their all for Jake, but it was simply true. And they gave their all when Riley was in. Period. No wonder. I may have been off, maybe even way-off, on my theory of why, but clearly issues abounded behind the scenes. Deep resentments toward Jake--from 5 star rating, to press conference, to missing workouts, to no mission, to not working hard, etc. What a mess. I hope everybody learned valuable lessons, the coaches, the team, and even Jake.

RN is not a great practice QB. They won't let him run so he only has half of his game. Does much better in a game with the run threat.