Riley's Legacy

This is it!

10 out of last 11 Senior BYU qb''s have won their Sr game vs Utah. Can you even remember the last Sr qb NOT to have won their Sr game vs BYU? I can't. Not without looking it up.

Seems like so many fans have placed so much emphasis on this game, this year, vs Utah, that Riley either cements his legacy or seriously cripples it. BYU may or may not win the other 3 big games, but this could be one of those immortalizing moments for Riley.

Go Riley! Go Cougs!

Even though I didn't call this game a "must win," I think Riley's legacy as a BYU QB will depend in some ways on this game. If he doesn't win, it'll be "yeah, he had a great season and was a fiery leader, but..."



This is not to say that if he wins then he automatically gets a pass for his legacy, especially with how down the Uties appear to be this year. There will still be plenty more work to do after this game to cement any kind of good-great legacy.

He will Win! He will lead the team to an undefeated BCS busting season and join the greats in the pantheon of BYU QB's!!!

A loss would break his legacy, but a win won't make it

Riley's legacy is going to be in connection with Heaps and the two qb fiasco. if he wins this game he may be able to separate himself from that and start to be remembered for something he did on the field. With no signature win however the nelson/heaps fight will be what he is remembered for. It is in his hands to change that this year.



This game is HUGE not just for Riley but for the byu football status and recruiting in the state of Utah. Another loss to Utah will do nothing to the perception that utah is becoming big brother in football in this state.

I am worried about Riley. I rewatched weber last night. He was pretty injured in that game. He was getting up really slow and you could tell he was in a lot of pain. I hope he is feeling okay going into the game. I have the suspicion that his back is worse than he is making it out to be.

I'd say yes. At least it's a bigger part of his legacy than it would otherwise be, since it's the only rivalry game he'll start.

tmoney35 wrote:
A loss would break his legacy, but a win won't make it

Exactly, I'm not feeling the make or break on this game. For the team/program is it make or break? Oh yeah, on a huge scale. But for Riley not a chance. He has bigger demons to slay this year, but he needs a good start this Saturday.

tmoney35 wrote:
A loss would break his legacy, but a win won't make it

Opposite. He saved the program last year from back-to-back losses to USU. if he saves it from back-to-back-to back losses to a rival that is close to making us the little brother in the eyes of recruits. Bam. Legacy.



If he loses but wins at BSU, ND, and GT - there is no other BYU QB who has done something like that. None. Sark comes close. That is the only 1. Yes Detmer had the biggest win - Miami. But that was just 1 and he lost several after that to decent teams and some were blowout losses.

mizzoucoug wrote:

A loss would break his legacy, but a win won't make it

Exactly, I'm not feeling the make or break on this game. For the team/program is it make or break? Oh yeah, on a huge scale. But for Riley not a chance. He has bigger demons to slay this year, but he needs a good start this Saturday.

Exactly? Are you sure you said what he said?

What???? If Riley beats Utah and loses the other big Games, he will be forgiven and have some shred of legacy. But is he loses to Utah and beats one other--not good enough. If he beats all three others then, his legacy will still have one of Bibs favorite demrcations. Yep, you got it-- a big fluffy asterisk.

I'm not sure where I stand on this...I would hope that we're not to the point of "well, we beat Utah so the season is a success regardless of what we do the rest of the year."



I don't think Riley belongs in the conversation with the best QBs at BYU, but if he pulls off some great wins (still worried about him against good D's-should have had 3 add'l INT's against Weber) he will be great. I'm still thinking 3 to 4 losses this year, but hopefully he surprises me.

It's not like this Utah game is the entire season. But any rivalry game is a big part of the season. And this year's rivalry game is even bigger. I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say the Utah game this year is half the season.

No. We will think it cements it at the time, but it will prove to be only one stone in the Riley Nelson monument which will be cemented by our undefeated season and BCS bowl win.