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2010 Starters?

by CougarPeasant · 12/20/2009

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CougarPeasant
Since the regular season is over, and we are waiting for the LV Bowl game this week, has anyone worked up a starting 1 or 2 deep for next season?



I know Reynolds will be anchoring the LT position, ;) I also know the offense is losing Hall, PItta/George, and one of the OL players. So assuming Unga returns, whoever starts at QB next season will have a ton of experience to work with.



Defense is another story. The front 7 get hit hard, but the secondary should be better than this season.



There is a lot of talent coming in or finally getting a chance to start, but how does it look? Has anyone put together a 2-deep for next season based on the incoming class and returning RM's? Could someone take a stab at it and perhaps describe the merits of why that player gets the starting position?
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BYUROCKS
CougarPeasant wrote:
Since the regular season is over, and we are waiting for the LV Bowl game this week, has anyone worked up a starting 1 or 2 deep for next season?



I know Reynolds will be anchoring the LT position, ;) I also know the offense is losing Hall, PItta/George, and one of the OL players. So assuming Unga returns, whoever starts at QB next season will have a ton of experience to work with.



Defense is another story. The front 7 get hit hard, but the secondary should be better than this season.



There is a lot of talent coming in or finally getting a chance to start, but how does it look? Has anyone put together a 2-deep for next season based on the incoming class and returning RM's? Could someone take a stab at it and perhaps describe the merits of why that player gets the starting position?


I don't believe he will.
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Wickchad
CougarPeasant wrote:



I know Reynolds will be anchoring the LT position, ;) I also know the offense is losing Hall, PItta/George, and one of the OL players.


Are you sure Reynolds is coming back next year? He would likely be a 1st day draft pick. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go; however, I'm hoping he stays with Unga. I would think the odds are on him going based on how beat up he got this season. He might not want to risk getting hurt. However, if he comes back next year and plays healthy he could easily be a 1st round draft pick the following year.
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Mithrandir
CougarPeasant wrote:
Has anyone put together a 2-deep for next season based on the incoming class and returning RM's? Could someone take a stab at it and perhaps describe the merits of why that player gets the starting position?


Here's my stab...



Offense:



QB Jake Heaps

RB Josh Quezada/Brian Kariya

FB Jojo Pili

LT Matt Reynolds

LG Jason Speredon

C Houston Reynolds

RG Terence Brown

RT Nick Alletto

WR McKay Jacobsen

WR Oneil Chambers

WR Ross Apo

TE Richard Wilson



Defense:



DE So'oto/Wagner

DT Fuga/Manumaleauna

DE Putnam/Afutiti

OLB Van Noy

ILB Ogletree

ILB Stout

OLB Pendleton

S Rich

S Galea'i

CB Bradley

CB Logan
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Mars
Mithrandir wrote:
Offense:



QB Jake Heaps

RB Josh Quezada/Brian Kariya

FB Jojo Pili

LT Matt Reynolds

LG Jason Speredon

C Houston Reynolds

RG Terence Brown

RT Nick Alletto

WR McKay Jacobsen

WR Oneil Chambers

WR Ross Apo

TE Richard Wilson



Defense:



DE So'oto/Wagner

DT Fuga/Manumaleauna

DE Putnam/Afutiti

OLB Van Noy

ILB Ogletree

ILB Stout

OLB Pendleton

S Rich

S Galea'i

CB Bradley

CB Logan

Some quick thoughts:



DiLuigi will start at RB, Kariya at FB.

Starting TE, who knows (Mahina? Holt?).

So'oto is a senior this year, and isn't guaranteed another season.

Jray I thought was going on a mission. That would have me put Bradley at starting Safety and Bucker at starting CB.

LBs... a big question mark there. Nelson certainly will have a chance to start.



Who will be our new deep snapper?
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Mithrandir
Mars wrote:
Some quick thoughts:



DiLuigi will start at RB, Kariya at FB.

Starting TE, who knows (Mahina? Holt?).

Ethan M. at DT, I thought he had 1 year left on his mission. So'oto is a senior this year, and isn't guaranteed another season.

Jray I thought was going on a mission. That would have me put Bradley at starting Safety and Bucker at starting CB.

LBs... a big question mark there. Nelson certainly will have a chance to start.



Who will be our new deep snapper?


I can't think of any reason aside from experience that Diluigi hangs on to his starting spot. Quezada is bigger, stronger and faster than Diluigi...and he'll be here through the spring and summer...he'll be ready.



Mahina is slated to play DE. Holt won't be back for another year.



According to TBS, Jray is forgoing mission service for the time being. If he's here, he'll be starting opposite Rich. Bradley will stay at corner, and Logan will start opposite him. Whether Aguirre, Eason and/or Buckner stay at CB is anybody's guess.



Manu will be back this spring, and So'oto will almost certainly be granted another year of eligibility (if there was any real doubt, they would have read his name and given him a blanket after the Utah game...I'll be shocked if he's not back).



As far as LB'rs go? It's anybody's guess. I took my stab above, but there are alot of really capable guys vying for PT.
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snoscythe
Mithrandir wrote:
Quezada is faster than Diluigi.


????



DiLuigi ran 4.5 out of high school. Quezada runs a 4.55. That's not faster.
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Guest
snoscythe wrote:
Quezada is faster than Diluigi.


????



DiLuigi ran 4.5 out of high school. Quezada runs a 4.55. That's not faster.


The extra '5' is for '5aster'
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Lawboy
snoscythe wrote:
Quezada is faster than Diluigi.


????



DiLuigi ran 4.5 out of high school. Quezada runs a 4.55. That's not faster.


Yeah, but JJ got hurt and has not been as fast since, so that HS speed time is irrelevant. And speed with size plays faster because it is stronger speed. JJ is faster than Harvey, but Harvey plays faster due to his strength. I like JJ as a spot player, but if he starts, we are in trouble. We are not as explosive or talented with him and Kariya getting big minutes. I love both, but as spot guys, not main role guys. If Kariya could add 20 and play FB like Tonga did, I'd love him as the starter, though.



Personally, I can't wait until Adam Hine gets back from his mission. Quezada and Hine in the backfield will be awesome.
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snoscythe
Lawboy wrote:
JJ is faster than Harvey, but Harvey plays faster due to his strength.


Did you watch BYU this season? At what point did Harvey Unga play faster than JJ Diluigi?
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gmj81
I think it's interesting how so many people have written off JJ after we were all so psyched about the kid when he signed. It's not even like he's had a chance to disappoint the fans. He's barely had a chance at all to show us what he can do on a consistent basis.



JJ may not be the prototypical BYU back but he's as good as we have right now with Harvey one foot out the door. Kariya isn't nearly as versatile and Quezada is as exciting a RB prospect as we've landed in a long time, maybe even since Staley, but has a long ways to go before he surpasses DiLuigi in terms of what he can do in the offense and earning the trust of the coaches.



Look, JJ is going to be a stud next year for us. As he starts to get more reps everyone will see it. He showed very good early this year but his reps have gone way down in conference play so I can see why folks have "forgotten" about him. But the bottom line is, BYU won't be a one-back-heavy team any more, for at least the next 4-5 years. There is so much talent back there and it's so versatile. Lots of guys are going to be getting reps and I'm confidant Quezada is going to be one of them. But he won't be getting more than 50% of them, I guarantee you that. Probably not even 25%.
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Schmoe
Lawboy wrote:
Mithrandir wrote:
Quezada is faster than Diluigi.


????



DiLuigi ran 4.5 out of high school. Quezada runs a 4.55. That's not faster.


Yeah, but JJ got hurt and has not been as fast since, so that HS speed time is irrelevant. And speed with size plays faster because it is stronger speed. JJ is faster than Harvey, but Harvey plays faster due to his strength. I like JJ as a spot player, but if he starts, we are in trouble. We are not as explosive or talented with him and Kariya getting big minutes. I love both, but as spot guys, not main role guys. If Kariya could add 20 and play FB like Tonga did, I'd love him as the starter, though.



Personally, I can't wait until Adam Hine gets back from his mission. Quezada and Hine in the backfield will be awesome.


And this is science fact? What, exactly, is JJ's 40 time since he got hurt? You don't know and you're simply speculating. I love a good opinion as much as the next person, but the argument of "but I think he's been slower" really doesn't hold a lot of water. Sorry.
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ABYUFAN
hawkwing wrote:
Mithrandir wrote:
Quezada is faster than Diluigi.


????



DiLuigi ran 4.5 out of high school. Quezada runs a 4.55. That's not faster.


The extra '5' is for '5aster'


LOL! I wish we had "Karma" buttons here, 'cause I'd give you one for that!
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ABYUFAN
gmj81 wrote:
I think it's interesting how so many people have written off JJ after we were all so psyched about the kid when he signed. It's not even like he's had a chance to disappoint the fans. He's barely had a chance at all to show us what he can do on a consistent basis.



JJ may not be the prototypical BYU back but he's as good as we have right now with Harvey one foot out the door. Kariya is nearly as versatile and Quezada is as exciting a RB prospect as we've landed in a long time, maybe even since Staley, but has a long ways to go before he surpasses DiLuigi in terms of what he can do in the offense and earning the trust of the coaches.



Look, JJ is going to be a stud next year for us. As he starts to get more reps everyone will see it. He showed very good early this year but his reps have gone way down in conference play so I can see why folks have "forgotten" about him. But the bottom line is, BYU won't be a one-back-heavy team any more, for at least the next 4-5 years. There is so much talent back there and it's so versatile. Lots of guys are going to be getting reps and I'm confidant Quezada is going to be one of them. But he won't be getting more than 50% of them, I guarantee you that. Probably not even 25%.


I agree! JJ had some very good games for us this year, he is progressing very nicely - and if he makes as big of a jump between this year and next as he did between last year and this one then we are in for a treat!
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snoscythe
I appreciate a good signing as much as anyone, but people seriously need to take a deep breath before they start slotting true freshmen into starting slots all over the place. It was semi-understandable with Jake Heaps, but it's getting a bit extreme with Quezada.



BYU has signed top all-everything-never-lose-a-game-in-high-school-quarterbacks in the past. Ben Olsen and Paul Shoemaker both come to mind. They sure turned out to be world beaters. However, that's not to say Heaps will be a similar bust. What it says is that Heaps, despite all his tangible and intangible talents, has yet to prove a single thing.



What's even more mind-boggling is the worship of Quezada. In the past few days, I have read people saying he is the next Luke Staley, saying he will be better than Harvey, and on and on. People--he's a three star runningback that didn't even make the California top-100. Luke Staley was a blue-chip all-american (top 100 nationally). And then there are the comments on this thread that not only that he is faster than Diluigi (a measurable, verifiable assertion that is patently false) but that he is a better get than Diluigi. Let's review Diluigi's accomplishments: CIF Southern Section Offensive Player-of-the-Year (twice), named to several high school All-America teams; Old Spice/Red Zone California Player of the Year; first-team All-State running back. And then let's compare Quezada's: all-county, all-league, all-cif. So, how is Quezada a better back than our last golden boy 3-star recruit? Is the 66th best runningback from 2010 that much better than the 52nd best runningback from 2008?



I understand people get excited about recruits. I'm fine with that. I am excited about Heaps and Quezada as well and what their commitments mean to the program. However, to crown them starters before they have taken their first class over the guys we were equally excited about just one or two years ago rings a little false for me, and even a little disloyal to the boys we already have in blue. Good get on Heaps and Quezada, but they haven't proven a single thing yet.
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byutx
Di Luigi is not only faster than Q, he plays faster and looks quicker. JJ doesn't fit the Unga/Tonga/Fui mold of every down back we've had the last few seasons-he's even smaller than Curtis Brown. But, JJ has that extra gear that we've lacked since who knows. Maybe 2003 with Rey Braithwaite? (I still remember that 95+ yarder @ SDSU).



Just watching his legs go when he gets into the open field, it's pretty impressive. He's been particularly good on swing and screen passes.
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BroncoBot
snoscythe wrote:
I appreciate a good signing as much as anyone, but people seriously need to take a deep breath before they start slotting true freshmen into starting slots all over the place. It was semi-understandable with Jake Heaps, but it's getting a bit extreme with Quezada.



BYU has signed top all-everything-never-lose-a-game-in-high-school-quarterbacks in the past. Ben Olsen and Paul Shoemaker both come to mind. They sure turned out to be world beaters. However, that's not to say Heaps will be a similar bust. What it says is that Heaps, despite all his tangible and intangible talents, has yet to prove a single thing.



What's even more mind-boggling is the worship of Quezada. In the past few days, I have read people saying he is the next Luke Staley, saying he will be better than Harvey, and on and on. People--he's a three star runningback that didn't even make the California top-100. Luke Staley was a blue-chip all-american (top 100 nationally). And then there are the comments on this thread that not only that he is faster than Diluigi (a measurable, verifiable assertion that is patently false) but that he is a better get than Diluigi. Let's review Diluigi's accomplishments: CIF Southern Section Offensive Player-of-the-Year (twice), named to several high school All-America teams; Old Spice/Red Zone California Player of the Year; first-team All-State running back. And then let's compare Quezada's: all-county, all-league, all-cif. So, how is Quezada a better back than our last golden boy 3-star recruit? Is the 66th best runningback from 2010 that much better than the 52nd best runningback from 2008?



I understand people get excited about recruits. I'm fine with that. I am excited about Heaps and Quezada as well and what their commitments mean to the program. However, to crown them starters before they have taken their first class over the guys we were equally excited about just one or two years ago rings a little false for me, and even a little disloyal to the boys we already have in blue. Good get on Heaps and Quezada, but they haven't proven a single thing yet.

Wow, my thoughts exactly. I have nothing against any of these guys, and I'm excited as anyone, but let them prove it.
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Mithrandir
snoscythe wrote:
I appreciate a good signing as much as anyone, but people seriously need to take a deep breath before they start slotting true freshmen into starting slots all over the place. It was semi-understandable with Jake Heaps, but it's getting a bit extreme with Quezada.


Given what we're losing both on offense and defense, and considering the type of talent we have coming into the program, I don't think it's "extreme" to pencil a few freshman into starting spots. RB is one of the few positions where a talented guy has a good chance of coming in and contributing as a true freshman...this is why I think Quezada has a better than average shot at taking Diluigi's job. I just don't see Diluigi being BYU's every down back, while Quezada is built precisely for this role.
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Mithrandir
Lawboy wrote:
I like JJ as a spot player, but if he starts, we are in trouble.


Agreed. If JJ is our best option, we're hosed. I like his lateral quickness, and he seems to have decent vision, but he's simply not an every down back.
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snoscythe
Mithrandir wrote:
I like JJ as a spot player, but if he starts, we are in trouble.


Agreed. If JJ is our best option, we're hosed. I like his lateral quickness, and he seems to have decent vision, but he's simply not an every down back.


Based on what? How is JJ Diluigi not an every down back? Size? He's 2 inches shorter and ten pounds lighter than Quezada--so Q is an everydown back and JJ is a spot player? That's a little myopic. There is nothing to support the fan-myth that little guys are injured more than big guys, nor that they are less durable. Diluigi carried the ball 266 times his senior year without an injury. His injury his freshman year was a freak, non-contact injury in his driveway. This year he has averaged 5.5 ypc for the Cougars--the same as the oft-injured yet bigger Harvey Unga.



Again, I'm not saying that Q can't come in and take the position, but he has an uphill battle to oust an equal, if not better high school talent in front of him. There is more to playing RB than getting yards. Q has to come in and learn the playbook better than any other player on the field with the exception of the quarterback. He needs to learn not just where to run, but in passing situations he needs to learn the blocking schemes of the offensive line as well as how to read more complicated defenses so he knows where the rush and blitzers will be coming from. He needs to know the receiver routes so he knows how long he has to block the rush---does he just need to knock the DE wide so the quarterback can dump to a quick route, or does he have to engage and maintain position to buy the quarterback time to make reads or for the receivers to get 5 extra yards downfield to hit the soft spot in a zone underneath a safety sitting deep. Q has a lot to do to line up behind a first-time starting quarterback in September.



If he were a Luke Staley type talent who ran a 4.3 in high school and averaged 300 yards per game, I might give him the nod. However, this is a guy who is just above average speed-wise who averaged 150 yards per game like 5 other runningbacks in every state across the country. He is a good player, but there is nothing about him that screams 4 year starter, much less day one starter. He might be, but he has to prove it, and all he has proven so far is that he is about where JJ Diluigi was 2 years ago.
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