Where Jake Heaps improved against UCF

I've been one of the biggest critics of Jake Heaps play since the embarrassing outing against Texas, and the flat out worst QB performance of all time against Utah. Statistically, Heaps was even worse against UCF than any other time the rest of the year, but I did see some things that encouraged me.



1. Jake Heaps stood in the pocket and took a hit. Yes, his accuracy is still pretty far off, and his accuracy gets noticeably worse after he gets hit, but he didn't curl up into a little ball to avoid the hit.



2. Jake's interception. Yes, it was an incredibly poor choice and a bad throw, that's besides the point. What I watched after the throw was that Heaps actually went toward the play and took on a defender.



There is a little bit of toughness begin to show through, and I like that.

I noticed that he did stand in the pocket a little longer in the beginning, but then reverted to rushing throws again when there was absolutely no need to do so. I personally think he'll get better if he can sit and watch a few games from the sidelines.

Just so you know, and so that people don't forget, Heaps did have a good throw under pressure. He delivered a ball to JJ in the blue zone, and got drilled just after he released the ball. The next play, Heaps pitched it to JJ who went in for a TD.



I saw marked improvement as far as toughness. It wasn't just in the first quarter, or until he took his first hit. He was much improved in that regard all game, and if he builds on that this week and keeps the physical toughness, the mental toughness will begin to assert itself as well to I think. If he builds off of the improvement made on Friday, I think we'll see the accuracy improve somewhat as well.



Wishful thinking, maybe.

Tom Brady threw a pick-6 yesterday. dude sorta jogged to the sideline after the guy, but when he got near big blockers, he dodged all contact. Just sayin.



The problems we have on offense are across the board. It is not just 1 player or one position. We have major issues, from O-line play--particularly left guard, to RBs being inconsistent, to more dropped balls Friday again, to JJ not get his head turned quick enough on certain routes down field(2x Friday night), to some crap passes by Jake. The O is out of sync, lacks explosiveness--like last year--and needs short fields to score. The team just needs to play better--Jake included. This team bought its hype, we bought its hype, and the fact is, we were all wrong. This O is just not that good.

hawkwing wrote:
I've been one of the biggest critics of Jake Heaps play since the embarrassing outing against Texas, and the flat out worst QB performance of all time against Utah. Statistically, Heaps was even worse against UCF than any other time the rest of the year, but I did see some things that encouraged me.



1. Jake Heaps stood in the pocket and took a hit. Yes, his accuracy is still pretty far off, and his accuracy gets noticeably worse after he gets hit, but he didn't curl up into a little ball to avoid the hit.



2. Jake's interception. Yes, it was an incredibly poor choice and a bad throw, that's besides the point. What I watched after the throw was that Heaps actually went toward the play and took on a defender.



There is a little bit of toughness begin to show through, and I like that.

I agree with you. I still have a lot of hope for the kid. It's sad that people asking for his head when this is actually a team problem. We all understand how hard it is to be accurate and hit all your targets when a defender is in your face because the O-line can't protect you, or create running room for the RBs. Give Heaps some time to throw the ball. If he still shows he can't connect with his receivers, then bench him and put in Lark. I don't care how good you are as a QB, but if you don't have an O-line capable of blocking and giving you time to throw, you're just as screwed as any mediocre QB. We're supposed to have one of the best O-lines in the country, right? I've yet to see that.... IMHO, Heaps will improve and become one of the better QBs out of BYU.

Lawboy wrote:



The O is out of sync, lacks explosiveness--like last year--and needs short fields to score. The team just needs to play better--Jake included. This team bought its hype, we bought its hype, and the fact is, we were all wrong. This O is just not that good.

Amen!

He regularly looked at a few reads each play. Even to the point of doing an awesome pump fake scripted play and then throwing to the other side of the field (then it got blocked by M. Reynolds guy who was 8 yards in the backfield.)



Also, he showed **better** pocket presence as others have mentioned.



If you watch the game again, he only rushed maybe 4 or 5 passes that were uncatchable. A BUNCH of other passing plays were dropped, or the routes weren't run very well.

hawkwing wrote:
I've been one of the biggest critics of Jake Heaps play since the embarrassing outing against Texas, and the flat out worst QB performance of all time against Utah. Statistically, Heaps was even worse against UCF than any other time the rest of the year, but I did see some things that encouraged me.



1. Jake Heaps stood in the pocket and took a hit. Yes, his accuracy is still pretty far off, and his accuracy gets noticeably worse after he gets hit, but he didn't curl up into a little ball to avoid the hit.



2. Jake's interception. Yes, it was an incredibly poor choice and a bad throw, that's besides the point. What I watched after the throw was that Heaps actually went toward the play and took on a defender.



There is a little bit of toughness begin to show through, and I like that.

This. Both. Jake was even in a shoving match with two of them that should have gotten an unsportsmanlike like conduct penalty in our favor for shoving him after the play was dead. I have also noticed improved accountability and leadership when he talks to the media.



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Lawboy wrote:
Tom Brady threw a pick-6 yesterday. dude sorta jogged to the sideline after the guy, but when he got near big blockers, he dodged all contact. Just sayin.



The problems we have on offense are across the board. It is not just 1 player or one position. We have major issues, from O-line play--particularly left guard, to RBs being inconsistent, to more dropped balls Friday again, to JJ not get his head turned quick enough on certain routes down field(2x Friday night), to some crap passes by Jake. The O is out of sync, lacks explosiveness--like last year--and needs short fields to score. The team just needs to play better--Jake included. This team bought its hype, we bought its hype, and the fact is, we were all wrong. This O is just not that good.

Consider this - if the ball comes before JJ turns his head - did the ball come when and where it was supposed to come - especially on a timing route. You rush the throws and it will get there before he turns his head which would cut speed and separation - otherwise the receivers would always have their head turned. Also, on some routes, the receiver and QB key off the defense to determine where to cut. You rush the throw before the key point, and you end up guessing what the receiver will do. Jake, coaches, and receivers know who messed up on those - we don't unless someone makes an accountable comment to the media. Just sayin.



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BlueIsBetter wrote:
He regularly looked at a few reads each play. Even to the point of doing an awesome pump fake scripted play and then throwing to the other side of the field (then it got blocked by M. Reynolds guy who was 8 yards in the backfield.)



Also, he showed **better** pocket presence as others have mentioned.



If you watch the game again, he only rushed maybe 4 or 5 passes that were uncatchable. A BUNCH of other passing plays were dropped, or the routes weren't run very well.

Or the throw was rushed before the route developed. You do not know which it was.



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Bib, both throws I refer to were hot read on a blitz UCF brought. Every receiver has to know when a blitz comes, expect the ball sooner, which means ready yourself sooner.



On the sideline pass Jake threw to JJ, the UCF blitz came, but the real reason Jake had to rush it was because Thorson totally whiffed his block and then guy was on Jake quick. I put that one on Thorson, but JJ could have turned sooner. You have to look sooner on a blitz read. Have to.



On the pass over the middle, Jake was again under pressure, put the ball in a good enough spot, but JJ never looked in time. I put this one on JJ because he has to know his reads on blitzes, just as Jake needs to know, so JJ can look sooner and get to open spots.



Again, sync issues can go both ways. Sometimes it is the QB, sometimes the receiver. We seem to have both issues this season.

Birdie



You have seen BYU knocking opposing QBs silly to the point of them having to leave the game in all four games and all but Ole Miss who has their own Jake Heaps problem came back and played better, or Texas who has their own Jake Heaps problem put in backups who played better. Heaps has not faced anything close to the pressure every opposing QB has faced. The excuses have to stop. If Jake is using these excuses even in the privacy of his own psyche, he will never improve.



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USU rattled Jake in 2010 and they are coming after him all night Friday unless he proves he can step up in the pocket, plant and throw in the face of it or take off downfield for 10 yards even if he has to take a hit and break a tackle. He is going to have to find and hit the hot receiver in stride several times before they back off. The only teams that will not do this to Jake are the ones who can't. That is the reality of playing scared. It is on film.They all can see it. They smell blood. They are going to go after it. USU probably can - not as much as the last 4 but enough to test his mettle.

Watching from TV,I agree with Lawboy. This offense is not good. We know, or at least I believe, that it can be good. Right now it is not. If I had a chief disappointment, it is not Heaps but the LIne.



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Lawboy wrote:
Bib, both throws I refer to were hot read on a blitz UCF brought. Every receiver has to know when a blitz comes, expect the ball sooner, which means ready yourself sooner.



On the sideline pass Jake threw to JJ, the UCF blitz came, but the real reason Jake had to rush it was because Thorson totally whiffed his block and then guy was on Jake quick. I put that one on Thorson, but JJ could have turned sooner. You have to look sooner on a blitz read. Have to.



On the pass over the middle, Jake was again under pressure, put the ball in a good enough spot, but JJ never looked in time. I put this one on JJ because he has to know his reads on blitzes, just as Jake needs to know, so JJ can look sooner and get to open spots.



Again, sync issues can go both ways. Sometimes it is the QB, sometimes the receiver. We seem to have both issues this season.

This may be, but depending on who is blitzing would drive who should be open and thus the hot receiver - did Heaps read that correctly and pick the right receiver. IDK. UDK. Brandon does.



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Cougarbib2 wrote:
Birdie



You have seen BYU knocking opposing QBs silly to the point of them having to leave the game in all four games and all but Ole Miss who has their own Jake Heaps problem came back and played better, or Texas who has their own Jake Heaps problem put in backups who played better. Heaps has not faced anything close to the pressure every opposing QB has faced. The excuses have to stop. If Jake is using these excuses even in the privacy of his own psyche, he will never improve.



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USU rattled Jake in 2010 and they are coming after him all night Friday unless he proves he can step up in the pocket, plant and throw in the face of it or take off downfield for 10 yards even if he has to take a hit and break a tackle. He is going to have to find and hit the hot receiver in stride several times before they back off. The only teams that will not do this to Jake are the ones who can't. That is the reality of playing scared. It is on film.They all can see it. They smell blood. They are going to go after it. USU probably can - not as much as the last 4 but enough to test his mettle.

This is laughable at best. Jake hasn't gotten pressure? How about the quote from Jordan Wynn that being in the pocket was like sitting in a rocking chair, back and forth, back and forth, because he had so much time.



Maybe you should watch the Utah and/or Texas game again.



Our O line sucks on just a regular 4 man rush (heaven forbid if they blitz), and our rbs can't pick up a blitz. It is like a freaking jail break going after Heaps sometimes. We have easily had the same amount of pressure as other teams, if not more so. WATCH THE UTAH GAME!!!

p.s. Jake isn't going to "take off and run 10 yards downfield - even if he has to take hits and break tackles". He is a passing qb, and has been instructed to find a receiver in those situations and downs. If he ever needs to run, he has been instructed to slide.



Get over it.