Unga and Heaps

[jay santos]

Having Unga back I would think helps Heaps immensely. With a solid running attack, the advantage of a running QB is diminished. And the value of a QB that can stretch the defense is heightened, even if the QB is not quite as polished.

[HBCoug]

Having Unga back I would think helps Heaps immensely. With a solid running attack, the advantage of a running QB is diminished. And the value of a QB that can stretch the defense is heightened, even if the QB is not quite as polished.

I'd love to see the numbers Harvey can put up being the focal point of this offense and staying healthy for the entire year. Seems like he's had ankle/hamstring issues since his career started, and he's still our most productive back ever. I'll seriously miss that guy when he's finished at BYU.

[Goatnapper'96]

Having Unga back I would think helps Heaps immensely. With a solid running attack, the advantage of a running QB is diminished. And the value of a QB that can stretch the defense is heightened, even if the QB is not quite as polished.

I agree. I think that things are lining up quite nicely for BYU to take the plunge on a qb who might-not-be-as-good-in-August-as-the-other-guy-but-is-likely-to-be-much-better-in-November-if-he-gets-the-reps.

Expectations are low. The OL and RB are the team strengths. The likely best skill player of the future, other than QB, is a TE so it makes sense to have these two develop together. In the end the one thing left that Mendenhall wants/needs to accomplish is the really big year. I think he builds for that by playing a younger kid with more proverbial "upside."

One really nice thing for Drew or Harmon to do would be an indepth report on the mission situation. Heimuli? Makafakasakakasi (or whatever lil Peni's last name is)? JoJo?

I also got to think that the ever referenced Mike Hague is likely to make his final home at safety. If any of the above 3 are not going on missions I think BYU has its bridge FB to Iona Pritchard so MH will be a SS come Spring ball. If one of the above 3 stays, BYU has a fullback. I expect Kariya to get his reps as an all purpose back. JJ will get some reps at his change of pace role and either Quezada or Malosi Teo will emerge as the second string tailback, probably cutting into the reps of JJ and Kariya to some extent. Given the fact that BYU is likely to only play one tight end very much, Richard Wilson, I think BYU will be in a two back set a great deal of the time. I figure that the fullback (whichever is not going on a mission), Unga, Kariya, JJ and either Teo or Quezada will all get reps. If either Teo or Quezada can replicate the strengths of both JJ and Kariya and be more of an everydown back I would think we see less and less of JJ and Kariya as the season progresses and more of a traditional 3 back rotation.

[Shaka]

Interestingly today on 1280 Hans Olson stated that Harvey coming back bodes well for Nelson because they are tight.

[Commando]

Given the fact that BYU is likely to only play one tight end very much, Richard Wilson...

Isn't Austin Holt back this year?

[Goatnapper'96]

Interestingly today on 1280 Hans Olson stated that Harvey coming back bodes well for Nelson because they are tight.

That is a great in depth analysis from HansandFranz. "Harvey prefers massaging the inner thigh of Nelson so he has the edge."

My guess is that in the end with whom Harvey is tight won't have a great deal of influence on the decision. I could be wrong, but I doubt it!

I admit, for some bizarre reason I want Heaps. Just to see what it will be like. I won't bitch if it ain't him as I tend to think the coaches want to win more than I do, but I would like to see for myself what this kid is like.

[Goatnapper'96]

Isn't Austin Holt back this year?

Yes, Elder Holt gets released in July. I am assuming he will redshirt.

[jay santos]

I agree with the move to safety for Hague. BYU safety is the perfect position for slow, short white guys.

[The_Tick]

I just shake my head and think about how awesome Pitta and George were. 14 years since Mili and Lewis.

They will sorely be missed.

[Goatnapper'96]

I just shake my head and think about how awesome Pitta and George were. 14 years since Mili and Lewis.

They will sorely be missed.

You will only be shaking that tight lil head of yours for about a year or two. By the time Wilson and Holt are a Junior/Sophmore tandem I bet the only thing shaking will be your moobs as you jump up and down for yet another tandem of Cougar Tight ends that are tighter than Uncle Scrooge's purse strings!

[byu71]

Interestingly today on 1280 Hans Olson stated that Harvey coming back bodes well for Nelson because they are tight.

You probably also heard him say that Sarkisian was higher on Montana than Heaps. He also said he talked to three knowledgeable people outside of the program who said it will be Nelson over Heaps.

Really, how knowledgeable can people be outside of the program. Utah high school coaches, well they might know Nelson but they don't know Heaps. Maybe coaches that recruited both. Uh, they were recruited years apart.

Contrary to what a lot of people think, I think Hans gets some pretty good information. The three knowledgeable folks though I have my doubts on the credibility.

[The_Tick]

Napper,

Let's keep my moobs out of this. Focus.

[WashingtonCoug]

I'm wondering how much difference there is between a sophomore Max Hall and a freshman Jake Heaps. Granted Hall had a year in the system sitting behind Beck while he redshirted. With all of the coaching Heaps has received in the many different camps he's been invited too, I think Heaps may be pretty close to a sophomore Max Hall in experience. I would probably take that over a junior Riley Nelson.

[TripletDaddy]

You probably also heard him say that Sarkisian was higher on Montana than Heaps. He also said he talked to three knowledgeable people outside of the program who said it will be Nelson over Heaps.

Really, how knowledgeable can people be outside of the program. Utah high school coaches, well they might know Nelson but they don't know Heaps. Maybe coaches that recruited both. Uh, they were recruited years apart.

Contrary to what a lot of people think, I think Hans gets some pretty good information. The three knowledgeable folks though I have my doubts on the credibility.

How "open" are the depth chart competitions in Spring ball? Isn't the general BYU party line to give preference to upper classmen (Unga not withstanding).

I just don't see how Riley can be the guy without creating a radically different offensive scheme. We have covered this before, but I honestly haven't seen Nelson throw the ball more than a few times. Ever.

Maybe Riley Nelson is much like the radical Utah cheerleader that hates the US military.....beneath their shirts they both are hiding some serious cannons!

[byu71]

How "open" are the depth chart competitions in Spring ball? Isn't the general BYU party line to give preference to upper classmen (Unga not withstanding).

I just don't see how Riley can be the guy without creating a radically different offensive scheme. We have covered this before, but I honestly haven't seen Nelson throw the ball more than a few times. Ever.

Maybe Riley Nelson is much like the radical Utah cheerleader that hates the US military.....beneath their shirts they both are hiding some serious cannons!

Hans quote that I also found curious is that Doman really wants to coach a mobile QB. I would think the kind of QB Doman wants to coach wouldn't be high on the priority list of how you pick a QB. Unless of course he really is the stealth offensive co-ordinator.