When will Riley Nelson make the transition to defense?

[pellegrino]

I'm of the opinion that Riley Nelson is a great athlete, but that he's playing the wrong position. Over the course of his career, Bronco has consistently made a point of getting the best players on the field. It's clear that Riley is one of the better athletes on the team, but that he doesn't have the necessary skill set to play QB under our current offensive schemes. If we take Bronco at his word, then he'll find a way to utilize Riley, hopefully on the defense as a safety. So, the question is:

When will Riley Nelson make the transition to defense?


My vote is never because Riley will be too stubborn to let go of his dreams.

[U-Ute]

Never.

He still seems to be your best backup.

[MarkGrace]

At this point it would be a hard transition. If he moves to defense, that makes Jake the full-time starter, and puts Lark, who doesn't have much experience at all, as his back up. That's a pretty tough situation to work with.

The coaches gave him a shot to play QB last year, and should have easily been able to determine that he didn't have the skill to play QB at BYU. That said, as of last year, they had no idea what they were looking at in terms of QB's. Jake hadn't committed, Lark had just gotten back from his mission and I don't think was even in school, and Munns wasn't home yet. He was the only QB in the position to get reps and hopefully prep for this year.

Of course I'm still of the opinion that they should have moved him during spring ball, but it's still hard to install a true frosh at QB, especially at a point when he still should have been in HS. I think moving him a long time ago would have been the right move, but there were definitely no easy decisions involved.

The other dominant thought is to move him somewhere on offense, but where? He's great running the ball, but getting carries as a RB is completely different from just taking off and running on broken plays and QB-keepers. I'm not sure he could do it. Then you talk about slot receiver, but we've already pushed both McKay and OC there to try and get them touches, and as mediocre as they have been, it's impossible to know whether Riley could step in and be any better (and you have another competent slot guy in Hafoka who can't even get on the field right now).

Putting him at any of these positions exposes him to greater risk of injury, and he's the only guy besides Jake that's even ready to take snaps in a game. Same reason Coach Taylor didn't want to move Saracen to receiver.

Tough calls all around.

[woot]

I'm still holding out hope that either Lark or Munns really makes strides before next season and takes over as the backup so Nelson can go play safety or RB. It'd be even better if one of them came on very strong and took over as the starter, allowing Heaps to redshirt. I have high hopes for Heaps, but the dude just seems so tiny and immature I can't help but think he could use an extra year. That scenario is extremely unlikely, I know.

Either way, Nelson will be in the QB 2-deep all of this season.

[redrumu]

A bit late for that at this point. If they were going to switch him, it should have been done prior to the season starting. Playing some safety in high school and playing in college with all of your previous experience at QB is completely different. He could have used this year to become used to playing the position and learning the schemes, making next year a potential impact year for him.

Even if the switch were made after the season is over, that means he would have to provide immediate impact and get caught up to speed extremely fast. At this point, his services are best played at QB for his last year and a half.

[pellegrino]

I'm still holding out hope that either Lark or Munns really makes strides before next season and takes over as the backup so Nelson can go play safety or RB. It'd be even better if one of them came on very strong and took over as the starter, allowing Heaps to redshirt. I have high hopes for Heaps, but the dude just seems so tiny and immature I can't help but think he could use an extra year. That scenario is extremely unlikely, I know.

Either way, Nelson will be in the QB 2-deep all of this season.

they can't make strides if they don't get the reps. Which one of them is running the scout team? Does anyone know? That might give an indication as to what kind of reps they're getting.

[Rickomatic]

Won't happen. He hasn't gone for it yet, why now?

[Blueintheface]

Never. He'll still get "situational" reps which is to say he'll start various series when no coach on planet Earth would put him in anytime other than Wildcat situations during a sustained drive.

He's got the "it" factor, which at BYU is the "upperclassman" factor. Kariya also has "it".

[KillerDog]

I think Riley is going to be passed this off season by Munns and Lark. Next Spring, if the starter is in doubt, Heaps will face his biggest challeng from Munns or Lark, not Nelson. Nelson will be busy challenging for the FS spot.

[statman]

He's got the "it" factor, which at BYU is the "upperclassman" factor. Kariya also has "it".

8-in-the-box takes "it" away...

[Rickomatic]

Anyone notice on Riley's second (last) series, FSU had 9 in the box. Only the two corners were out with the outside receivers. I was just wishing Nelson could launch a long one over their heads and have someone like a Todd Watkins of old run under it for a giant play. ( I know, just a dream. )

[SCcoug]

I voted never but now that he's out for the season if Nelson can get a medical redshirt for this year maybe he does switch.

[Donuthole]

I voted never but now that he's out for the season if Nelson can get a medical redshirt for this year maybe he does switch.

Do RMs ever get granted medical redshirts? Seems like BYU hasn't been able to get that relief from the NCAA as often as other schools. Maybe Riley will be different, since he hasn't red-shirted (has he?)

[SCcoug]

Do RMs ever get granted medical redshirts? Seems like BYU hasn't been able to get that relief from the NCAA as often as other schools. Maybe Riley will be different, since he hasn't red-shirted (has he?)

This is Vic So'oto's 6th year so it does happen once in a blue moon. I don't think Nelson has redshirted.

[Hot Lunch]

Do RMs ever get granted medical redshirts? Seems like BYU hasn't been able to get that relief from the NCAA as often as other schools. Maybe Riley will be different, since he hasn't red-shirted (has he?)

I think Riley will get a redshirt granted to him for this season. He hasn't used his redshirt year so far and he won't play more than 25% of the season. I expect he is granted one for this season. The players that don't get them granted are those that have already redshirted in the past and need to request a medical redshirt after they have already burned their redshirt and went on a mission. Because Riley hasn't burned his redshirt I think he will get it.

I also think that Riley will switch to FS now. He will do all of spring next season without contact and then have a chance to compete for the starting job his junior and senior years.