He's baaaaaaaaaaaaack!

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

This is huge news for BYU 2010. Honestly this may be the difference between 6 wins and 8-9. Welcome back Harvey, one of my favorite Cougs ever.


If I were friends or advising Harvey I would have told him this is 100% the wrong decision. No I don't believe he would be a 1st day pick, but whatever round he is picked in his earning window is short in the NFL. As all RBs are.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

So how does this affect people's projections for next year? I was hoping for 7-8 sans Harvey, though I was probably being optimistic. We're not going to be FSU, Utah or TCU next year, and UW is a toss up. The rest are all very winnable.

Here were the guaranteed wins with or without Unga:

1. SDSU in Provo
2. UNM in Provo
3. UNLV in Provo
4. Wyoming in Provo
5. Nevada in Provo
6. USU in Logan

Here were the probable wins without Unga but guaranteed wins now:

7. CSU in Ft. Collins
8. Air Force in Colorado Springs

A 40-60 game without Unga but at least a 50-50 game now:

9. Washington in Provo

Our chances improved to around 40% from probably around a 25% chance:

10. Utah in Salt Lake

Unlikely wins with or without Unga:

11. FSU in Tallahassee
12. TCU in Fort Worth

I really think 8 wins are guaranteed. A 9 win season is very possible if not probable. The o-line is mostly intact. The RB and WRs are back and BYU always has solid prospects at TE. Heaps will have plenty to work with.

FWIW, I predicted an 11-2 (or at least a 10-2 regular season) for BYU in 2009. Therefore everything I say here will come true.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Please let Heaps start now. Give him this year to gain experience handing the ball off to Harvey all year long.

I still say you use Heaps as a relief pitcher that comes in somewhere in the middle of the game until about week 5, then let him start.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I still say you use Heaps as a relief pitcher that comes in somewhere in the middle of the game until about week 5, then let him start.

Agreed to a certain extent, I don't like the idea of him playing on the road against FSU. Playing in Provo against UW wouldn't be so bad but that's the first game of the year and FSU follows. After BYU gets wasted by the rejuvenated Seminoles, the expectations will be lower for the team and Heaps can come in and win the next two games against Nevada and USU and gain some confidence. Just don't let him get destroyed by FSU.

[Surfah]

I still say you use Heaps as a relief pitcher that comes in somewhere in the middle of the game until about week 5, then let him start.

I've never been a fan of that unless you're losing or winning big. I'd much rather give Heaps the ball from first snap and let him take his licks. That will be invaluable over time.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I've never been a fan of that unless you're losing or winning big. I'd much rather give Heaps the ball from first snap and let him take his licks. That will be invaluable over time.

You can ruin a guy like that though, is my thinking. If Heaps goes 15-75, with 1 TD and 7 INTs in the first two weeks does that destroy him?

[Jarid in Cedar]

You can ruin a guy like that though, is my thinking. If Heaps goes 15-75, with 1 TD and 7 INTs in the first two weeks does that destroy him?

I would definitely put a dent in the air of invincibility that he has around himself. He has not experience much adversity in the sense of on field struggles. How would he respond if/when they occur?

[MarkGrace]

You can ruin a guy like that though, is my thinking. If Heaps goes 15-75, with 1 TD and 7 INTs in the first two weeks does that destroy him?

You sound like ol' Jerry.

[Hsaru]

If Heaps is good enough to win the starting job, he won't be going 15-75 with 7 picks. I'm not too worried about that, he seems like a kid who wouldn't get rattled if things don't go his away early on.

[SCcoug]

You can ruin a guy like that though, is my thinking. If Heaps goes 15-75, with 1 TD and 7 INTs in the first two weeks does that destroy him?

This is where Anae's role is so important. I think he has matured enough as an OC that he can put whoever is QB in a position to succeed especially with a veteran OL/WR and Harvey coming back.

[Surfah]

You can ruin a guy like that though, is my thinking. If Heaps goes 15-75, with 1 TD and 7 INTs in the first two weeks does that destroy him?

I don't think so. This kid has moxie. He might have a John Beck moment or two. But he's got enough gimme wins on the schedule to restore any self doubt. It's not like next year's schedule is brutal by any stretch of the imagination. I'd much rather see him face some adversity. The way he's prepped his entire life (footwork camp? for real?) I think any tough times will only stoke his fire to be better.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

You sound like ol' Jerry.

I just wish I had his giant hands. Notice I didn't say don't play him, rather just ease him in to being the starter before the midway point in the season.

Also would you not concede that the jump from HS to D1 football is a much bigger jump than high D1 to the NBA?

[scottie]

Wait a minute -- Unga coming back?

http://blogs.sltrib.com/byu/index.ph...&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Is running back Harvey Unga returning to BYU for his senior season?
Probably, but Unga himself isn’t saying so right now.
Having seen a report that Unga told BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall and running backs coach Lance Reynolds Tuesday morning that he is returning to BYU, I just sent a text message to Unga for confirmation.
Here’s what he texted back around 1:45 p.m. MST. You be the judge.
Me: Reports out there say you are coming back?
Harvey: I am not sure yet. I’ll most likely meet with coach when he gets back and talk to him.
Me: Supposedly, your dad has told a reporter you are coming back.
Harvey: I talked to my pops but haven’t told him for sure. Just thinking a lot about stayin and gettin school stuff done, but I gotta talk to coach mendenhall about some stuff b4 I declare for sure!!

[Donuthole]

Also would you not concede that the jump from HS to D1 football is a much bigger jump than high D1 to the NBA?

Yes.

Sincerely,

JJ Redick

[Surfah]

I just wish I had his giant hands. Notice I didn't say don't play him, rather just ease him in to being the starter before the midway point in the season.

Also would you not concede that the jump from HS to D1 football is a much bigger jump than high D1 to the NBA?

Of course. But Heaps isn't just being thrown to the wolves. He's going to have an experienced O-line that will have some depth now that everyone on the roster got playing time. He's also going to have arguably BYU's best RB ever to hand the ball to. And he also has one of the most talented WR pools ever at BYU. Really the biggest loss on offense will be not having a George or Pitta to throw to. But since we seem to reload at the TE position rather effortlessly I'm not worried.