The Heaps phenomenon

[wally]

This Jake Heaps phenomenon is interesting to watch. Seemingly, 100% of BYU fans desperately want him to be named a true freshman starter. Why? If Whit announced Griff Robles will start, I'd say, "Great, he's our best guy. Whit knows best." I think my point of view is the natural one. What's so strange about BYU fans and Heaps, is the unanimity of desire that Bronco do this unusual thing and start this slight underdeveloped kid as a true freshman.

Again, Why? I think BYU fans crave a messiah figure. Here's the irony: three years ago, Munns was a terrific recruit. He went on a mission, and now he's Leah and Heaps (who shirked a mission) is Rachel and Jesus wrapped into one. 14 million BYU fans (that's how many there are, right?) are rooting for this fine young man who followed the prophet's admonition to fall on his face.

Let's also not forget that Bronco didn't serve a mission either, and that was back when it was a commandment.

[Eddie]

Back to the original question...

It is a long-held tradition of Y fans to look for the next great quarterback somewhere on the bench, among the incoming players, or among the new commits.

And the new guy is always 8 feet tall, able to hit the cross bar of the FG from the 50 yard line while kneeling, and shoots lightning bolts out his backside.

Personally - I'm firmly in the camp of "the coaches' future and livelihood is dependent upon winning games. As such, they are MUCH more interested than I am in making sure that the guy who gives them the best chance to win is behind center. AND - they've also attended all of the practices, position meetings, etc. and who who gets it physically, emotionally, mentally, etc. I'll trust them to pick the right guy."

I'll admit that there have been instances when one player or another has impressed me during an interview or in a story, and I've "hoped" that they did well and proved themselves worthy to start. But aside from that, I don't care who the guy is.

I'm just happy that there are 5-6 of them willing to put that much time and energy into competing to see who will be the guy who gets to entertain me for 12...hopefully 13...football games this fall.

[Goatnapper'96]

OK, take me through the West Point logic here:

• A year or two back, I snarkily point out (on the Ute board, I might add) that Bronco is getting a redshirt-free player from an in-state rival by taking advantage of the LDS mission rule.

• You respond that I am a string-puller because...well, I guess there doesn't have to be a reason.

• And with great hilarity, you point out the absurdity of my attack because Riley is really not very good and will at best back up whoever BYU chooses as its next Heisman winner starting QB.

• Now, I again snarkily point out that according to the news, young Riley may end up starting this year over the next Joe Montana Jake Heaps. And I say, "Gee, Goat, how about that?"

You know, ribbing? They do that in the Army, I hear.

And now I am being called all sorts of hateful names. It's not easy being me on this board, that's all I can say.

Time will tell if Riley Nelson is going to play a lot for BYU or how good he is really going to be. If he plays a lot for BYU I doubt it will be a real good thing for the Y, but I am willing to be proven wrong. My instinct is he will get some reps as a wildcat change of pace qb, but by the middle of this year the main man will be Heaps with Nelson's involvement, even as a change of pace qb, tapering off in time.

My memory of the event is that many Ute fans spent an inordinate amount of time constructing timelines of "Where was Bronco at such and such time" comparing that to various statements from Bronco, in which they could compete with each other concerning which was the longest run on sentence in the history of all germanic languages. My conclusion was it was a wee bit preoccupied with a relatively insignificant athlete and an indicator of how much Mendenhall was under y'allz skin. In my world it is a sign of weakness to let an opposing coach bother you so much that there are treatises on his integrity using timelines and an archive of every statement he had ever made. By all means I know that a plethora of BYU fans are stringpullers extrodinaire concerning Whittingham, so I mock them as well.

[Eddie]

A year or two back, I snarkily point out (on the Ute board, I might add) that Bronco is getting a redshirt-free player from an in-state rival by taking advantage of the LDS mission rule.

Just curious - but is it Bronco taking advantage of the rule? Or Riley Nelson? I'm still not sure who recruited who - but I do think Bronco would've been silly to not consider Nelson if he approached BYU and said he was interested.

It may be convenient that BYU didn't give Nelson a QB scholarship when he came out of HS, and upon his return they did. But I don't know if that is a function of seeing him play at USU and thinking he might be good or a function of him being better than the other QB's they were recruiting the year he returned.

By the way - I don't care if you call me, BYU, or anyone else a hypocrite. I already know I am. I'm not able to live up to all of the standards I profess to hold as important. I know who and what I am, and I'm OK with that.

[LA Ute]

Time will tell if Riley Nelson is going to play a lot for BYU or how good he is really going to be. If he plays a lot for BYU I doubt it will be a real good thing for the Y, but I am willing to be proven wrong. My instinct is he will get some reps as a wildcat change of pace qb, but by the middle of this year the main man will be Heaps with Nelson's involvement, even as a change of pace qb, tapering off in time.

I don't disagree. I wouldn't even recognize Riley or Jake's photos if I saw them. Bronco just awakens the snark in me.

My memory of the event is that many Ute fans spent an inordinate amount of time constructing timelines of "Where was Bronco at such and such time" comparing that to various statements from Bronco, in which they could compete with each other concerning which was the longest run on sentence in the history of all germanic languages. My conclusion was it was a wee bit preoccupied with a relatively insignificant athlete and an indicator of how much Mendenhall was under y'allz skin. In my world it is a sign of weakness to let an opposing coach bother you so much that there are treatises on his integrity using timelines and an archive of every statement he had ever made. By all means I know that a plethora of BYU fans are stringpullers extrodinaire concerning Whittingham, so I mock them as well.

Yeah, what began as snarky fun became a typical zoob-zoot food fight. Having said that, I hereby rebuke you for making every excess by a fan base into a commentary on the members' character, manhood or womanhood, or basic humanity. Sheesh, hating the opposing coach is part of college football.

I hope you feel chastened.

[LA Ute]

Just curious - but is it Bronco taking advantage of the rule? Or Riley Nelson? I'm still not sure who recruited who - but I do think Bronco would've been silly to not consider Nelson if he approached BYU and said he was interested.

It may be convenient that BYU didn't give Nelson a QB scholarship when he came out of HS, and upon his return they did. But I don't know if that is a function of seeing him play at USU and thinking he might be good or a function of him being better than the other QB's they were recruiting the year he returned.

By the way - I don't care if you call me, BYU, or anyone else a hypocrite. I already know I am. I'm not able to live up to all of the standards I profess to hold as important. I know who and what I am, and I'm OK with that.

Fair enough. I do not think this is a huge issue, but the appeal to my inner snark is just irresistible. BTW, I rarely use the word hypocrite. It rarely applies to sports fans or to BYU fans.

[Flystripper]

This is where you guys miss 3D. He could come slashing into this thread and and with wit and good humor turn LA's and my arguments inside out. He's left a big hole for you guys to fill.

Sorry SU, if this thread were about USC then you would be correct, but since it is about BYU he knows about as much as you do on the subject.

[LA Ute]

It's like all the Ute fans who are so sick of BYU and BYU fans that they want the rivalry to end, and yet they can't shut up about BYU. I guess old habits die hard.

We can't quit them.

[Eddie]

Fair enough. I do not think this is a huge issue, but the appeal to my inner snark is just irresistible. BTW, I rarely use the word hypocrite. It rarely applies to sports fans or to BYU fans.

I understand the irresistable force that causes one to snark when you know it doesn't take a lot to get under someone's skin. And there are certainly some folks for whom I am more likely to give in to that urge, and others for whom I will do my best to resist.

[cougjunkie]

Heaps will start, Lark will be 2nd string, Munns will go Chad Manis and become a D-end, and Nelson will switch to WR or Safety.

[Goatnapper'96]

Heaps will start, Lark will be 2nd string, Munns will go Chad Manis and become a D-end, and Nelson will switch to WR or Safety.

Could Nelson play rb?

[cougjunkie]

Could Nelson play rb?

Possibly I could also see him potentially being a Corbin Louks type player, maybe a few packages with him and Heaps in the backfield.

[YOhio]

Heaps will start, Lark will be 2nd string, Munns will go Chad Manis and become a D-end, and Nelson will switch to WR or Safety.

And LAU will look like an even bigger dodo than he already is. What a stringpuller.

[MarkGrace]

Heaps will start, Lark will be 2nd string, Munns will go Chad Manis and become a D-end, and Nelson will switch to WR or Safety.

Don't they try and at least go 3 deep at QB?

Is there really Munns to DE talk? How would he fare there?

[LA Ute]

And LAU will look like an even bigger dodo than he already is. What a stringpuller.

You do not want to tangle with this fearsome creature: