Play the best player regardless...ESPN article

[jay santos]

Didn't mean to strike a nerve but for the same reason I stated it the first time, there's not enough of a sample, especially for the freshman, to make that assumption.

But of the two, Heaps is not a clear cut winner, right? Is this a case of coaches not starting the younger player who is better? Or is this a case of the coaches misevaluating talent? Or maybe (GASP) a case of the fans misevaluating talent?

[The_Tick]

I'm not sure we have any reason to believe the coaches don't do this.

Don't assume that I am talking about Heaps.

We know we have better talent at Thomas' position. We also have better LBers not starting or hardly in the rotation.

Sometimes raw talent needs to win out over "understanding of the system".

[Surfah]

Don't assume that I am talking about Heaps.

We know we have better talent at Thomas' position. We also have better LBers not starting or hardly in the rotation.

Sometimes raw talent needs to win out over "understanding of the system".

Eagle Scout/RM/Walk On/Fanatical Effort trump all.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Jake Heaps doesn't have enough pass attempts to qualify for national rankings, but even so, at 87.1, he's 12 points lower than the 100th best QB in terms of pass efficiency.

http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/natlRank.js...&div=IA&dest=O

Guy number 100 is Boo Jackson from Ohio Bobcats. Is he like a scary version of Bo?

[smokymountainrain]

Eagle Scout/RM/Walk On/Fanatical Effort trump all.

[Indy Coug]

Don't assume that I am talking about Heaps.

We know we have better talent at Thomas' position. We also have better LBers not starting or hardly in the rotation.

Sometimes raw talent needs to win out over "understanding of the system".

Who should be playing FS instead of Thomas?

[smokymountainrain]

Who should be playing FS instead of Thomas?

A fat, washed up, Kellen Fowler might be an upgrade at this point.

[Jacob]

Here are Heap's drives this year:

1. 3 and out (0 for 3 passing)

2. FG (9 plays)

3. Punt (29 yards)

4. FG (11 plays, 58 yards, only 13 passing)

5. Punt (44 yards)

6. 3 and out

7. fumble (only 15 out of 80 yards passing)

8. 3 and out (0 for 2 passing)

9. Interception on first play



So after 9 possessions

1. He has only 6 points to his name
2. Two of his three longest drives consisted almost entirely of running the ball
3. He has three 3-and-outs
4. He has an abysmal 87.1 pass efficiency, which has him on pace to finish better than Randy Litchfield, but worse than Carroll Johnston on the best season pass efficiency list

http://cougarstats.com/lists/ratingseason.html

So while you are busy dry humping a hard copy of Jake Heaps 5-star bio page from Scout.com, realize that he has done absolutely nothing right now to make the coaches' decision any easier for allocation of playing time.


P.S. Nelson drives = 29 points, Heaps = 6

P.P.S. Nelson is not very good

You keep quoting the efficiency number as if it means something. It doesn't. As has been said, too small a sample, and he hasn't been put in a good position to succeed with the alternating series.

But people like you continue to imply that the decision should be based on what has happened in 1.5 games only. You ignore practice. That seems absurd.

[jay santos]

Don't assume that I am talking about Heaps.

We know we have better talent at Thomas' position. We also have better LBers not starting or hardly in the rotation.

Sometimes raw talent needs to win out over "understanding of the system".

I guess I'm not convinced we have a better option than Thomas or better LBers that aren't playing. It's easy to assume that since Thomas and our LBers suck right now. But I have to believe Bronco and staff want to win and are putting the players on the field that will do that. He has a history of starting young players over established players at times. He has a history of playing multiple players to see who will step forward. He has a history of benching players that aren't producing.

[Coach McGuirk]

Here are Heap's drives this year:

1. 3 and out (0 for 3 passing)

2. FG (9 plays)

3. Punt (29 yards)

4. FG (11 plays, 58 yards, only 13 passing)

5. Punt (44 yards)

6. 3 and out

7. fumble (only 15 out of 80 yards passing)

8. 3 and out (0 for 2 passing)

9. Interception on first play



So after 9 possessions

1. He has only 6 points to his name
2. Two of his three longest drives consisted almost entirely of running the ball
3. He has three 3-and-outs
4. He has an abysmal 87.1 pass efficiency, which has him on pace to finish better than Randy Litchfield, but worse than Carroll Johnston on the best season pass efficiency list

http://cougarstats.com/lists/ratingseason.html

So while you are busy dry humping a hard copy of Jake Heaps 5-star bio page from Scout.com, realize that he has done absolutely nothing right now to make the coaches' decision any easier for allocation of playing time.


P.S. Nelson drives = 29 points, Heaps = 6

P.P.S. Nelson is not very good

And once nelson was playing full time he had 0 points. Heaps has had how many consecutive drives again?

[Sizzle]

Here are Heap's drives this year:

1. 3 and out (0 for 3 passing)

2. FG (9 plays)

3. Punt (29 yards)

4. FG (11 plays, 58 yards, only 13 passing)

5. Punt (44 yards)

6. 3 and out

7. fumble (only 15 out of 80 yards passing)

8. 3 and out (0 for 2 passing)

9. Interception on first play



So after 9 possessions

1. He has only 6 points to his name
2. Two of his three longest drives consisted almost entirely of running the ball
3. He has three 3-and-outs
4. He has an abysmal 87.1 pass efficiency, which has him on pace to finish better than Randy Litchfield, but worse than Carroll Johnston on the best season pass efficiency list

http://cougarstats.com/lists/ratingseason.html

So while you are busy dry humping a hard copy of Jake Heaps 5-star bio page from Scout.com, realize that he has done absolutely nothing right now to make the coaches' decision any easier for allocation of playing time.


P.S. Nelson drives = 29 points, Heaps = 6

P.P.S. Nelson is not very good

How many drives were stalled because of dropped passes? How many of Nelson's drives that led to TDs started in opponents territories v. how many of Heaps drives started the same?

I would also argue that an offense based on throwing the ball requires much more timing, more chemistry and is much more of a risk-reward as far as points are scored. You CANNOT expect the timing to be in sync if you can't decide which offense you are going to run. That is going to significantly hamper the throwing QB. It'll make the option more effective for the three weeks that you play teams that haven't seen it (okay, maybe week and a half), but you're not running it enough IMO for it to be your core, and you probably aren't going to be able to run it to the point that you are going to out execute your opponents. Which, let's be honest, under Bronco has been BYU's strength. Execution. That is why (until this year) Bronco hadn't lost to Air Force. AFA can usually get away beating teams because they can out-execute them. They do what they do, and they feel like they do that better than anybody else. BYU typically (this year not excluding, IMO) has more talent that AFA. So when a more talented team that executes plays a less talented team that executes, the more talented team wins. This last week was a perfect example of talent and shitty execution losing to inferior talent and superior execution.

I'll agree with you that neither QB has done enough to wrestle the starting job from the other. On the other hand, I don't think there is any doubt that one QB has more upside in an offense that is more traditionally suited to what most players were recruited to BYU to play for, with more years of eligibility. Nelson IMO hasn't done enough to justify him keeping the job, especially with his one read and run philosophy in the pocket. An offense cannot function successfully like that, and BYU isn't changing philosophies to become an option based team. Take your lumps and commit to Heaps, and by doing so your team chemistry will improve, dropped passes (and passes off target thrown by the QB) will decrease with increased reps and chemistry, and in the long run, you'll be better off.

[Indy Coug]

And once nelson was playing full time he had 0 points. Heaps has had how many consecutive drives again?

P.P.S. Nelson is not very good

...

[Indy Coug]

But people like you continue to imply that the decision should be based on what has happened in 1.5 games only. You ignore practice. That seems absurd.

You doofus, it was because of Jake's inability to separate himself in practice that led to this entire quandry to begin with.

[Indy Coug]

A fat, washed up, Kellen Fowler might be an upgrade at this point.

Since he's well on his way to make more money than you'll ever see, who on the current roster is supposed to be playing there?

[smokymountainrain]

Since he's well on his way to make more money than you'll ever see, who on the current roster is supposed to be playing there?

I'd start with Uale, but as useless as Thomas is out there, I'm not sure it matters at this point.