John Beck was a witch

[Joe Public]

I remember making small talk with a guy at the doctor's office before the 2006 season. We talked about Beck and whether or not he was a winner. He put up good numbers between the 20s, but he withered when the pressure was on.

When the season started, it was business as usual. The loss at AZ, in which I seem to remember some questionable officiating, had that same almost-but-not-quite feel to it. Same with the Boston College game, after which the team was 1-2. It seemed, like many times during the ten years or so leading up to that game, that Beck - and, by extension, BYU - played with a nervousness and lack of confidence in pressure situations.

Then came the TCU game. Something clicked, and all of the demons were gone. Beck got around his monstrously long confidence learning curve, and he was a machine from that time forward. Those next several games were almost PlayStation-like. Did BYU even punt in that UNLV game? The offense had jelled, and the defense was incredibly fresh and hungry when coming on the field. Those were great times to be a BYU football fan; the team appeared unstoppable. Beck had a five-game stretch with approximately 131 attempts, 13 touchdowns and one(!) interception. He had never lacked in talent, and his mind was no longer getting in the way.

Then came the Utah game. The team jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. However, the demons and unsettledness returned. BYU surrendered 24 unanswered points. The last three quarters of that game mirrored Beck's career. Then Beck led the final drive, which ended on a play that seemed unbound by the concept of time. Time literally stopped - the clock ran to zero - and Beck once again chased the demons with a barely-there, back-leg, across-the-field toss to a kneeling Harline.

The Oregon game was the icing on the cake. From the TCU game forward, I think Beck and that offense could have competed well against any team in the country. He hasn't had the learning-curve time with a team in the NFL; he may never have it. If he could have sufficient time in a system to get comfortable, though, I think he could be really good.

[statman]

I remember making small talk with a guy at the doctor's office before the 2006 season. We talked about Beck and whether or not he was a winner. He put up good numbers between the 20s, but he withered when the pressure was on.

When the season started, it was business as usual. The loss at AZ, in which I seem to remember some questionable officiating, had that same almost-but-not-quite feel to it. Same with the Boston College game, after which the team was 1-2. It seemed, like many times during the ten years or so leading up to that game, that Beck - and, by extension, BYU - played with a nervousness and lack of confidence in pressure situations.

Then came the TCU game. Something clicked, and all of the demons were gone. Beck got around his monstrously long confidence learning curve, and he was a machine from that time forward. Those next several games were almost PlayStation-like. Did BYU even punt in that UNLV game? The offense had jelled, and the defense was incredibly fresh and hungry when coming on the field. Those were great times to be a BYU football fan; the team appeared unstoppable. Beck had a five-game stretch with approximately 131 attempts, 13 touchdowns and one(!) interception. He had never lacked in talent, and his mind was no longer getting in the way.

Then came the Utah game. The team jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. However, the demons and unsettledness returned. BYU surrendered 24 unanswered points. The last three quarters of that game mirrored Beck's career. Then Beck led the final drive, which ended on a play that seemed unbound by the concept of time. Time literally stopped - the clock ran to zero - and Beck once again chased the demons with a barely-there, back-leg, across-the-field toss to a kneeling Harline.

The Oregon game was the icing on the cake. From the TCU game forward, I think Beck and that offense could have competed well against any team in the country. He hasn't had the learning-curve time with a team in the NFL; he may never have it. If he could have sufficient time in a system to get comfortable, though, I think he could be really good.

I heard a radio interview with Bosco near the end of the 2006 season - probably during Utah week. He said that the difference with Beck after the BC game several of BYU's past great QBs talked to Beck and told him that if he wanted to actually win big games he had to do it himself.

Sometimes you have to ignore the automatic 5 yard gain that Anae's offense was so good at giving qbs, strap on a pair and throw the ball downfield. When it's 3rd and 9, hoping that your receiver will gain an extra 4 yards after the 5 yard catch isn't going to cut it. Look off the easy dump pass and throw for the damned first down.

With a bit of encouragement and a little confidence, the transformation of Beck's game was like night and day. He didn't have to hope for YAC - he manned-up and threw for the first down himself. Drives didn't stall - he threw touchdowns instead.

[Goatnapper'96]

I heard a radio interview with Bosco near the end of the 2006 season - probably during Utah week. He said that the difference with Beck after the BC game several of BYU's past great QBs talked to Beck and told him that if he wanted to actually win big games he had to do it himself.

Sometimes you have to ignore the automatic 5 yard gain that Anae's offense was so good at giving qbs, strap on a pair and throw the ball downfield. When it's 3rd and 9, hoping that your receiver will gain an extra 4 yards after the 5 yard catch isn't going to cut it. Look off the easy dump pass and throw for the damned first down.

With a bit of encouragement and a little confidence, the transformation of Beck's game was like night and day. He didn't have to hope for YAC - he manned-up and threw for the first down himself. Drives didn't stall - he threw touchdowns instead.

IIRC, many of those key 3rd down conversions against TCU were actually swing passes to Curtis Brown where he made the TCU defenders miss and got the 1st. However, the ability to go downfield is likely what made that type of conversion possible.

[jay santos]

I remember making small talk with a guy at the doctor's office before the 2006 season. We talked about Beck and whether or not he was a winner. He put up good numbers between the 20s, but he withered when the pressure was on.

When the season started, it was business as usual. The loss at AZ, in which I seem to remember some questionable officiating, had that same almost-but-not-quite feel to it. Same with the Boston College game, after which the team was 1-2. It seemed, like many times during the ten years or so leading up to that game, that Beck - and, by extension, BYU - played with a nervousness and lack of confidence in pressure situations.

Then came the TCU game. Something clicked, and all of the demons were gone. Beck got around his monstrously long confidence learning curve, and he was a machine from that time forward. Those next several games were almost PlayStation-like. Did BYU even punt in that UNLV game? The offense had jelled, and the defense was incredibly fresh and hungry when coming on the field. Those were great times to be a BYU football fan; the team appeared unstoppable. Beck had a five-game stretch with approximately 131 attempts, 13 touchdowns and one(!) interception. He had never lacked in talent, and his mind was no longer getting in the way.

Then came the Utah game. The team jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. However, the demons and unsettledness returned. BYU surrendered 24 unanswered points. The last three quarters of that game mirrored Beck's career. Then Beck led the final drive, which ended on a play that seemed unbound by the concept of time. Time literally stopped - the clock ran to zero - and Beck once again chased the demons with a barely-there, back-leg, across-the-field toss to a kneeling Harline.

The Oregon game was the icing on the cake. From the TCU game forward, I think Beck and that offense could have competed well against any team in the country. He hasn't had the learning-curve time with a team in the NFL; he may never have it. If he could have sufficient time in a system to get comfortable, though, I think he could be really good.

100% agree with this summary of John Beck's career.

[TheAzzuri]

I remember making small talk with a guy at the doctor's office before the 2006 season. We talked about Beck and whether or not he was a winner. He put up good numbers between the 20s, but he withered when the pressure was on.

When the season started, it was business as usual. The loss at AZ, in which I seem to remember some questionable officiating, had that same almost-but-not-quite feel to it. Same with the Boston College game, after which the team was 1-2. It seemed, like many times during the ten years or so leading up to that game, that Beck - and, by extension, BYU - played with a nervousness and lack of confidence in pressure situations.

Then came the TCU game. Something clicked, and all of the demons were gone. Beck got around his monstrously long confidence learning curve, and he was a machine from that time forward. Those next several games were almost PlayStation-like. Did BYU even punt in that UNLV game? The offense had jelled, and the defense was incredibly fresh and hungry when coming on the field. Those were great times to be a BYU football fan; the team appeared unstoppable. Beck had a five-game stretch with approximately 131 attempts, 13 touchdowns and one(!) interception. He had never lacked in talent, and his mind was no longer getting in the way.

Then came the Utah game. The team jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. However, the demons and unsettledness returned. BYU surrendered 24 unanswered points. The last three quarters of that game mirrored Beck's career. Then Beck led the final drive, which ended on a play that seemed unbound by the concept of time. Time literally stopped - the clock ran to zero - and Beck once again chased the demons with a barely-there, back-leg, across-the-field toss to a kneeling Harline.

The Oregon game was the icing on the cake. From the TCU game forward, I think Beck and that offense could have competed well against any team in the country. He hasn't had the learning-curve time with a team in the NFL; he may never have it. If he could have sufficient time in a system to get comfortable, though, I think he could be really good.

I was at that TCU game and without thinking I can name 4-5 of the best throws I've ever seen. The 4th and 1 to Matt Allen is still a favorite. The performance was incredible. The David Nixon hit/fumble was a turning point in the season and his (Beck's) career. It's a shame that it didn't happen sooner, though he shoulders a lot of the blame for the coaching transitions, some of it fair and some of it unfair.

Looking back it's amazing how good they were, especially considering the talent (or lack thereof) that surrounded him. Our best offense in recent memory started Zac Collie/Nate Meikle/Matt Allen/Mike Reed/Johnny Harline/Curtis Brown. That right there should tell you how good he was during the final part of the season. He made those guys look good.

To your final point, I think he needs stability. He wasn't good until he had it at the Y and he hasn't had it yet in the pros. Chances don't last that long and I fear he'll burn through his. He's not as good as Aaron Rodgers, but he could have thrived in a situation like that.

[MarkGrace]

So I'm watching highlights here, and I have to wonder, is Beck-to-Harline the greatest play in BYU history?

You know some of the other plays that are in contention for this title: Morell diving over the line, McMahon's hail mary, Young's QB throwback, etc.

But I don't know, there's just something about Beck's play that seems even greater to me. I guess the separation is that all those plays had some degree of planning (and excepting the Young play probably a much higher degree of luck), where Beck was completely improvised. For the longest time I thought he was just kind of running around like a chicken with its head cut off and lucked into Harline being open, but further inspection shows that the thing was completely set up. When he's rolling left, he sees Harline blanketed in the corner, and you can tell at that moment he starts playing this thing out in his head and then perfectly executes it completely on the fly, with the arm strength to get the ball all the way back to the other side of the field while moving away from his target and with a defender bearing down on him. Just remarkable stuff. I'm sure it hurt deeply MPFunk deeply, but as the board's resident jazz aficionado, I'm guessing even he appreciated the highest degree of improvisational art being played out on a football field.

[pellegrino]

So I'm watching highlights here, and I have to wonder, is Beck-to-Harline the greatest play in BYU history?

It is certainly one of the top 4 in BYU history and most definitely the greatest moment since 1992. I'm still waiting for that photo of Harline standing in the endzone to come for sale. I want it, badly.

But I don't know, there's just something about Beck's play that seems even greater to me. I guess the separation is that all those plays had some degree of planning (and excepting the Young play probably a much higher degree of luck), where Beck was completely improvised. For the longest time I thought he was just kind of running around like a chicken with its head cut off and lucked into Harline being open, but further inspection shows that the thing was completely set up. When he's rolling left, he sees Harline blanketed in the corner, and you can tell at that moment he starts playing this thing out in his head and then perfectly executes it completely on the fly, with the arm strength to get the ball all the way back to the other side of the field while moving away from his target and with a defender bearing down on him. Just remarkable stuff. I'm sure it hurt deeply MPFunk deeply, but as the board's resident jazz aficionado, I'm guessing even he appreciated the highest degree of improvisational art being played out on a football field.

IIRC Beck pretty much said the same thing in the postgame interview. He recognized that they were following him more than the receivers and then once the LB committed to rushing him the decision was made.

[Goatnapper'96]

It is certainly one of the top 4 in BYU history and most definitely the greatest moment since 1992. I'm still waiting for that photo of Harline standing in the endzone to come for sale. I want it, badly.



IIRC Beck pretty much said the same thing in the postgame interview. He recognized that they were following him more than the receivers and then once the LB committed to rushing him the decision was made.

I was on my hands and knees in my in-law's basement. I just stood up and started jumping up and down screaming like a teenage Beatle groupie. One of my twins started jumping up and down and screaming with me. I jumped up and down and screamed for about 10 minutes. I honestly was unable to contain myself. Then I called a brother in law who lost faith and bailed at the end of the 3rd qtr, I was honestly panting as I was trying to explain what transpired. If I had to vote on the greatest/favorite individual plays in BYU football history it would be #2. Only to be outdone by the McMahon-Brown bomb in the Holiday Bowl.

Beck to Harline put to bed all that pain from the Crowton era. John Beck had a rough career at BYU. The timing sucked and he had a lot of issues. But in the end the kid will always be pure gold. Knowing how much it meant to him as a life-long BYU fan whose nipples get hard at the golden oldies highlights made his moment in the sun all the more sweeter for me.

[Art Vandelay]

I was on my hands and knees in my in-law's basement. I just stood up and started jumping up and down screaming like a teenage Beatle groupie. One of my twins started jumping up and down and screaming with me. I jumped up and down and screamed for about 10 minutes. I honestly was unable to contain myself. Then I called a brother in law who lost faith and bailed at the end of the 3rd qtr, I was honestly panting as I was trying to explain what transpired. If I had to vote on the greatest/favorite individual plays in BYU football history it would be #2. Only to be outdone by the McMahon-Brown bomb in the Holiday Bowl.

Beck to Harline put to bed all that pain from the Crowton era. John Beck had a rough career at BYU. The timing sucked and he had a lot of issues. But in the end the kid will always be pure gold. Knowing how much it meant to him as a life-long BYU fan whose nipples get hard at the golden oldies highlights made his moment in the sun all the more sweeter for me.

There are two matching, lil billy or nanny goats running around? Is this something you've shared before? I honestly had no idea. You've probably mentioned it, but I always assumed when you were discussing "the twins" you were talking about something else.

[Goatnapper'96]

There two matching lil billy or nanny goats running around? Is this something you've shared before? I honestly had no idea. You've probably mentioned it, but I always assumed when you were discussing "the twins" you were talking about something else.

Big Bishop Art, all my kids were conceived at the same time. Just the final 3 were cryogenically frozen for a season. They are what one might, affectionately, refer to as "test-tube babies!" The good folks at the U of U Dept. of Endocronology drugged up the missus and harvested like 29 eggs. The tech in back was counting em off like an NCO at an Army APFT. Instead of "Mahana you ugly" my lovely wife was "the lovely Mrs Goatnapper you fertile" in Johny Lingo lingo. I, of course, visited the masturbatoreum and got downright ungawdly while Air Supply "Here I am the one that you love" wafted over the airwaves. Rumour has it there was uhhhhhhh what one might call "reading materials" in the 3rd drawer of the dresser but between you and I, I don't think folks really "read" the articles. In fact after I noticed the pages were stuck together I decided to avoid the very appearance of evil, so I just thought of Glen Kozlowski catching a Bobby Roscoe dying duck in the endzone of the Murf to bring Son's of Helamen to a tie with Bo's Wolverines. It worked as well as any danged reading materials, I'll tell you what! After 30 second.....uh check that 600 seconds of some of the hardest work of my life, I reigned victorious. Since I was unlike George in that my boys are not to be confused with any dope smoking foreign language learning guru, the fine docs put my sample with the harvested eggs and shortly thereafter they emplaced two living zygotes in "MGYF" and 9 months later we had one. The night after Jake Shoff put his big ol ass in front of the entire AFA hoop team and backed it on up like a hip hopper leading to Mike Hall doing things not frequently seen in Provo, and I ain't talking about the other back seat, we had three more of freshly thawed zygotes emplaced in "MGYF" and the day when Kyle permanently turned his back on the Children of the Promise, indeed as Bronco has taught us since that black moment "His ways are not our ways," our home was blessed with twin daughters. They were born minutes after I had dipped into the latrine to call PAC to learn about the glorious presser when Kyle had accepted the HC job at his alma mater. We shared pleasentries and said rude things about Kyle Whittingham and ruder things about Gary Crowton. The day ended better than it started. Then the night after 2/3 of Utah's offense broke bones in Corvallis we had one more living, albeit freshly thawed out zygote, emplaced in "MGYF" and in the middle of May '08 my only son was born at the strapping weight of 12lbs 7oz....and they did not know he was that uhhhhhh large until his head came out...which means they were past the point of shoving it back up in and heading over for a C-Section. It was harrowing for me and I assume much, much worse for "MGYF." That is my four.

[Art Vandelay]

Cool story. Thanks for sharing.

PS Who here hasn't spent a little time in the bathroom, speaking rudely, with PAC?

[MarkGrace]

Big Bishop Art, all my kids were conceived at the same time. Just the final 3 were cryogenically frozen for a season. They are what one might, affectionately, refer to as "test-tube babies!" The good folks at the U of U Dept. of Endocronology drugged up the missus and harvested like 29 eggs. The tech in back was counting em off like an NCO at an Army APFT. Instead of "Mahana you ugly" my lovely wife was "the lovely Mrs Goatnapper you fertile" in Johny Lingo lingo. I, of course, visited the masturbatoreum and got downright ungawdly while Air Supply "Here I am the one that you love" wafted over the airwaves. Rumour has it there was uhhhhhhh what one might call "reading materials" in the 3rd drawer of the dresser but between you and I, I don't think folks really "read" the articles. In fact after I noticed the pages were stuck together I decided to avoid the very appearance of evil, so I just thought of Glen Kozlowski catching a Bobby Roscoe dying duck in the endzone of the Murf to bring Son's of Helamen to a tie with Bo's Wolverines. It worked as well as any danged reading materials, I'll tell you what! After 30 second.....uh check that 600 seconds of some of the hardest work of my life, I reigned victorious. Since I was unlike George in that my boys are not to be confused with any dope smoking foreign language learning guru, the fine docs put my sample with the harvested eggs and shortly thereafter they emplaced two living zygotes in "MGYF" and 9 months later we had one. The night after Jake Shoff put his big ol ass in front of the entire AFA hoop team and backed it on up like a hip hopper leading to Mike Hall doing things not frequently seen in Provo, and I ain't talking about the other back seat, we had three more of freshly thawed zygotes emplaced in "MGYF" and the day when Kyle permanently turned his back on the Children of the Promise, indeed as Bronco has taught us since that black moment "His ways are not our ways," our home was blessed with twin daughters. They were born minutes after I had dipped into the latrine to call PAC to learn about the glorious presser when Kyle had accepted the HC job at his alma mater. We shared pleasentries and said rude things about Kyle Whittingham and ruder things about Gary Crowton. The day ended better than it started. Then the night after 2/3 of Utah's offense broke bones in Corvallis we had one more living, albeit freshly thawed out zygote, emplaced in "MGYF" and in the middle of May '08 my only son was born at the strapping weight of 12lbs 7oz....and they did not know he was that uhhhhhh large until his head came out...which means they were past the point of shoving it back up in and heading over for a C-Section. It was harrowing for me and I assume much, much worse for "MGYF." That is my four.

Ho. Ly. Shit. Even by Goatnapper standards that is HOF work. I'm seriously crying and momentarily forgot about the suicidal reaction I'm about to have after this "statement" in an hour and a half.

[Goatnapper'96]

Ho. Ly. Shit. Even by Goatnapper standards that is HOF work. I'm seriously crying and momentarily forgot about the suicidal reaction I'm about to have after this "statement" in an hour and a half.

Just as Bronco ended up being a bright and shining light in a frightful period of pure blackness, so shall the lights of the wisdom of the BYU one day shine and fully explain the goodness in what you might find initial disapointment.

So much like the Schoffster, back it on up big fella!

[Shaka]

Big Bishop Art, all my kids were conceived at the same time. Just the final 3 were cryogenically frozen for a season. They are what one might, affectionately, refer to as "test-tube babies!" The good folks at the U of U Dept. of Endocronology drugged up the missus and harvested like 29 eggs. The tech in back was counting em off like an NCO at an Army APFT. Instead of "Mahana you ugly" my lovely wife was "the lovely Mrs Goatnapper you fertile" in Johny Lingo lingo. I, of course, visited the masturbatoreum and got downright ungawdly while Air Supply "Here I am the one that you love" wafted over the airwaves. Rumour has it there was uhhhhhhh what one might call "reading materials" in the 3rd drawer of the dresser but between you and I, I don't think folks really "read" the articles. In fact after I noticed the pages were stuck together I decided to avoid the very appearance of evil, so I just thought of Glen Kozlowski catching a Bobby Roscoe dying duck in the endzone of the Murf to bring Son's of Helamen to a tie with Bo's Wolverines. It worked as well as any danged reading materials, I'll tell you what! After 30 second.....uh check that 600 seconds of some of the hardest work of my life, I reigned victorious. Since I was unlike George in that my boys are not to be confused with any dope smoking foreign language learning guru, the fine docs put my sample with the harvested eggs and shortly thereafter they emplaced two living zygotes in "MGYF" and 9 months later we had one. The night after Jake Shoff put his big ol ass in front of the entire AFA hoop team and backed it on up like a hip hopper leading to Mike Hall doing things not frequently seen in Provo, and I ain't talking about the other back seat, we had three more of freshly thawed zygotes emplaced in "MGYF" and the day when Kyle permanently turned his back on the Children of the Promise, indeed as Bronco has taught us since that black moment "His ways are not our ways," our home was blessed with twin daughters. They were born minutes after I had dipped into the latrine to call PAC to learn about the glorious presser when Kyle had accepted the HC job at his alma mater. We shared pleasentries and said rude things about Kyle Whittingham and ruder things about Gary Crowton. The day ended better than it started. Then the night after 2/3 of Utah's offense broke bones in Corvallis we had one more living, albeit freshly thawed out zygote, emplaced in "MGYF" and in the middle of May '08 my only son was born at the strapping weight of 12lbs 7oz....and they did not know he was that uhhhhhh large until his head came out...which means they were past the point of shoving it back up in and heading over for a C-Section. It was harrowing for me and I assume much, much worse for "MGYF." That is my four.

A tear just came to my eye. Touching.

[Surfah]

Big Bishop Art, all my kids were conceived at the same time. Just the final 3 were cryogenically frozen for a season. They are what one might, affectionately, refer to as "test-tube babies!" The good folks at the U of U Dept. of Endocronology drugged up the missus and harvested like 29 eggs. The tech in back was counting em off like an NCO at an Army APFT. Instead of "Mahana you ugly" my lovely wife was "the lovely Mrs Goatnapper you fertile" in Johny Lingo lingo. I, of course, visited the masturbatoreum and got downright ungawdly while Air Supply "Here I am the one that you love" wafted over the airwaves. Rumour has it there was uhhhhhhh what one might call "reading materials" in the 3rd drawer of the dresser but between you and I, I don't think folks really "read" the articles. In fact after I noticed the pages were stuck together I decided to avoid the very appearance of evil, so I just thought of Glen Kozlowski catching a Bobby Roscoe dying duck in the endzone of the Murf to bring Son's of Helamen to a tie with Bo's Wolverines. It worked as well as any danged reading materials, I'll tell you what! After 30 second.....uh check that 600 seconds of some of the hardest work of my life, I reigned victorious. Since I was unlike George in that my boys are not to be confused with any dope smoking foreign language learning guru, the fine docs put my sample with the harvested eggs and shortly thereafter they emplaced two living zygotes in "MGYF" and 9 months later we had one. The night after Jake Shoff put his big ol ass in front of the entire AFA hoop team and backed it on up like a hip hopper leading to Mike Hall doing things not frequently seen in Provo, and I ain't talking about the other back seat, we had three more of freshly thawed zygotes emplaced in "MGYF" and the day when Kyle permanently turned his back on the Children of the Promise, indeed as Bronco has taught us since that black moment "His ways are not our ways," our home was blessed with twin daughters. They were born minutes after I had dipped into the latrine to call PAC to learn about the glorious presser when Kyle had accepted the HC job at his alma mater. We shared pleasentries and said rude things about Kyle Whittingham and ruder things about Gary Crowton. The day ended better than it started. Then the night after 2/3 of Utah's offense broke bones in Corvallis we had one more living, albeit freshly thawed out zygote, emplaced in "MGYF" and in the middle of May '08 my only son was born at the strapping weight of 12lbs 7oz....and they did not know he was that uhhhhhh large until his head came out...which means they were past the point of shoving it back up in and heading over for a C-Section. It was harrowing for me and I assume much, much worse for "MGYF." That is my four.

Unreal. Time to change your name to G.O.A.T.napper.