The Heaps Reclamation Project

[TheBYUGuy]

It seems like there were a few things that changed when Riley came in the other night. The team played harder, the receivers stopped dropping passes, the energy level was kicked up a notch (BAM!), and the execution came together.

I think a lot of that had to do with the marriage of Riley's strengths and Doman's background. Obviously, Doman and Riley have much of the same skill set and background as running/option QBs with a relatively weak arm. Doman ran the option at Skyline HS and again with Staley while wearing Aggie blue and tan. Obviously, there's somewhat of a mismatch between Doman's background and Heaps' ability. Heaps is a pure drop-back passer (specifically, he can throw the ball really hard and shies away from contact). We have all been frustrated this season with how the offense has failed to execute, and it's been hard to tell if it's a problem with Doman's playcalling or Heaps' execution. Truthfully, it's both.

Once Riley came in the game, it seemed like not only did he execute the offense differently, but I also felt like Doman got into a groove. He mixed it up with passes and QB draws at the right times to keep the defense on their toes. This shouldn't be surprising, given Doman's background--he knows how to attack a defense as a running QB.

I agree with most of what has been said about the situation. But one thing I keep thinking about is this--what was the moment when we determined Riley wasn't going to work as BYU's QB? For me, it was the abysmal performance against AFA last year. But things may be different with Doman as the OC. Heaps was a pretty good QB the second half of last year once Anae had a chance to work with him, but Anae's offense wasn't going to go anywhere with Riley. Likewise, I wonder if Doman's offense/play-calling is not working for Heaps right now, but would work better with Riley over a longer period of time.

Riley just might be the answer this season because Doman is the OC.

I don't know what the answer is, but I hope they figure it out soon. And I'll be pissed if I find out that Bronco and the offensive coaches are getting home by 6:00 these days. It's time to put the time in and earn those paychecks.

[Hsaru]

This might be along in another thread, but here it goes.

We are running a pro-style offense but we are getting NONE of the benefits you are supposed to have out of this offense. The main reasons Doman wanted to goto the pro-style offense was to make play-action more effective and to improve our power-run game that complements the play-action.

Teams are not biting on play-action with any regularity with our pathetic run game and Doman has already moved the run game back to the more traditional zone blocking scheme we used under Anae, so that benefit of a pro-style focused offense is pretty much moot at this point.

The other requirement of the pro-style offense is increased precision and timing from QBs and receivers than was required in Anae's spread, our team especially with the tiny amount of live reps we saw in fall camp was just not ready for this.

I think the pro-style sets have a definite place in our offense like they have the last few years, BUT we should move to a lot more spread passing sets that we used last year and have had success with. This is regardless of which QB is in btw, the spread plays to both of their strengths.

And before you mention that Riley succeeded in the same offense, he didn't. The offense was called remarkably more like a spread offense when Nelson was in and even in the pro-style sets he was making plays from brilliant improvising and not really the precision based offense Doman dialed up in the offseason.

[Hot Lunch]

I'm not saying it would be because Jake is fragile(which he might be) but that having to sit potentially behind a running QB for the next 2 years while Doman focuses all his energy on building an offense around a running QB does not seem like the best long term prospects for a pocket passer.

It was like Ryan Mallet at Michigan, if the offensive coordinator is going to be focusing the next 2 years on a running qb system how would you have any reason to believe he will be all ready to go back to a pure pocket passing attack afterwards.

You have been cracking me up in this thread. This one might be the best of them all. The Ryan Mallet situation at Michigan and what is going on at BYU are so different. You should :igiveup: on this one.

[TheBYUGuy]

Also, I have to give mad props to Shaka. Obviously, he's been a very strong Riley advocate in the past. After last week's game, Shaka had the chance to come in here and say, "SEE, I TOLD YOU SO, YOU FREAKING IDIOTS!" to a bunch of people, but he has been very level-headed and reasonable in his approach here. And he brings up some great points about both Riley and Jake that you wouldn't expect from a pure Riley-ite.

Shaka, you're the man!

[Pelado]

As others have said, Heaps needs to sit for a while. In the Utah game thread, I listed a number of issues with Heaps play this year, including his locking onto one receiver, not going through progressions, and lack of touch on finesse throws.

While more game reps will probably help him overcome these problems, they won't help as much as film work. He doesn't seem to understand what defenses are doing, and he's going with his pre-snap read instead of really seeing the field. He needs to get his backside in the film room with Doman/Reynolds/whoever as much as is allowed so that he can really start to understand what defenses are doing both pre-snap and after the snap.

Oh, and work on the freaking touch passes, for goodness' sake.

Edit: I believe that Heaps is the better long-term alternative when compared to Nelson. I keep wishing that Lark/Munns would show more than what they've shown the coaches so far.

[cougjunkie]

As others have said, Heaps needs to sit for a while. In the Utah game thread, I listed a number of issues with Heaps play this year, including his locking onto one receiver, not going through progressions, and lack of touch on finesse throws.

While more game reps will probably help him overcome these problems, they won't help as much as film work. He doesn't seem to understand what defenses are doing, and he's going with his pre-snap read instead of really seeing the field. He needs to get his backside in the film room with Doman/Reynolds/whoever as much as is allowed so that he can really start to understand what defenses are doing both pre-snap and after the snap.

Oh, and work on the freaking touch passes, for goodness' sake.

Sitting won't help. The only reason QBs talk about how much they learned sitting from the sidelines is because they have no choice. Those QBs all progress ten times more by actually playing in the games.

If Heaps is the future you Ride or Die with him right now and he learns on the job.

[Goatnapper'96]

I agree with you, but put yourself in that position, if you sat on the sidelines(a pocket passer) and saw a running-qb system being practiced for and used on gameday for 2 years in a row that would make me a little nervous.

If he has been watching the video of his own performance my guess is he understands why this trend is developing. I am not sure BYU is going to make wholesale offensive system changes either. They will tweak it to the best they can to make Riley comfortable but my guess is Riley will have to perform within BYU's system more than BYU is going to go for wholesale changes. I am not convinced it will be supremely successful, but I don't see where BYU has a great deal of choice.

This is Jake's position. He has sucked. He was replaced. The replacement did not suck. The replacement was clearly lucky, but the fact is he did not suck. Until the replacement sucks, Jake should suck it up and develop the mental/testicular fortitude and maturity he needs to be successful at this level. If he quits BYU because of this my prediction is Jake fails the test. I hate for it to happen because I think the kid is talented but no kid is so talented that he should play when it is obvious he is playing horrendously. I could live with sticking with Jake were he still a true freshman but he needs to show improvement and he isn't doing that....yet.

[Flystripper]

Is there any downside to starting Nelson? If he's ineffective you bring in Heaps.

or when Heaps fails again you bring in Lark! I love backup QBs! Lark and Munns must be incredibly terrible for them to not be in the discussion.

[Pelado]

Sitting won't help. The only reason QBs talk about how much they learned sitting from the sidelines is because they have no choice. Those QBs all progress ten times more by actually playing in the games.

If Heaps is the future you Ride or Die with him right now and he learns on the job.

I say he needs to sit because I think he needs extra motivation to get into the film room and learn his position. If he's already burning the midnight oil in the film room, then

• His ceiling is not as high as I'd hoped or
• He is not as fast a learner as I'd hoped or
• Both

[Hot Lunch]

I say he needs to sit because I think he needs extra motivation to get into the film room and learn his position. If he's already burning the midnight oil in the film room, then

• His ceiling is not as high as I'd hoped or
• He is not as fast a learner as I'd hoped or
• Both

If he needs extra motivation then he and the program are in trouble.

[Goatnapper'96]

Sitting won't help. The only reason QBs talk about how much they learned sitting from the sidelines is because they have no choice. Those QBs all progress ten times more by actually playing in the games.

If Heaps is the future you Ride or Die with him right now and he learns on the job.

The only way sitting could help him is whether or not his attitude is a impediment to him improving. I don't happen to know the answer to that question, but if it is part of the problem the humiliation and embarassment of being benched for the first time in his life could toughen him and force him to mentally mature.

I don't happen to know what the answer is, but I hope the coaches get it right.

[cougjunkie]

The only way sitting could help him is whether or not his attitude is a impediment to him improving. I don't happen to know the answer to that question, but if it is part of the problem the humiliation and embarassment of being benched for the first time in his life could toughen him and force him to mentally mature.

I don't happen to know what the answer is, but I hope the coaches get it right.

This is a delicate situation and Bronco is not the type of coach to beat around the bush. I imagine he is giving Heaps an ultimatum right now. It would not surprise me if Jake Heaps did not finish his career at BYU. It also would not surprise me if he was an All-American by the time he was senior. Nobody really knows with this kid.

[Pelado]

How many starts has Jake had now? Most college QB's get fewer starts than Jake has already had, and most have career passer ratings exceeding Jake's. We are past the point of granting excuses. Jake himself said the time for talk is over. He needs to show it on the field. To the extent he continues to suck, others should take his place.

Other QB's starting will help the team know that no player is above being replaced for sucky performance, which will help team morale. It should also serve as additional motivation to Jake to appropriately hone his supposedly superior physical gifts in a way that will improve the offense's performance.

[Cougarmandias]

But one thing I keep thinking about is this--what was the moment when we determined Riley wasn't going to work as BYU's QB? For me, it was the abysmal performance against AFA last year. But things may be different with Doman as the OC. Heaps was a pretty good QB the second half of last year once Anae had a chance to work with him, but Anae's offense wasn't going to go anywhere with Riley. Likewise, I wonder if Doman's offense/play-calling is not working for Heaps right now, but would work better with Riley over a longer period of time.

Riley just might be the answer this season because Doman is the OC.

I don't know what the answer is, but I hope they figure it out soon. And I'll be pissed if I find out that Bronco and the offensive coaches are getting home by 6:00 these days. It's time to put the time in and earn those paychecks.

In the short run, that would be positive. But in the long run, that would make the Brandon Doman Experiment pretty disastrous for BYU.

BYU will long-term have more trouble recruiting quality running QBs than quality passing QBs.

Running QBs are easier for top defenses to deal with, IMHO.

Unless we're talking about going straight up triple-option a la GT and AF.

[Pelado]

If he needs extra motivation then he and the program are in trouble.

Have you not seen the product on the field?