The Heaps Reclamation Project

[Goatnapper'96]

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.

So is part of the problem the kid's attitude then? I know there is obvious team issues but I am not convinced that indicates the kid is not trying or performing poorly due to a lack of effort in all facets of the game. If it is an attitude problem consider me even more optimistic it will have a happy ending.

I think he is in a hard situation in having to be the team leader when he is so young and innexperienced- especially at BYU where so many of his teamates are so much older. Clearly he was given opportunities many others have not and there is no doubt that Mendnehall is going to come down on him hard as Mendenhall hates the entitlement mentality, but the kid really has that type of potential. I agree it is delicate and I hope Jake rises to the occassion.

I also hope his Grandpa doesn't banish the wardrobe that allows us all to know who his grandson is!

[Jarid in Cedar]

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.

This is how fans look at things(and programs should IMO). But coaches have to play for this year, for this year's players. The drawback of running Heaps out there(and he continues to struggle), is that is basically telling the team, especially the seniors, that this year doesn't matter. If players lose their edge because of it, then the effects can spiral through the program. I think that you are going to see Nelson until he struggles or is injured. That is not the right approach if you are looking at the longview, but it is what I see happening.

[Goatnapper'96]

This is how fans look at things(and programs should IMO). But coaches have to play for this year, for this year's players. The drawback of running Heaps out there(and he continues to struggle), is that is basically telling the team, especially the seniors, that this year doesn't matter. If players lose their edge because of it, then the effects can spiral through the program. I think that you are going to see Nelson until he struggles or is injured. That is not the right approach if you are looking at the longview, but it is what I see happening.

I am not convinced that that approach isn't the right one if the issue really is Heaps' attitude. Jake was handed the qb position on a platter and he shat all over it. If a primary cause is his attitude of entitlement, benching him and forcing him to face a potential redshirt year in the middle of his elgibility might be what the kid needs to change his attitude and thus enable himself to reach his potential.

For the record I don't know if his attitude is a primary reason for his poor performance.

Edit: For the record Jake did not shit all over the qb platter he was handed. I thought he really developed well as a true freshman and showed enormous promise going into this year. Like many I am frustrated with his performance this year and the lack of improvment and consistent regression (digression) shit I don't know, I just wanna say the kid is getting worse it seems to me. I still think he has enormous potential and I don't know if the coaches will make the right decisions to bring out or if those decisions can be made. I tend to think the best decision is to stick with consistent principles because I believe that is the best way to run any organization.

[cougjunkie]

So is part of the problem the kid's attitude then? I know there is obvious team issues but I am not convinced that indicates the kid is not trying or performing poorly due to a lack of effort in all facets of the game. If it is an attitude problem consider me even more optimistic it will have a happy ending.

I think he is in a hard situation in having to be the team leader when he is so young and innexperienced- especially at BYU where so many of his teamates are so much older. Clearly he was given opportunities many others have not and there is no doubt that Mendnehall is going to come down on him hard as Mendenhall hates the entitlement mentality, but the kid really has that type of potential. I agree it is delicate and I hope Jake rises to the occassion.

I also hope his Grandpa doesn't banish the wardrobe that allows us all to know who his grandson is!

Don't worry his wife is picking up the slack walking around LES with a Mrs. Heaps jersey.

[Goatnapper'96]

Don't worry his wife is picking up the slack walking around LES with a Mrs. Heaps jersey.

LOL! I love it! I only will love it more when others genuinely are envious of them.

[Pelado]

I am not convinced that that approach isn't the right one if the issue really is Heaps' attitude. Jake was handed the qb position on a platter and he shat all over it. If a primary cause is his attitude of entitlement, benching him and forcing him to face a potential redshirt year in the middle of his elgibility might be what the kid needs to change his attitude and thus enable himself to reach his potential.

For the record I don't know if his attitude is a primary reason for his poor performance.

I am buying in on the attitude/entitlement issues and agree with your approach to solve it. If Jake isn't working 100% right now, make sure he knows he needs to put in more effort if he wants to be the starting QB at BYU. If he is working 100% already, then maybe he's just not good enough to put it all together.

That doesn't necessarily mean that Riley is a better answer long-term.

[SCcoug]

Don't worry his wife is picking up the slack walking around LES with a Mrs. Heaps jersey.

That will make her an easy target next year on the hill.

[TripletDaddy]

That will make her an easy target next year on the hill.

They arent hitting many open targets on the Hill right now

[TheBYUGuy]

Does anybody else agree with me that the turning point for Jake was the INT at the end of the 1st half against Texas? I'm not saying he was Heisman potential before then, but very serviceable. Since that INT, he's been pretty bad.

I think he's not only scared of football as a contact sport, but also of throwing picks, which would explain some of the accuracy issue.

[MarkGrace]

Does anybody else agree with me that the turning point for Jake was the INT at the end of the 1st half against Texas? I'm not saying he was Heisman potential before then, but very serviceable. Since that INT, he's been pretty bad.

No. I guess I'm the only one that thought he had some really good stretches of play against Utah in the first half. Through the first three games, I thought he had shown enough in at least half of each and was just hoping to see more consistency. Since then, he's pretty much gone in the shitter.

[Goatnapper'96]

Does anybody else agree with me that the turning point for Jake was the INT at the end of the 1st half against Texas? I'm not saying he was Heisman potential before then, but very serviceable. Since that INT, he's been pretty bad.

I think he's not only scared of football as a contact sport, but also of throwing picks, which would explain some of the accuracy issue.

Football is the ultimate sum of the parts sport. I don't have the expertise to identify it but my instinct is that includes many different variables that include but are not limited to: Brandon Doman's offensive tendencies that opposing DCs are beginning to see now that they have tape on BD, the small breast size of BYU cheerleaders, Jake's tendencies, and teams adjusting to the lack of running game. In other words I think it is a building issue that has developed over time.

[TheBYUGuy]

No. I guess I'm the only one that thought he had some really good stretches of play against Utah in the first half. Through the first three games, I thought he had shown enough in at least half of each and was just hoping to see more consistency. Since then, he's pretty much gone in the shitter.

Maybe you're right. 305 yards and a TD against Utah. I can't fault him for an INT that bounces off the numbers of the receiver.

[Hsaru]

Maybe you're right. 305 yards and a TD against Utah. I can't fault him for an INT that bounces off the numbers of the receiver.

210 yards and a td, 158 QB rating in the first half, and then the Corby Eason play happens and then Falsev kick return, game over.

[MarkGrace]

Maybe you're right. 305 yards and a TD against Utah. I can't fault him for an INT that bounces off the numbers of the receiver.

At one point in the first half he was something like 10/14 for 140 yards at a TD. He had the stupid fumble and everything, but in terms of throwing the football and executing, I thought it was arguably his best stretch of football this season. There was a definite expression of glee from the crowd when Riley got into the end of that game, and I wonder how big of a turning point that was in terms of getting into his own head.

[MartyFunkhouser]

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.

At this point I would be shocked if Heaps ended up an All-American by the time he is a senior. I could see him being a very good QB, but certainly not an All-American.