BYU Quarterback: It's Time To Choose

The BYU quarterback battle has quickly boiled down once again to a choice between Riley Nelson and Jake Heaps.

The question is which one of these signal callers is best suited to take advantage of the talent the Cougars will put out the field this season. They vary vastly in their strengths and style of play.

Heaps is the prototypical pocket passer, while Nelson is a guy who relies on his feet as much as his arm.

In our previous segment, we mentioned that the Cougar offense will operate with more receivers on the field and fewer tight ends than in the past. So whose game is best suited to run that show?

Both Nelson and Heaps had solid performances Tuesday on the practice field. Nelson completed four of six passes; three of his completions were touchdowns. He also gained 48 yards on six carries.

For Riley, it was a good showing in what has thus far been a less than scintillating camp for the junior, who has looked uncomfortable in the pocket and has been inconsistent with his passes.

Heaps, meanwhile, connected on 10 of 11 passes with two touchdowns. Jake’s lone incomplete pass was intercepted by Brian Logan in the red zone.

My contention has been from early in the spring that Jake Heaps is the quarterback on the BYU roster who gives this team the best chance of success in 2010 and beyond. That opinion hasn’t changed in the weeks and months since.

It’s almost incomprehensible to think that BYU would start a true freshman at quarterback. And it’s understandable that the coaches are struggling to wrap their heads around that one.

Yet Heaps can make all the throws that you look for in a Division-I quarterback, and he was the most college-ready QB in the country coming out of high school this year. That doesn’t mean that there won’t be bumps in the road. There will be. Maybe a lot of them.

But with the Cougars employing more three and even four wide receiver sets this year, it makes sense to go with someone that can consistently get the ball into the hands of those talented receivers, and do it in stride and on time.

Heaps is light years ahead of any quarterback on the roster in that department. Jake can air it out deep and do so accurately. He has shown the ability to throw the ball on target to virtually any place on the field.

Jake is also a film junkie. He’s a student of the game. His grasp of the playbook, his understanding of defenses, and his overall QB IQ are well ahead of his years—and his peers'.

Riley Nelson is a terrific athlete, but he has yet to prove that he has a Division-I caliber arm. He can make things happen with his feet, but without having to respect his passing prowess or the threat of a deep ball, defenses will be able to limit or negate Nelson’s effectiveness.

As a true freshman at Utah State in 2006, Nelson quarterbacked the Aggies to an upset victory over the Fresno State Bulldogs in his first college start. However, WAC defenses were able to make adjustments and scheme for Riley and shut down the Aggies over the final six games.

The Aggies went 0-6 the rest of the way that year and averaged less than 12 points a game in the process. In Nelson’s defense, the cupboard was extremely bare offensively for USU, and at BYU he will be working with a huge upgrade in talent. The question is, can Nelson better maximize that talent around him than Jake Heaps?

The BYU Cougars are not going to change their DNA. They are who they are; they throw the football. A quarterback that demonstrates poise in the pocket and accuracy with his arm is at a premium. That’s the recipe for success in Provo.

Another thing to muse upon:  What if Nelson were to win and hold the starting job? Does anyone think Jake Heaps will sit the pine in Provo cooling his heels for the next two years waiting for his chance as a junior? Ain’t gonna happen.

Inserting Jake Heaps’ talents into this offense, with the weapons the Cougars have, is the right move. One wonders how long this whole thing will go on. The time is soon at hand to get the young Heaps the reps he will need to be prepared for the season.