BYU football: Cougs and Rams rookie QBs learning on the job

PROVO — Both quarterbacks were highly touted prep recruits, and both enrolled at their respective universities in January. Now, they're both experiencing the ups-and-downs of being starting collegiate signal-callers as teenagers.

When BYU and Colorado State square off Saturday, it will feature a duel between a pair of true freshmen QBs — the Cougars' Jake Heaps and the Rams' Pete Thomas.

A 6-foot-5, 220-pounder from El Cajon, Calif., Thomas was ranked the nation's No. 16 pro-style quarterback by Rivals.com. He was named the Rams' starter during fall camp, beating out redshirt freshman Nico Ranieri, and has started every game this season. He's the first freshman quarterback to start at CSU since 2004.

The 6-foot-1, 194-pound Heaps, rated the No. 1 high school quarterback by Rivals.com and the No. 1 pro-style QB by Rivals.com, starred at Skyline High School in Washington. He took over the starting duties at BYU in the fourth game after sharing snaps with Riley Nelson, who started the first three games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

While Heaps doesn't know Thomas, he's followed his career. If nothing else, the two can relate to each other.

"Pete's been playing really good football right now. As a freshman, I know exactly what he's going through," Heaps said. "He's done a tremendous job handling his team and leading his team. We've kind of been in the same position. The teams have started out a little bit rough, but now we're headed in the right direction at the end of the season. My hat's off to him.

"It will be a lot of fun going head-to-head. We've only been head-to-head one time, in a seven-on-seven passing tournament (in high school). That was a lot of fun."

Heaps and Thomas have won three games each as starters. BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall pointed out the two freshmen have some things in common in the way they've performed.

"Not too similar in terms of style, but similar in terms of youth and some of the decisions they make," he said. "You'll see moments of brilliance and greatness, then you'll see some decisions that the young men and the coaches would like to have back as quickly as possible."

"They're both very, very talented young men," said Colorado State coach Steve Fairchild. "Both have kind of been put into the fire, so to speak, maybe earlier than the coaches would like to do. Both teams are trying to commit to a run game to protect the quarterback."