BYU football: Riley Nelson joins dubious company after trying to gut it out vs. Boise
Joe Sampson (1) of the Brigham Young Cougars upends D.J. Harper (7) of the Boise State Broncos during NCAA football in Boise, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012.
Ravell Call, Deseret News
BOISE — Since hurting his back in the first half of a win over Weber State, BYU senior Riley Nelson has convinced coaches he could play, and they had faith he could deliver better than any alternative.
But after road losses to Utah and Boise State, Nelson not at his best was not an answer for a struggling Cougar offense.
Before being replaced by freshman Taysom Hill with 8 minutes left in the third quarter in BYU's 7-6 loss to Boise State, Nelson had a hand in four BYU turnovers including a pick-six interception, BSU's only score of the game.
Nelson finished 4 of 9 for 19 yards and 3 interceptions against the Broncos. Hill finished 4 of 10 for 42 yards and rushed for 72 and a touchdown.
Nelson joins 26 major college quarterbacks since 2000 to have four or fewer completions and at least 3 interceptions in a game.
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Dick Harmon is a columnist for the Deseret News with a focus on college athletics. He previously worked as executive sports editor, sports columnist, city editor and police reporter for the Provo Daily Herald for 26 more ..
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Dear Riley,
Thank you for transferring to BYU.
Love,
Utah State
Clearly, the issues with the team go far beyond the QB.
The offensive line has repeatedly underperformed. Prime example is the 2 point attempt when Hill was flushed away from the end zone by a defensive player who just blew by the ill More..
Its time to hand the keys to Hill. BYU is playing in the Poinsettia Bowl if they win 8 more games or just 4. They might as well begin building for the future with Taysom Hill, especially with the brutal schedule they will have next season. There is More..