Comments about ‘Playing 2 QBs is a risky idea’

Wow Bronco played on this team, before he went to Oregon State, so he has seen the two QB system first hand. It did not sound like the QBs liked it, and it divided the players and there families. does Bronco knows what he is doing. I remember Bronco saying if you have two QBs you don't have one. Jake Heaps should take over by game four.

Wow Bronco played on this team before he went to Oregon State, so he has seen the two QB system first hand. It did not sound like the QBs liked it, and it divided the players and there families. does Bronco know what he is doing. I remember Bronco saying if you have two QBs you don't have one. Swim had the better arm and was more accurate, and took over in the end. That sounds like Jake Heaps to me he should take over by the fourth game.

So Gary Crowton is the inspiration behind this decision? BYU fans should feel really good about that. Two quarterback systems have failed so many more times than have been successful that it is always surprising when a coach decides to go that route. For BYU's sake it should be a short lived experiment. For the MWC's sake let it last all year.

By game 3, Unless injuries dictate otherwise, the Cougars will be using a single QB. Two things are going on, 1-Which QB is the "gamer"? Both came out basically equal during fall practice, some QB's are practice guys and some show their talent more so in a competitive game setting. 2-How do you motivate one guy to finally grab the job making it clear, he is the man? Simple, you don't turn over the keys until one guy does so and that's whats going on. IF Riley moves the team, and the offense is clicking and scoring, you may not see Jake, regardless of what Bronco said. Bronco will simply state that Jake insisted that for the good of the team, they stay with Nelson and SAVE him a redshirt year. Who knows he may go the mission route at season's end. I think a more likely result is in Riley playing hot and cold, maybe floating a few balls to be intercepted, Jake then gets his chance and never lets go.

@SJBobkins

Mostly agree with you. Heard Charlie Weiss in Vegas couple years back talk about building an offense and he said his rule number one is if you have two QBs, you have none. That is the prevailing philosophy and I don't believe Mendenhall thinks differently. Coaches want to win first and foremost, and I guarantee you Mendenhall believes Nelson is more likely to produce a W than Heaps at this point, or he wouldn't do it. Nelson is the starter, Heaps is the backup. Nelson does well, he won't be replaced. It's his job to lose.

Don't know how Nelson will do, but I do know he was unbelievably effective as a high school QB in a spread offense and his football IQ is off the charts. I think you may be selling him short.

Bronco and Crowton have been together at Snow, LA Tech and BYU. Ditto for Tidwell and some others.

Crowton gets a bad rap. He is a very good offensive coordinator. Bronco is much more defensive minded.

Bronco has to balance the culture. The BYU culture is in transition. Up until recently there was not enough talent and there were a lot of walk ons and guys who worked hard and played as upper classmen.

Now there is an infusion of young talent. The come because they think they can play quickly.

Mendenhall can just turn his back on the workers who have been in the system and paid their dues. He also can ignore the recruiting implications of giving playing time to the talented freshman.

Playing 2 QBs and multiple players at other positions preserves the culture. It does not divide it.

As long as BYU wins and deserving players get pt it will work well.

Think about Riley with Soto at FB, Q at RB, Wilson in the slot and Brown sliding over to TE. That is a brutal jumbo short yardage offense.

Heaps can stretch the field with speed receivers.

It is all good.

dumb, dumb, dumb.

I've never seen this work out for the best, especially when they go in and out of the same game, not time to find a groove! Good luck to them but I think is going to haunt them until they get to a 1 QB system. Having multiples at any other position is fine, but QB is the one place to avoid!

Most BYU fans assume that Jake Heaps is going to be BYU's starting quarterback before the end of the season, so running a two-quarterback system to start the season is a good plan to help Jake get his feet wet without throwing him to the sharks right away.

Heaps and Riley Nelson have too very different skill sets, so why not take advantage of both, while getting Jake acclimated to the speed of college football.

Riley gets rewarded for making the commitment to transfer to BYU. Jake is rewarded for his years and years of dedication to honing his football skills and coming to BYU early to prepare himself for his first season.

Until one of them man's up the coach is just postponing his decision. Amazing that we have a kid right out of HS that is on the same level as a 23 yr old that has played a few downs of football D1. Future does look bright for the Cougars.

The only 2 QB system I've seen work effectively was 2006 Florida with Chris Leak (the pocket passer) and Tim Tebow (the athlete). If BYU ends up deploying a similar approach with Heaps being the primary guy (a la Leak) and Nelson is a situational athlete (a la Tebow) then I think it will work. Heaps needs to show in the first couple of games that he needs to be the main guy.

I have personal experience. I once dated two very attractive girls and couldn't say no to either. Within a month they found out and they both dumped me. Here's hoping BYU has a better experience.

I've heard a few comments referring to fear that Heaps could eventually pull a Ben Olsen and transfer. The distinction here is that Crowton did not follow through with what he told Olsen. Olsen lost trust in Crowton and probably didn't know Mendenhall well enough to feel good returning to BYU after the coaching change. This may or may not work well on the field but the key to it working well in the locker room is transparency and honesty with these kids. I think if anyone will do that it is Mendenhall.

My personal bet would be that by game two or three we will see Heaps taking 80% of the snaps with Nelson coming in on some specifically designed plays. This current Cougar team is a down-field team. Other than JJ our short yardage receivers are very young and inexperienced. Heaps brings the skill set needed for an offense designed to go vertical.

@BYU DUDE

The QBs didn't liked it? It divided the players? And their families?

What article are you referring to? I don't see any of those items mentioned here.

I don't know anything about either guy, but you have to bet that the whole point of this is to find out who the QB should be. It wasn't obvious during the lead up to the season so they got put into this situation. If it goes on all season for BYU, I think that would mean a sub par season, but I think they will have figured it out long before then. 1 or 2 games tops, then a true number 1 will be identified.

Who will have the worse defeat? Utah or Utah State?

Cougars 38
Washington 17


Pitt 34
Utah 10

Oklahoma 58
Utah 10


According to Sports Max

The question is will Heaps be happy sharing time? He was the number qb in the country!

most odds makers have Utah by 2 1/2 to 3 which is basically pick em with a nod to home field advantage.These guys are right more often then they are wrong.

Search the internet long enough you'll find the score predictions that fits your predisposed need for your hated rivals defeat because you want it to happen so bad.

To those worried about the 2 QB system, my thoughts are:

Don't Worry.

Why? Because I'm willing to bet that by the 4th game you will be a one QB team with the other as backup, and unless Heaps dissapoints, the job will likely be his.

In my opinion, the 2 QB thing is simply an excuse to let Riley start so he'll want to stick around and also as a way of rewarding a guy who has payed his dues and is an awesome example of what BYU is about. But in the end, I think the pressure will be just too much to not let Heaps start given the hype and the other recruits he's brought to the team.

The one exception could be is if Nelson plays out of his mind and Heaps does terribly. (And honestly, as I really like Riley, I kind of hope this happens.) But if the two quarterbacks are playing equally, my prediction is that Heaps is the sole starter by game 5 at the latest.

Riley is a gamer, he is the leader this rteam needs and he will prove it Saturday or die trying. The desire and will that Riley has will rise to the top. Yes sir this has all the makings of the best under dog story. Riley a player that has been counted out, discounted by the fans and media will win this Saturday in LaVell Edwards Stadium mark it down.

"POLY" Cougar Nation