Comments about ‘BYU football report card: Cougars cruise against Idaho State’

Hey, Coach Mendenhall, do think Riley did well enough to start next week?

I watched the replay and saw no serious late hit. They bumped as Idaho's player came over towards the pile. I was surprised he was even called for it.

The Van Noy hit caught a helpless punter unawares, but was nothing compared to the damage that could have been done by the face mask penalty by the ISU defender on Apo. Apo was lucky he didn't suffer a spinal injury with that flagrant foul. Both coaches should sit the respective defensive players for a series during their next game.

I'm glad the coaches let Heaps get in the game, now let's get over him and move on! No pass over 5 yds thrown completed, 1 pick and 1 fumble. Against ISU?

Coach! Stop the Nelson is only the starter for now... Who else you got?

Jake Heaps looked a little lost today. He did OK, just OK, but with an int and a bad handoff, still is not in the same league as Riley Nelson. But he will learn, I guess. The coaches still think he will be a great QB. We will see. He has the tools, but does he have the mental aptitude to get it done?

>egregiously late hit

Late hit? Yes, so the flag was justified. Egregious? No. Watch the tape. He put a shoulder into a player that was coming hard his way, very soon after the play was blown dead. And, sure it was a punter, but if the punter can't take what was a rather mild football hit, he shouldn't be on the football team. (Guess why football players make fun of kickers.)

Egregious?! Please. That facemask on Apo was egregious. And here's a helpful newsflash: A punter is a football player. The hit was slightly late, and the penalty was merited, but "egregious"? No.

After watching Nelson today, then watching Heaps in the second half ... I'd like a do-over against Texas and Utah. I think we win both games with Nelson in there.

Author is way off base on the late hit by Van Noy. Punter is fair game just like any other player on the field. Hit was late, and he was flagged, but it didn't warrant being benched like he suggests.

Calcougar--
" I'd like a do-over against Texas and Utah. I think we win both games with Nelson in there."

Texas? Maybe. But Utah--no way. That was a total FAIL by the entire team (including coaches), not just the QB.

There is no question that BYU would fare much better now against Utah with Riley at the helm and Utah currently in the dumps, but that game, even Nelson at his peak couldn't have saved that disaster.

I think an A- is a little too generous for the defense. Too much lack of discipline with penalties on 3rd downs and wide open receivers. Our defense (especially pass) is still too vulnerable to beat TCU. But our much improved offense gives us a chance.

We only got one view of the replay, but we got it enough to get it: after the play was dead, Van Noy leaned into the punter as the punter was running to the play. Something weird happened, but it wasn't a "egregious" hit. Shoot, running backs and receivers tackled like that get up and keep running.

The hit on the punter was bad. The refs should have ejected him from the game. Amazing how bad the refs can mess things up. They ejected an Aggie who led with a shoulder on Apo--who landed on his feet, and they didn't even flag the DB for BYU who led with his helmet against Christopher.

The facemask on Apo was probably a revenge factor--which didn't need to happen if the refs made the proper call in the first place. I didn't know Van Noy apologized after the game, so you have to give him credit there. You have to give credit to the Bengals, they were really undersized, but they held in the best they could. My hat's off to the QB Yost. He took some nasty hits the last couple of weeks. He is a gutsy kid and quite a competitor.

I agree. BYU would be undefeated with Nelson at the helm. But who knew Nelson would be so good, and Heaps would be so bad, especially after Heaps was on fire to end last year?

The late hit by Van Noy was unfortunate but hardly of the nature that he should be ejected!. ISU's Coach is a class act and my hat is off to him. I was impressed with his interview after the game. Riley is doing a great job, I feel bad for this difficult quarterback situation. If Heaps transfers I hope its not to Utah.

There's a big gap between Riley and Heaps. Perhaps Lark should get some reps.

Yes, worf. Couldn't agree more!

The call by the refs was the appropriate one. It was a foul, but not serious enough to be ejected for or even sat out. I believe that Van Noy did not know that it was the punter, he saw a guy coming up at full speed, and turned instinctively and made the hit, which by the way, was in the chest.

The one thing that I found curious at best, was that Bronco still had starters in the game into the fourth quarter. It's my opinion that the second half should have been turned over to the backups. It was a great time to let those backups and backups to the backups see action. Those guys bust their butts during practice and should have been given the opportunity to see some extended action. Who cares if the final score would have been 49-17. If James Lark doesn't see action in this game when does he get in a game.