Despite Heaps, BYU wins (was: Despite win, bench Heaps)

[blue42]

While I am not one of those on this board who wants to have Heaps love child, and I absolutely agree he has been struggling a ton this year, in his defense, at least this last game, I would have to look up the numbers for previous games, he has been put in very tough 3 down situations. Out of the 11 pass attempts the average was 3rd and 9, that is a tough situation for any QB to have good numbers.

While he could help himself stay out of those situations on 1st and 2nd downs by hitting the open receivers, or not throwing behind them or not throwing at their feet, and had more favorable 3rd down situations, I think his 3rd down per would go up, but until he actually gets in that situation we will never know.

While a lot of those 3rd and long situations were the result of poor runs, a significant portion were also due to missed throws on Heaps part. There were only a few passes that were broken up by the defense, most in-completions were poor throws by Heaps.

We and the coaches aren't doing Heaps or BYU any favors by coddling him. I wished we had UCF's redshirt freshman QB. He picked apart our defense, which was the superior defense. UCF made the mistake of not continuing with their 2nd string QB. If they kept him in, might have turned out differently for them. I hope our coaches don't make the same mistake.

I agree with you and that is why I said as much. I am not a Heaps apologist and believe a lot of it is poor execution on his part, the offense isn't clicking right now and he is the key to the offense.

[Isola]

Let me lead with a correction. Heaps only 300 yard game was last week against Utah when he went 27/50 for 305 1TD and 1INT and 2 Fumbles. I had said he hadn't had any 300 yard games, but it was hardly as though we lost inspite of a stellar day by Heaps.

Isola's point is this, when our run game is producing, it takes pressure off of Heaps to shoulder all the responsibility of leading the offense to score by passing. Also keeps the opposing D on the field and wears them out. If we establish a good running attack against USU, complimented by surgical passing completion by Heaps, we win. If not, time to give others a chance. The UCF freshmen Broyles did a wonderful job during his substitution for the injured Godfrey. In fact, strategically, I think UCF made a mistake not keeping him in the game. He is built like Lark and Munns and had great vision of the field and took the open spots that the defense gave him. That is where Jake is failing, capitalizing on what the defense offers and going to second and third receivers when primary one is covered or taken away.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

That wasn't quite my point. My point was more that the only close wins we have had we were saved by someone other than Heaps. We have won the close games inspite of Heaps.

Sabermetrics for Baseball has a WAR stat or Wins Above Replacement. I do not think anyone can argue that Heaps has a positive WAR. In our wins with Heaps starting we have either blown them out with Heaps having a decent game, or he has been terrible in a close win. We never win because of Heaps having a crazy good day, nor have we lost inspite of a career day from Heaps. I can't believe that Lark or Munns could be this mediocre.

Imagine getting this sort of production out of any other position...what am I saying? You don't have to imagine. Think about RB or TE. When we weren't getting production out of our RBs they mixed it up a bit and gave Kariya a bunch of carries with greater success. We didn't just say, "Well Q is just a true sophomore and the defenses have been really tough, but he was our biggest recruit so we are sticking with him."

TE is another example where they have mixed it up to get results.

I know QB isn't a position you want to be messing with, but why are we stubbornly sticking with a true sophomore when we have talented more mature QBs on the bench?

Even if Lark starts the next game and starts poorly consider this...
1st Drive vs UCF Heaps went 2/6 22 yards, resulted in a FG.
2nd Drive vs UCF Heaps went 0/1 with an INT and a sack for -10 yrds.

I'll tell you what, start Lark the next game and if he starts 2/7 with an INT and only 12 net yards, then you can put Heaps back in and you haven't missed a beat.

[mizzoucoug]

My point is simply that missing or making one throw is a ridiculously fickle standard. Yeah, Heaps misses throws that he should make. But really, if he makes the one throw to Jacobson, I'll be most of you people overlook just about all of his other mistakes. But since he misses that throw, suddenly he shows no improvement or growth at all and is a terrible qb.

I think the analysis of Heaps here is sorely lacking. Heaps is very capable of throwing downfield and being ridiculously accurate. He has those tools. I've seen it with my own eyes. The problem is that he suffers mightily from inconsistency. Given the time, he will grow his confidence and become more constant. I'm not sure if it will be a gradual process or if he has a moment in a game where it just clicks. But I am nowhere near giving up on him or relegating him to eternal mediocrity because of how he's played in 4 games as a sophomore.

OMG, yes we've all seen him make these throws in 7 on 7 and in warmups with no rush. He never makes them in games! The kid is just soft. Watch the game again. He throws off his back foot quite often and rushes throws because he's afraid of getting hit even when the line is holding up just fine. And his accuracy...abysmal. I want Heaps to do well, but more so I want this team to do well. And right now Heaps is having a Nelson effect on defenses, i.e. 9 men in the box.