College Football Nation: Riley Nelson
Riley Nelson has BYU spring to himself
March, 23, 2012
Mar 23
9:00
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Riley Nelson is now in his fourth season at BYU. But believe it or not, this is actually the first time the starting quarterback job is his and his alone in the spring.
The Cougars hope that means a return to the high-flying offense that fans have come to expect in Provo.
No question BYU has sputtered the last two seasons in what was always an area of strength, primarily because it has not been able to rely on an experienced signal caller. Nelson and Jake Heaps traded starts, allowing for no time to build chemistry, cohesion and a true understanding of the offense.
Nelson, in particular, has been at a disadvantage the last two springs. He had to split reps with Heaps in 2010 as they battled for the No. 1 spot. Last season, he only got 20 percent of the reps as the backup to Heaps.
So for the first time since he has been on campus, Nelson is the one getting the majority of reps during the spring. At BYU, that means about 80 percent of the snaps.
"He needs to get as much volume as he can," offensive coordinator Brandon Doman said in a recent phone interview. "That's how we do it here. For 30 years, BYU has trained quarterbacks by giving them a high volume. This offense really requires a quarterback that has had some experience, and who has been able to get the volume necessary. So this is a much needed time of the year for him."
Anybody who watched the second half of last season understands that Nelson brings an undeniable winner's mentality to the Cougars. All the adversity he has faced has changed his outlook, and also given his teammates a reason to rally around him. The way he was able to lead the Cougars back against Utah State, and in the bowl win against Tulsa was illustration yet again of the intangibles his coaches always praise.
But for a deeper understanding of what he can bring to BYU on a full-time basis, this stat is more telling. Nelson replaced Heaps in the starting lineup in Week 6. In the first five games with Heaps leading the way, BYU was ranked No. 78 in the nation in third-down conversions (39 percent). After Nelson took over, BYU was No. 1 in the nation over the next seven games.
In October, BYU converted 66 percent on third down, and in November the Cougars converted 70 percent. BYU ended the season ranked No. 5 overall on third downs, converting 51 percent of the time. Just look at that jump in the span of eight games. The reason -- Nelson brings his athleticism into play. He can make nothing into a little something, keeping BYU out of second-and-long, and third-and long. His ability to run and make plays also gives him a better shot to convert on third down.
Those are clear answers for folks who still wonder whether Nelson has the capability of following in the footsteps of all the past BYU quarterback greats. Can he throw for 3,000 yards and help BYU average 40 points a game? Doman says absolutely.
For his part, Nelson has really taken to studying film and understanding where he can be better. While he had a solid understanding of the playbook last season, game experience will help him take that next step, particularly when it comes to recognizing check downs to his backs.
"It's akin to a surgeon," Nelson said in a phone interview. "Geniuses can tell you every procedure there is, but it's the surgeon that gets in there and if all of a sudden something unexpected happens, he can use that depth of knowledge to react. Before I got thrown in last year, I knew the playbook in and out, but there are times I'm sitting there watching myself on film saying, 'What are you doing? You know you have to check down to the back side.' Where I wasn't doing that last year, I hope I can do that this year with as many reps as I can get and still have the play making ability if things break down."
The goal is to get to a completion percentage of 65 percent. Nelson was at 57 percent last year, throwing for 1,717 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Already, Nelson has watched successful quarterbacks in this system, including Max Hall and John Beck. He also has watched Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady to study what each of them does so well at the quarterback position.
BYU wants to work in Nelson's athleticism, so the Cougars are going to incorporate more play action, movement, naked boots, and sprint outs because he's really good at them.
But there is no question the base offense at BYU is a passing offense.
"We have to get him real confident in getting the ball out on time and making as many good decisions as he can in this drop-back style of offense,"Doman said. "If he can get ahold of that, all the rest will be icing on the cake for him."
And for BYU.
The Cougars hope that means a return to the high-flying offense that fans have come to expect in Provo.
No question BYU has sputtered the last two seasons in what was always an area of strength, primarily because it has not been able to rely on an experienced signal caller. Nelson and Jake Heaps traded starts, allowing for no time to build chemistry, cohesion and a true understanding of the offense.
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Jim Z. Rider/US PresswireRiley Nelson enters spring practice as the QB taking all the reps for the first time in his career at BYU.
Jim Z. Rider/US PresswireRiley Nelson enters spring practice as the QB taking all the reps for the first time in his career at BYU.So for the first time since he has been on campus, Nelson is the one getting the majority of reps during the spring. At BYU, that means about 80 percent of the snaps.
"He needs to get as much volume as he can," offensive coordinator Brandon Doman said in a recent phone interview. "That's how we do it here. For 30 years, BYU has trained quarterbacks by giving them a high volume. This offense really requires a quarterback that has had some experience, and who has been able to get the volume necessary. So this is a much needed time of the year for him."
Anybody who watched the second half of last season understands that Nelson brings an undeniable winner's mentality to the Cougars. All the adversity he has faced has changed his outlook, and also given his teammates a reason to rally around him. The way he was able to lead the Cougars back against Utah State, and in the bowl win against Tulsa was illustration yet again of the intangibles his coaches always praise.
But for a deeper understanding of what he can bring to BYU on a full-time basis, this stat is more telling. Nelson replaced Heaps in the starting lineup in Week 6. In the first five games with Heaps leading the way, BYU was ranked No. 78 in the nation in third-down conversions (39 percent). After Nelson took over, BYU was No. 1 in the nation over the next seven games.
In October, BYU converted 66 percent on third down, and in November the Cougars converted 70 percent. BYU ended the season ranked No. 5 overall on third downs, converting 51 percent of the time. Just look at that jump in the span of eight games. The reason -- Nelson brings his athleticism into play. He can make nothing into a little something, keeping BYU out of second-and-long, and third-and long. His ability to run and make plays also gives him a better shot to convert on third down.
Those are clear answers for folks who still wonder whether Nelson has the capability of following in the footsteps of all the past BYU quarterback greats. Can he throw for 3,000 yards and help BYU average 40 points a game? Doman says absolutely.
For his part, Nelson has really taken to studying film and understanding where he can be better. While he had a solid understanding of the playbook last season, game experience will help him take that next step, particularly when it comes to recognizing check downs to his backs.
"It's akin to a surgeon," Nelson said in a phone interview. "Geniuses can tell you every procedure there is, but it's the surgeon that gets in there and if all of a sudden something unexpected happens, he can use that depth of knowledge to react. Before I got thrown in last year, I knew the playbook in and out, but there are times I'm sitting there watching myself on film saying, 'What are you doing? You know you have to check down to the back side.' Where I wasn't doing that last year, I hope I can do that this year with as many reps as I can get and still have the play making ability if things break down."
The goal is to get to a completion percentage of 65 percent. Nelson was at 57 percent last year, throwing for 1,717 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Already, Nelson has watched successful quarterbacks in this system, including Max Hall and John Beck. He also has watched Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady to study what each of them does so well at the quarterback position.
BYU wants to work in Nelson's athleticism, so the Cougars are going to incorporate more play action, movement, naked boots, and sprint outs because he's really good at them.
But there is no question the base offense at BYU is a passing offense.
"We have to get him real confident in getting the ball out on time and making as many good decisions as he can in this drop-back style of offense,"Doman said. "If he can get ahold of that, all the rest will be icing on the cake for him."
And for BYU.
Our Mark Schlabach took another crack at his way-too early top 25 today. In response, we'll try again to rank Notre Dame's 2012 opponents.
1. USC (Nov. 24, away): Virtually every early outlook has the Trojans slated as the preseason No. 1 or No. 2 team, and rightfully so. Matt Barkley enters 2012 as the Heisman front-runner and USC will return to the familiar position of having the target on its back throughout the season.
2. Oklahoma (Oct. 27, away): Considering Notre Dame is the only current official, penned-in game that is absolutely going to happen for the Big 12 favorites next season, I'd imagine the Sooners would get up for that.
3. Michigan State (Sept. 15, away): A growing defense will keep Sparty plowing ahead in Year 6 of the Mark Dantonio era, which may just begin with MSU as the Big Ten favorite.
4. Michigan (Sept. 22, home): A number of early polls suggest Michigan as the leading Big Ten contender, but I think some of its losses on defense will be tough to replace. Nonetheless, any team with Denard Robinson under center has a chance to make big things happen, as Notre Dame fans are all too aware of.
5. Stanford (Oct. 13, home): Who needs Andrew Luck when you have that much time in the pocket? Throw anyone under center behind that offensive line and he'll have all the time he needs to make something happen.
6. Miami (Oct. 6, Chicago): The Hurricanes make the biggest jump from the last time we looked at the Irish's opponents. An experienced defense and a great recruiting year for Al Golden suggest this program is back on the rise, pending NCAA sanctions.
7. BYU (Oct. 20, home): I said it before and I'll say it again: If Riley Nelson has a big year, watch out.
8. Purdue (Sept. 8, home): This contest scares me if I'm an Irish fan. First game back from what is sure to be an exhausting season-opening trip in Dublin, with a hungry in-state rival waiting for them and looking to build on momentum following a strong 2011 finish and weak 2012 opener (Eastern Kentucky).
9. Wake Forest (Nov. 17, home): Jim Grobe teams usually perform better than they should, but the Deacs must recover from a weak finish in 2011.
10. Boston College (Nov. 10, away): No more Luke Kuechly means happier offenses everywhere. The Eagles just hope that means theirs, too, which will be in its first year under coordinator Doug Martin.
11. Navy (Sept. 1, Dublin): The Midshipmen have a brutal start to the 2012 schedule, facing the Irish in Dublin before going to Happy Valley to face Penn State, but things get easier afterward. Can they put the awful luck of 2011 behind them and beat the beatable opponents?
12. Pitt (Nov. 3, home): Paul Chryst seems like the right fit, but asking him to lift the Panthers out of their underachieving ways in Year 1 is a bit much.
1. USC (Nov. 24, away): Virtually every early outlook has the Trojans slated as the preseason No. 1 or No. 2 team, and rightfully so. Matt Barkley enters 2012 as the Heisman front-runner and USC will return to the familiar position of having the target on its back throughout the season.
2. Oklahoma (Oct. 27, away): Considering Notre Dame is the only current official, penned-in game that is absolutely going to happen for the Big 12 favorites next season, I'd imagine the Sooners would get up for that.
3. Michigan State (Sept. 15, away): A growing defense will keep Sparty plowing ahead in Year 6 of the Mark Dantonio era, which may just begin with MSU as the Big Ten favorite.
4. Michigan (Sept. 22, home): A number of early polls suggest Michigan as the leading Big Ten contender, but I think some of its losses on defense will be tough to replace. Nonetheless, any team with Denard Robinson under center has a chance to make big things happen, as Notre Dame fans are all too aware of.
5. Stanford (Oct. 13, home): Who needs Andrew Luck when you have that much time in the pocket? Throw anyone under center behind that offensive line and he'll have all the time he needs to make something happen.
6. Miami (Oct. 6, Chicago): The Hurricanes make the biggest jump from the last time we looked at the Irish's opponents. An experienced defense and a great recruiting year for Al Golden suggest this program is back on the rise, pending NCAA sanctions.
7. BYU (Oct. 20, home): I said it before and I'll say it again: If Riley Nelson has a big year, watch out.
8. Purdue (Sept. 8, home): This contest scares me if I'm an Irish fan. First game back from what is sure to be an exhausting season-opening trip in Dublin, with a hungry in-state rival waiting for them and looking to build on momentum following a strong 2011 finish and weak 2012 opener (Eastern Kentucky).
9. Wake Forest (Nov. 17, home): Jim Grobe teams usually perform better than they should, but the Deacs must recover from a weak finish in 2011.
10. Boston College (Nov. 10, away): No more Luke Kuechly means happier offenses everywhere. The Eagles just hope that means theirs, too, which will be in its first year under coordinator Doug Martin.
11. Navy (Sept. 1, Dublin): The Midshipmen have a brutal start to the 2012 schedule, facing the Irish in Dublin before going to Happy Valley to face Penn State, but things get easier afterward. Can they put the awful luck of 2011 behind them and beat the beatable opponents?
12. Pitt (Nov. 3, home): Paul Chryst seems like the right fit, but asking him to lift the Panthers out of their underachieving ways in Year 1 is a bit much.
What we learned from non-AQ bowl season
January, 11, 2012
Jan 11
9:00
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Time to put a bow on non-AQ bowl season and look at what we learned.
1. Boise State should have been in a BCS game. We already knew that going into bowl season, but Boise State's 56-24 dismantling of Arizona State in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas just served as a fresh reminder that the Broncos were done an injustice. Combine that with the mistake-filled Allstate Sugar Bowl between Michigan and Virginia Tech, and you get that "woulda, shoulda, coulda" feeling all over again. Playing in the Vegas bowl game was not only unfair to the Broncos, who had to bid farewell to Kellen Moore on a weeknight in December, it was unfair to the Sun Devils. Both teams deserved a chance to play a team more on their own level. Being paired up against San Diego State would have made a much better game for Arizona State; A Michigan-Boise State matchup would have been much more appealing as well. Instead, Boise State is left with an unsatisfying end to the season.
2. Houston was fired up. OK maybe that was an understatement. Houston came out with its full passing arsenal and completely obliterated Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl. It was a bigger rout than the 30-14 final score indicates, as Houston led 24-7 at halftime. Despite losing a shot to play in the BCS, and then losing head coach Kevin Sumlin, the Cougars clearly felt they had something to prove. Case Keenum threw for 532 yards and three touchdowns on a defense that was giving up an average of 162 yards through the air headed into the game. The bowl performance capped Keenum's NCAA record-breaking career, and also allowed Houston to complete the best season in school history at 13-1.
3. MWC not as dominant. Last season, the Mountain West rolled to a 4-1 bowl record and its fourth Bowl Challenge Cup. But the success was not replicated this year. The Mountain West went 2-3 in its bowl games, with two losses to the MAC (Wyoming to Temple, Air Force to Toledo) and one loss to the Sun Belt (San Diego State to Louisiana-Lafayette). If you fashion yourself as one of the top conferences in the country, you have got to win all your bowl games against non-AQ competition. Boise State and TCU once again held up their end of the bargain, but the story of this conference has been and will continue to be its lack of quality depth top to bottom. You can add in Nevada, which joins in 2012, and the Mountain West went 2-4 -- 1-4 against non-AQ competition.
4. MAC, C-USA shine. On the other end of the spectrum, bravo to the MAC and C-USA for putting together 4-1 marks during bowl season. C-USA went 2-0 against competition from the AQ conferences, with wins for Houston over Penn State, and SMU over Pitt. In the MAC, the Toledo-Air Force game was perhaps one of the best of the entire bowl season, with Air Force coach Troy Calhoun calling a fake extra point attempt to win the game instead of heading to overtime. Toledo was prepared, and the 42-41 win gave 32-year-old Rockets head coach Matt Campbell his first victory. Ohio pulled a come-from-behind stunner on Utah State to win the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl 24-23 -- the first bowl win in school history. Northern Illinois ended the season with its ninth straight win, and Temple cruised.
5. BYU ends with 10 wins. Closing Year 1 as an independent with a 24-21 win over Tulsa in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, meant the Cougars notched their fifth bowl win in the last six season and ended with 10 victories. How much fun was it to see Riley Nelson unleash the fake spike just before throwing the winning touchdown pass to Cody Hoffman? That win earned them a No. 25 ranking in the final coaches' poll, also the fifth time in the last six seasons they ended in the Top 25. BYU is one of only 11 programs nationally to be ranked in at least one of the two major polls during five of the last six seasons.
1. Boise State should have been in a BCS game. We already knew that going into bowl season, but Boise State's 56-24 dismantling of Arizona State in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas just served as a fresh reminder that the Broncos were done an injustice. Combine that with the mistake-filled Allstate Sugar Bowl between Michigan and Virginia Tech, and you get that "woulda, shoulda, coulda" feeling all over again. Playing in the Vegas bowl game was not only unfair to the Broncos, who had to bid farewell to Kellen Moore on a weeknight in December, it was unfair to the Sun Devils. Both teams deserved a chance to play a team more on their own level. Being paired up against San Diego State would have made a much better game for Arizona State; A Michigan-Boise State matchup would have been much more appealing as well. Instead, Boise State is left with an unsatisfying end to the season.
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Kevin Jairaj-US PRESSWIREHouston quarterback Case Keenum and the Cougars completely dominated in their bowl win over Penn State.
Kevin Jairaj-US PRESSWIREHouston quarterback Case Keenum and the Cougars completely dominated in their bowl win over Penn State.3. MWC not as dominant. Last season, the Mountain West rolled to a 4-1 bowl record and its fourth Bowl Challenge Cup. But the success was not replicated this year. The Mountain West went 2-3 in its bowl games, with two losses to the MAC (Wyoming to Temple, Air Force to Toledo) and one loss to the Sun Belt (San Diego State to Louisiana-Lafayette). If you fashion yourself as one of the top conferences in the country, you have got to win all your bowl games against non-AQ competition. Boise State and TCU once again held up their end of the bargain, but the story of this conference has been and will continue to be its lack of quality depth top to bottom. You can add in Nevada, which joins in 2012, and the Mountain West went 2-4 -- 1-4 against non-AQ competition.
4. MAC, C-USA shine. On the other end of the spectrum, bravo to the MAC and C-USA for putting together 4-1 marks during bowl season. C-USA went 2-0 against competition from the AQ conferences, with wins for Houston over Penn State, and SMU over Pitt. In the MAC, the Toledo-Air Force game was perhaps one of the best of the entire bowl season, with Air Force coach Troy Calhoun calling a fake extra point attempt to win the game instead of heading to overtime. Toledo was prepared, and the 42-41 win gave 32-year-old Rockets head coach Matt Campbell his first victory. Ohio pulled a come-from-behind stunner on Utah State to win the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl 24-23 -- the first bowl win in school history. Northern Illinois ended the season with its ninth straight win, and Temple cruised.
5. BYU ends with 10 wins. Closing Year 1 as an independent with a 24-21 win over Tulsa in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, meant the Cougars notched their fifth bowl win in the last six season and ended with 10 victories. How much fun was it to see Riley Nelson unleash the fake spike just before throwing the winning touchdown pass to Cody Hoffman? That win earned them a No. 25 ranking in the final coaches' poll, also the fifth time in the last six seasons they ended in the Top 25. BYU is one of only 11 programs nationally to be ranked in at least one of the two major polls during five of the last six seasons.
With 2011 in the rearview mirror, here is an early look at Notre Dame's 2012 opponents, with the game date and site in parantheses.
1. USC (Nov. 24, away): Matt Barkley's return makes the Trojans a trendy preseason national title pick and Barkley a likely preseason Heisman frontrunner. They host the Irish in the regular-season finale, and how sweet it would be for Notre Dame should they knock their rivals off with the highest stakes on the line.
2. Oklahoma (Oct. 27, away): Like the Trojans, the Sooners return their prized quarterback (Landry Jones) and will, at the very least, enter 2012 as the Big 12 favorite.
3. Michigan State (Sept. 15, away): Kirk Cousins and Keshawn Martin are gone, but the Spartans return four offensive linemen and plenty of production on the defensive side of the ball as they go for a third-straight 11-win season.
4. Michigan (Sept. 22, home): Denard Robinson and several key skill players likely return, but the Wolverines lose a lot on each line and will rely on several young players to fill the void.
5. Stanford (Oct. 13, home): Perhaps the biggest mystery entering 2012. We just don't know how much this team will drop off following the likely loss of Andrew Luck. Time will tell.
6. BYU (Oct. 20, home): Another wild card. Much will depend on the growth of dual-threat QB Riley Nelson and the Cougars' offense.
7. Purdue (Sept. 8, home): The Boilermakers finished 2011 with back-to-back wins for the first time this season and have a bit of momentum under Danny Hope. Some see them as a darkhorse Leaders Division contender in 2012.
8. Miami (Oct. 6, Chicago): The Hurricanes will likely be led by a defense that returns eight starters for Al Golden's second year.
9. Wake Forest (Nov. 17, home): Quarterback Tanner Price is back, but the Demon Deacons must eliminate the mistakes that cost them five of their final six games and two assistants their jobs.
10. Boston College (Nov. 10, away): The Eagles got better as the season went on and hope new offensive coordinator Doug Martin can bring the unit up to speed with the defense, which loses Luke Kuechly.
11. Navy (Sept. 1, Dublin): Can Trey Miller build off 2011, when he was forced in midseason for the injured Kriss Proctor?
12. Pitt (Nov. 3, home): New coach Paul Chryst will have his work cut out for him on a team with quarterback, protection and, at least in the past calendar year, coaching issues.
1. USC (Nov. 24, away): Matt Barkley's return makes the Trojans a trendy preseason national title pick and Barkley a likely preseason Heisman frontrunner. They host the Irish in the regular-season finale, and how sweet it would be for Notre Dame should they knock their rivals off with the highest stakes on the line.
2. Oklahoma (Oct. 27, away): Like the Trojans, the Sooners return their prized quarterback (Landry Jones) and will, at the very least, enter 2012 as the Big 12 favorite.
3. Michigan State (Sept. 15, away): Kirk Cousins and Keshawn Martin are gone, but the Spartans return four offensive linemen and plenty of production on the defensive side of the ball as they go for a third-straight 11-win season.
4. Michigan (Sept. 22, home): Denard Robinson and several key skill players likely return, but the Wolverines lose a lot on each line and will rely on several young players to fill the void.
5. Stanford (Oct. 13, home): Perhaps the biggest mystery entering 2012. We just don't know how much this team will drop off following the likely loss of Andrew Luck. Time will tell.
6. BYU (Oct. 20, home): Another wild card. Much will depend on the growth of dual-threat QB Riley Nelson and the Cougars' offense.
7. Purdue (Sept. 8, home): The Boilermakers finished 2011 with back-to-back wins for the first time this season and have a bit of momentum under Danny Hope. Some see them as a darkhorse Leaders Division contender in 2012.
8. Miami (Oct. 6, Chicago): The Hurricanes will likely be led by a defense that returns eight starters for Al Golden's second year.
9. Wake Forest (Nov. 17, home): Quarterback Tanner Price is back, but the Demon Deacons must eliminate the mistakes that cost them five of their final six games and two assistants their jobs.
10. Boston College (Nov. 10, away): The Eagles got better as the season went on and hope new offensive coordinator Doug Martin can bring the unit up to speed with the defense, which loses Luke Kuechly.
11. Navy (Sept. 1, Dublin): Can Trey Miller build off 2011, when he was forced in midseason for the injured Kriss Proctor?
12. Pitt (Nov. 3, home): New coach Paul Chryst will have his work cut out for him on a team with quarterback, protection and, at least in the past calendar year, coaching issues.
Instant analysis: BYU 24, Tulsa 21
December, 30, 2011
12/30/11
3:29
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
BYU beat Tulsa 24-21 in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl on Friday afternoon. Here is a quick analysis:
How the game was won: You have to love the moxie of quarterback Riley Nelson. Trailing 21-17 with 4:18 to go, Nelson engineered a terrific game-winning drive, converting once on fourth down and once on third down with big-time runs. Facing second-and-goal from the Tulsa 8 with the clock ticking down, Nelson pulled out the ol' fake spike attempt and found Cody Hoffman for a 2-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone with 11 seconds left. BYU has now rallied for victory in five of its 10 wins this season.
Turning point: Tulsa got a major break with six minutes to go, leading 21-17. Pinned deep in its own territory and forced to punt, BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy got flagged for running into the punter. But Tulsa could not take advantage of the break, and went three-and-out to give BYU the ball back. The Cougars then went on their game-winning drive.
Stat of the game: BYU won its third straight bowl game for the first time in school history.
Player of the game: BYU receiver Cody Hoffman. Hoffman had eight catches for 122 yards and tied a career high with three touchdown receptions. He broke the 100-yard mark in three of his final four games.
Unsung hero of the game: BYU offensive tackle Matt Reynolds. BYU was able to close to 14-10 right before halftime thanks in part to Reynolds, who delivered a hit with his helmet off as Nelson scrambled away from the pressure. That hit allowed Nelson to find Hoffman in the end zone with 12 seconds to go before the break.
What it means for Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane close the season on a disappointing note, having squandered several opportunities to put this game away. They were simply too inconsistent on offense and defense. A big play would be followed by a letdown play. G.J. Kinne threw three TD passes in the final game of his career, but he was just 17-of-31 for 210 yards. He leaves behind big shoes to fill.
What it means for BYU: The Cougars won 10 games -- their fifth 10-win season in the past six years. That has to be considered a major success in Year 1 as an independent. Nelson returns next season, and BYU has to hope for a little bit more consistency out of him. He was not very good for most of the first half, and threw two interceptions. He actually had a third called back because of a Tulsa penalty. Many of the skill players also return, so hopes will be high for 2012 once again.
Record performance: Tulsa cornerback Dexter McCoil had two interceptions to tie the school record for career interceptions with 13.
You saw the preview and prediction. Now here are three keys for BYU and Tulsa in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl on Friday.
BYU (9-3)
1. Slow down G.J. Kinne. There is no question that Kinne is the most valuable player on the Tulsa offense because he can do a variety of things. Kinne leads the team with an average of 273.4 yards of total offense per game and is always a threat to run out of the backfield. What should help BYU is practicing against its own running quarterback in Riley Nelson. But Kinne has a much better arm and is much more experienced, so BYU has to contain him if it has any shot at winning the game. The only true rushing quarterback BYU has faced this season was Chuckie Keeton at Utah State, and he had 22 yards on six carries.
2. Stop the run. Tulsa averages more than 200 yards on the ground per game, so making sure the Golden Hurricane are not running at will and chewing up clock will be a huge part of this game. Kinne certainly can win contests with his arm, but it puts an incredible amount of strain and pressure on any quarterback when his offense becomes one-dimensional. Tulsa does well with play-action passes, so stopping the run means taking away those calls as well.
3. Keep Nelson healthy. BYU goes into this game with no experience behind Nelson, so it is going to be extremely important to protect the starting quarterback. Nelson can run, and he is not afraid to give up his body -- that already led to one injury this season in which he missed several games. Jake Heaps, who was demoted and would have served as the backup, left the team when he decided to transfer. So that leaves James Lark behind Nelson. Lark has attempted only 10 passes in his career.
Tulsa (8-4)
1. Run it. Just as BYU has to make an effort to stop the run, Tulsa is going to try to run the football effectively. The Golden Hurricane failed to rush for more than 100 yards just once all season -- against North Texas. They also have rushed for 200 or more yards five times this season. Like BYU, Tulsa does not rely on one primary back -- Ja'Terian Douglas and Trey Watts have each run for more than 800 yards this season, and they are vastly different runners.
2. Force third-and-long. Third-down defense is going to be important for Tulsa in this game. BYU ranks No. 3 in the nation in third-down conversions at 52.94 percent. Tulsa has not been the best in this category, ranking No. 83 in third-down defense while allowing opponents to convert 42.7 percent of the time. Coach Bill Blankenship knows his team has to limit the big plays and force BYU into uncomfortable passing situations, because that is not an area of strength for the Cougars.
3. Limit the mistakes. Neither team has been great in turnover margin. In fact, both teams are in negative territory here. But both coaches realize this is an important aspect to this game because one turnover could really change the outcome. After leading the nation in interceptions a year ago with 24, that number has dropped to 16 for Tulsa, so it will be important to get to Nelson and force him into mistakes.
BYU (9-3)
1. Slow down G.J. Kinne. There is no question that Kinne is the most valuable player on the Tulsa offense because he can do a variety of things. Kinne leads the team with an average of 273.4 yards of total offense per game and is always a threat to run out of the backfield. What should help BYU is practicing against its own running quarterback in Riley Nelson. But Kinne has a much better arm and is much more experienced, so BYU has to contain him if it has any shot at winning the game. The only true rushing quarterback BYU has faced this season was Chuckie Keeton at Utah State, and he had 22 yards on six carries.
2. Stop the run. Tulsa averages more than 200 yards on the ground per game, so making sure the Golden Hurricane are not running at will and chewing up clock will be a huge part of this game. Kinne certainly can win contests with his arm, but it puts an incredible amount of strain and pressure on any quarterback when his offense becomes one-dimensional. Tulsa does well with play-action passes, so stopping the run means taking away those calls as well.
3. Keep Nelson healthy. BYU goes into this game with no experience behind Nelson, so it is going to be extremely important to protect the starting quarterback. Nelson can run, and he is not afraid to give up his body -- that already led to one injury this season in which he missed several games. Jake Heaps, who was demoted and would have served as the backup, left the team when he decided to transfer. So that leaves James Lark behind Nelson. Lark has attempted only 10 passes in his career.
Tulsa (8-4)
1. Run it. Just as BYU has to make an effort to stop the run, Tulsa is going to try to run the football effectively. The Golden Hurricane failed to rush for more than 100 yards just once all season -- against North Texas. They also have rushed for 200 or more yards five times this season. Like BYU, Tulsa does not rely on one primary back -- Ja'Terian Douglas and Trey Watts have each run for more than 800 yards this season, and they are vastly different runners.
2. Force third-and-long. Third-down defense is going to be important for Tulsa in this game. BYU ranks No. 3 in the nation in third-down conversions at 52.94 percent. Tulsa has not been the best in this category, ranking No. 83 in third-down defense while allowing opponents to convert 42.7 percent of the time. Coach Bill Blankenship knows his team has to limit the big plays and force BYU into uncomfortable passing situations, because that is not an area of strength for the Cougars.
3. Limit the mistakes. Neither team has been great in turnover margin. In fact, both teams are in negative territory here. But both coaches realize this is an important aspect to this game because one turnover could really change the outcome. After leading the nation in interceptions a year ago with 24, that number has dropped to 16 for Tulsa, so it will be important to get to Nelson and force him into mistakes.
Armed Forces Bowl: BYU vs. Tulsa
December, 29, 2011
12/29/11
1:00
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
BYU (9-3) takes on Tulsa (8-4) in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl on Friday at noon in Dallas. Here is a quick preview:
WHO TO WATCH: Tulsa quarterback G.J. Kinne. What Kinne has been able to do with the Golden Hurricane is pretty remarkable, when you consider he has played for three different offensive coordinators. This season, Kinne became the third Tulsa quarterback to go over 9,000 yards passing in a career. He now has 9,258 career passing yards, ranking third on the school's all-time list. Kinne also has thrown 78 touchdown passes and ranks second in school history. He is five behind Paul Smith, so catching up with a huge game against BYU is not out of the realm of possibility. Kinne can run, too -- he is the only quarterback in school history to pass for more than 6,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards.
WHAT TO WATCH: Tulsa run game versus BYU run defense. Both teams rank in the top 25 in the nation in their respective categories of run offense and run defense. The Golden Hurricane have two backs that have gone for more than 800 yards -- in addition to Kinne racking up more than 400. Ja'Terian Douglas, Trey Watts and Kinne have more combined rushing yards than BYU's entire team. Seeing Douglas and Watts emerge has been huge for the Golden Hurricane -- Kinne led the team in rushing the past two seasons. BYU has been solid against the run this season, allowing only three 100-yard rushers. BYU does have a size advantage on its defensive line and rotates in plenty of players. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy has been the best player on the defense, leading the team with 10 tackles for loss and five sacks. He has come up big in run support and has defended the pass as well, so he is a definite player Tulsa must watch.
WHY TO WATCH: BYU has been one of the most consistent programs in the nation, save for last season. A victory would give the Cougars their fifth 10-win season in the past six years. It will also be the 16th 10-win season in school history, which ranks 13th among all current FBS teams, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Given that success, BYU has never won three bowl games in a row. The Cougars go into this game having won two straight bowls.
PREDICTION: BYU 30, Tulsa 27. These teams are about as evenly matched as you can get, with quarterbacks who like to run, a backfield that isn't reliant on one player and linebackers who are capable of making plays. Kinne has an edge on Riley Nelson, but BYU has the edge on defense and up front -- and that will be enough to lead BYU to the victory.
WHO TO WATCH: Tulsa quarterback G.J. Kinne. What Kinne has been able to do with the Golden Hurricane is pretty remarkable, when you consider he has played for three different offensive coordinators. This season, Kinne became the third Tulsa quarterback to go over 9,000 yards passing in a career. He now has 9,258 career passing yards, ranking third on the school's all-time list. Kinne also has thrown 78 touchdown passes and ranks second in school history. He is five behind Paul Smith, so catching up with a huge game against BYU is not out of the realm of possibility. Kinne can run, too -- he is the only quarterback in school history to pass for more than 6,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards.
WHAT TO WATCH: Tulsa run game versus BYU run defense. Both teams rank in the top 25 in the nation in their respective categories of run offense and run defense. The Golden Hurricane have two backs that have gone for more than 800 yards -- in addition to Kinne racking up more than 400. Ja'Terian Douglas, Trey Watts and Kinne have more combined rushing yards than BYU's entire team. Seeing Douglas and Watts emerge has been huge for the Golden Hurricane -- Kinne led the team in rushing the past two seasons. BYU has been solid against the run this season, allowing only three 100-yard rushers. BYU does have a size advantage on its defensive line and rotates in plenty of players. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy has been the best player on the defense, leading the team with 10 tackles for loss and five sacks. He has come up big in run support and has defended the pass as well, so he is a definite player Tulsa must watch.
WHY TO WATCH: BYU has been one of the most consistent programs in the nation, save for last season. A victory would give the Cougars their fifth 10-win season in the past six years. It will also be the 16th 10-win season in school history, which ranks 13th among all current FBS teams, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Given that success, BYU has never won three bowl games in a row. The Cougars go into this game having won two straight bowls.
PREDICTION: BYU 30, Tulsa 27. These teams are about as evenly matched as you can get, with quarterbacks who like to run, a backfield that isn't reliant on one player and linebackers who are capable of making plays. Kinne has an edge on Riley Nelson, but BYU has the edge on defense and up front -- and that will be enough to lead BYU to the victory.
What to watch in the non-AQs: Bowls
December, 15, 2011
12/15/11
10:15
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Here is what I will be watching from the non-AQ teams once bowl season begins:
1. Last hurrah for Kellen Moore. Boise State closes out the season in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas next week against Arizona State, bringing to a close the final chapter for Moore, the best player in school history. Moore already holds the NCAA record for career victories. Another win will mean he and his senior class will set the school mark for most victories by a group with 50. What Moore has achieved is simply remarkable — four-year starter, 3,000-yard passing seasons in each of his four seasons and only once did he throw double-digit interceptions (his freshman year, 10). He led this team to four top-10 finishes in the BCS standings, one BCS appearance and one undefeated season. His critics will point out that the strength of schedule has not been impossible, but it is hard to knock what this young man has accomplished with his consistency, his football IQ and his ability to will his team to victory. Boise State has lost three games in his time as a starter, and all three were by a field goal or less. Moore has elevated this program, and whoever replaces him will have an enormous legacy to match.
2. TCU says goodbye. It has been a nice run for the Horned Frogs in the Mountain West, but now it is time for them to say goodbye and move on to their new home in the Big 12. They closed out the conference season with their third straight league title, thanks to a huge win at Boise State, and now have a chance to post 11 wins for the seventh time in the past 10 years. A victory also would be career win No. 109 for coach Gary Patterson, which would tie him with Dutch Meyer as the all-time winningest coach in school history. Meyer was 109-79-13 from 1934 to '52, including national championships in 1935 and 1938.
3. How does Houston respond? One of the biggest questions in all of bowl season is what we will see out of Houston. This is a team that fell one win short of making a BCS game. Now the Cougars are relegated to the TicketCity Bowl against Penn State and will be without coach Kevin Sumlin, who accepted a job to coach Texas A&M. It is hard to know exactly what to expect out of Houston for several reasons. Its performance in the Conference USA championship game against Southern Miss was the worst of the season, it has to fight the distraction of losing its coach and it has to fight the feeling of playing in a lesser bowl game after working so hard to try to bust into the BCS. It will be up to senior quarterback Case Keenum to get his teammates prepared to play and motivated to find a little extra to get them up for this game.
4. Anything to prove? There are four bowl games out of 35 that pit non-AQ teams against those from automatic qualifying conferences: Boise State-Arizona State in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, Western Michigan-Purdue in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, SMU-Pitt in the BBVA Compass Bowl, and Houston-Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl. Bowl season is always a great time for the non-AQs to prove themselves against teams from the bigger conferences, but without a big BCS matchup this season, these matchups fall a little flat. Is anybody going to take notice if the non-AQs go 4-0 with wins over Arizona State (6-6), Pitt (6-6) and Purdue (6-6)?
5. My favorite matchup: BYU vs. Tulsa, Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. Both teams have had solid seasons. BYU in Year 1 as an independent has a chance for another 10-win season; Tulsa survived a brutal nonconference stretch to open the season to make it back to a bowl game. Starting quarterbacks Riley Nelson and G.J. Kinne can run, and both have good skill position players around them. Tulsa linebacker Curnelius Arnick and BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy have put together great seasons and are fun to watch. When you start to parse the numbers, their wins have not come against the toughest competition. Of BYU's nine wins, only one has come against a bowl team. Of Tulsa's eight wins, only two have come against bowl teams.
1. Last hurrah for Kellen Moore. Boise State closes out the season in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas next week against Arizona State, bringing to a close the final chapter for Moore, the best player in school history. Moore already holds the NCAA record for career victories. Another win will mean he and his senior class will set the school mark for most victories by a group with 50. What Moore has achieved is simply remarkable — four-year starter, 3,000-yard passing seasons in each of his four seasons and only once did he throw double-digit interceptions (his freshman year, 10). He led this team to four top-10 finishes in the BCS standings, one BCS appearance and one undefeated season. His critics will point out that the strength of schedule has not been impossible, but it is hard to knock what this young man has accomplished with his consistency, his football IQ and his ability to will his team to victory. Boise State has lost three games in his time as a starter, and all three were by a field goal or less. Moore has elevated this program, and whoever replaces him will have an enormous legacy to match.
2. TCU says goodbye. It has been a nice run for the Horned Frogs in the Mountain West, but now it is time for them to say goodbye and move on to their new home in the Big 12. They closed out the conference season with their third straight league title, thanks to a huge win at Boise State, and now have a chance to post 11 wins for the seventh time in the past 10 years. A victory also would be career win No. 109 for coach Gary Patterson, which would tie him with Dutch Meyer as the all-time winningest coach in school history. Meyer was 109-79-13 from 1934 to '52, including national championships in 1935 and 1938.
3. How does Houston respond? One of the biggest questions in all of bowl season is what we will see out of Houston. This is a team that fell one win short of making a BCS game. Now the Cougars are relegated to the TicketCity Bowl against Penn State and will be without coach Kevin Sumlin, who accepted a job to coach Texas A&M. It is hard to know exactly what to expect out of Houston for several reasons. Its performance in the Conference USA championship game against Southern Miss was the worst of the season, it has to fight the distraction of losing its coach and it has to fight the feeling of playing in a lesser bowl game after working so hard to try to bust into the BCS. It will be up to senior quarterback Case Keenum to get his teammates prepared to play and motivated to find a little extra to get them up for this game.
4. Anything to prove? There are four bowl games out of 35 that pit non-AQ teams against those from automatic qualifying conferences: Boise State-Arizona State in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, Western Michigan-Purdue in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, SMU-Pitt in the BBVA Compass Bowl, and Houston-Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl. Bowl season is always a great time for the non-AQs to prove themselves against teams from the bigger conferences, but without a big BCS matchup this season, these matchups fall a little flat. Is anybody going to take notice if the non-AQs go 4-0 with wins over Arizona State (6-6), Pitt (6-6) and Purdue (6-6)?
5. My favorite matchup: BYU vs. Tulsa, Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. Both teams have had solid seasons. BYU in Year 1 as an independent has a chance for another 10-win season; Tulsa survived a brutal nonconference stretch to open the season to make it back to a bowl game. Starting quarterbacks Riley Nelson and G.J. Kinne can run, and both have good skill position players around them. Tulsa linebacker Curnelius Arnick and BYU linebacker Kyle Van Noy have put together great seasons and are fun to watch. When you start to parse the numbers, their wins have not come against the toughest competition. Of BYU's nine wins, only one has come against a bowl team. Of Tulsa's eight wins, only two have come against bowl teams.
BYU COUGARS
Record: 9-3
It is hard to really measure this season for BYU. Another 10-win season would certainly make it a success, considering that would make the Cougars one of just six FBS schools with 10 or more wins in five of the past six seasons. In Year 1 as an independent, everybody at BYU will take that. But a closer look at the schedule reveals the Cougars have one victory over a team with a winning record. In the "big games" against three bowl teams -- Texas, Utah and TCU -- they went 0-3. Granted, Texas and Utah came early in the season, when BYU was struggling with Jake Heaps as the starting quarterback. Not all the blame can be put on his shoulders, though, because everything was going wrong on offense. The offensive line, backs and receivers were not playing well, either.
Once Riley Nelson took over for Heaps, things seemed to stabilize. And just like last year, BYU ended the season on a nice little run to get to nine wins, an improvement over its 7-6 record in 2010. Heaps has decided to transfer because it became clear he was no longer the future at quarterback for the Cougars. He won't play in the bowl game. So now it appears Nelson is the man to lead this team into 2012, with plenty of improvements to be made.
Offensive MVP: Riley Nelson, QB. Nelson came in for Heaps against Utah State and provided the spark needed to get a victory. He went 4-1 as a starter -- 5-1 if you count the Idaho win in which he got hurt and left the game. He finished the year with 1,467 yards passing and 16 touchdowns, and added 376 yards on the ground. The Cougars seemed to rally around Nelson, and that was a big reason for the improved play.
Defensive MVP: Kyle Van Noy, LB. Van Noy had a team-leading 10 tackles for loss, with five sacks, three interceptions, nine quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles. He finished with 58 tackles, and also saved the day in a win over Ole Miss.
Turning point: Beating Utah State. Nelson engineered a comeback in the fourth quarter after the Cougars trailed 24-13, leading them to a 27-24 win. BYU ended up winning six of its final seven games, and Nelson supplanted Heaps as the starter. That game was essentially the beginning of the end for the Heaps era at BYU.
What’s next: BYU is headed to the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl to play Tulsa, then it is on to the second year as an independent after turning down overtures from the Big East to join as a football-only member. There is plenty of young talent on this team returning, but it will be interesting to see how Nelson handles his responsibilities when he goes into 2012 as the starter.
Record: 9-3
It is hard to really measure this season for BYU. Another 10-win season would certainly make it a success, considering that would make the Cougars one of just six FBS schools with 10 or more wins in five of the past six seasons. In Year 1 as an independent, everybody at BYU will take that. But a closer look at the schedule reveals the Cougars have one victory over a team with a winning record. In the "big games" against three bowl teams -- Texas, Utah and TCU -- they went 0-3. Granted, Texas and Utah came early in the season, when BYU was struggling with Jake Heaps as the starting quarterback. Not all the blame can be put on his shoulders, though, because everything was going wrong on offense. The offensive line, backs and receivers were not playing well, either.
Once Riley Nelson took over for Heaps, things seemed to stabilize. And just like last year, BYU ended the season on a nice little run to get to nine wins, an improvement over its 7-6 record in 2010. Heaps has decided to transfer because it became clear he was no longer the future at quarterback for the Cougars. He won't play in the bowl game. So now it appears Nelson is the man to lead this team into 2012, with plenty of improvements to be made.
Offensive MVP: Riley Nelson, QB. Nelson came in for Heaps against Utah State and provided the spark needed to get a victory. He went 4-1 as a starter -- 5-1 if you count the Idaho win in which he got hurt and left the game. He finished the year with 1,467 yards passing and 16 touchdowns, and added 376 yards on the ground. The Cougars seemed to rally around Nelson, and that was a big reason for the improved play.
Defensive MVP: Kyle Van Noy, LB. Van Noy had a team-leading 10 tackles for loss, with five sacks, three interceptions, nine quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles. He finished with 58 tackles, and also saved the day in a win over Ole Miss.
Turning point: Beating Utah State. Nelson engineered a comeback in the fourth quarter after the Cougars trailed 24-13, leading them to a 27-24 win. BYU ended up winning six of its final seven games, and Nelson supplanted Heaps as the starter. That game was essentially the beginning of the end for the Heaps era at BYU.
What’s next: BYU is headed to the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl to play Tulsa, then it is on to the second year as an independent after turning down overtures from the Big East to join as a football-only member. There is plenty of young talent on this team returning, but it will be interesting to see how Nelson handles his responsibilities when he goes into 2012 as the starter.
Jake Heaps faces uncertain future
November, 30, 2011
11/30/11
3:00
PM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
When the season began, expectations were incredibly high for Jake Heaps to put together a season in line with all the other great BYU quarterbacks who came before him.
He had closed his true freshman season with a flourish, and had been groomed from the time he was a young child to be your prototypical quarterback with a strong arm and quick release. The Cougars also had nearly everybody returning on offense, talent at the skill positions and an offensive coordinator in Brandon Doman, who uniquely understands what it means to play quarterback at BYU.
Well, not much went to plan this season for Heaps or BYU. After struggling in his first five starts, Heaps was pulled in the third quarter against Utah State, with the Cougars trailing 24-13. Riley Nelson sparked a comeback win, and supplanted Heaps as the starter.
Relegated to the sideline, Heaps could only watch his dream job get taken by a player who was clearly out performing him. After Nelson got hurt two weeks ago, Heaps went back in as the starter. But as the Cougars (8-3) prepare for their regular-season finale at Hawaii on Saturday, Nelson may be healthy enough to play. If that is the case, coach Bronco Mendenhall said he would go with Nelson as his starter.
"Definitely this season hasn't taken the course I had planned or our team had planned, but I'm just taking it in stride with what has been given to me," Heaps said in a phone interview. "The opportunity to play last two games, just trying to make sure I was ready and all the hard work paid off. It's been a tough season. It hasn't been easy, but I'm working hard at continuing to get better. That's all I've been trying to do."
Heaps was 2-2 as the starter in the first four games, and the low point came in an embarrassing 54-10 loss to Utah, in which he had a fumble and two turnovers. He was only completing 53 percent of his passes in his first five starts, with three touchdown passes to five interceptions. In the eight games in which he has played, he has thrown an interception in seven of them.
When asked what has hurt him this season, Heaps said, "I think I was pressing, and I think at the beginning of the season, we were just all going through growing pains," Heaps said. "We were all learning how to play together. Everybody has blossomed as the season's gone on. We've all learned and have grown. For us to be at this point in the season it's exciting. As a collective group, we've gotten better as the season's gone on."
In his two starts with Nelson out, Heaps had six touchdown passes to two interceptions and played better. Of course, you have to consider the opponents -- BYU played Idaho and New Mexico State. Still, Heaps said he came into those games with a more relaxed attitude and took away plenty from his time on the bench.
"It's been a huge learning experience for me," Heaps said. "It hasn't been easy but definitely those situations can make you a worse quarterback or it can make you a better quarterback. I was determined to make it a better situation for myself, to look deep inside myself and see what I could do to get better. The biggest thing is how I approach the game. I'll be a beter player for it."
What happens next year is certainly up for debate. Heaps is a sophomore; Nelson is a junior. It appears Nelson will be the choice to be the starter headed into 2012. When asked about his future, Heaps declined to comment because "it detracts from the season we're having right now."
BYU will play in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 30 to close out its first season as an independent. Should the Cougars beat Hawaii, they will have a chance for a 10-win season. Heaps will have had a hand in many of those wins, but the events of this year certainly will give him plenty to think about in the offseason.
He had closed his true freshman season with a flourish, and had been groomed from the time he was a young child to be your prototypical quarterback with a strong arm and quick release. The Cougars also had nearly everybody returning on offense, talent at the skill positions and an offensive coordinator in Brandon Doman, who uniquely understands what it means to play quarterback at BYU.
[+] Enlarge
Brendan Maloney/US PresswireBYU quarterback Jake Heaps says this season has been a "huge learning experience."
Brendan Maloney/US PresswireBYU quarterback Jake Heaps says this season has been a "huge learning experience."Relegated to the sideline, Heaps could only watch his dream job get taken by a player who was clearly out performing him. After Nelson got hurt two weeks ago, Heaps went back in as the starter. But as the Cougars (8-3) prepare for their regular-season finale at Hawaii on Saturday, Nelson may be healthy enough to play. If that is the case, coach Bronco Mendenhall said he would go with Nelson as his starter.
"Definitely this season hasn't taken the course I had planned or our team had planned, but I'm just taking it in stride with what has been given to me," Heaps said in a phone interview. "The opportunity to play last two games, just trying to make sure I was ready and all the hard work paid off. It's been a tough season. It hasn't been easy, but I'm working hard at continuing to get better. That's all I've been trying to do."
Heaps was 2-2 as the starter in the first four games, and the low point came in an embarrassing 54-10 loss to Utah, in which he had a fumble and two turnovers. He was only completing 53 percent of his passes in his first five starts, with three touchdown passes to five interceptions. In the eight games in which he has played, he has thrown an interception in seven of them.
When asked what has hurt him this season, Heaps said, "I think I was pressing, and I think at the beginning of the season, we were just all going through growing pains," Heaps said. "We were all learning how to play together. Everybody has blossomed as the season's gone on. We've all learned and have grown. For us to be at this point in the season it's exciting. As a collective group, we've gotten better as the season's gone on."
In his two starts with Nelson out, Heaps had six touchdown passes to two interceptions and played better. Of course, you have to consider the opponents -- BYU played Idaho and New Mexico State. Still, Heaps said he came into those games with a more relaxed attitude and took away plenty from his time on the bench.
"It's been a huge learning experience for me," Heaps said. "It hasn't been easy but definitely those situations can make you a worse quarterback or it can make you a better quarterback. I was determined to make it a better situation for myself, to look deep inside myself and see what I could do to get better. The biggest thing is how I approach the game. I'll be a beter player for it."
What happens next year is certainly up for debate. Heaps is a sophomore; Nelson is a junior. It appears Nelson will be the choice to be the starter headed into 2012. When asked about his future, Heaps declined to comment because "it detracts from the season we're having right now."
BYU will play in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 30 to close out its first season as an independent. Should the Cougars beat Hawaii, they will have a chance for a 10-win season. Heaps will have had a hand in many of those wins, but the events of this year certainly will give him plenty to think about in the offseason.
Riley Nelson makes most of second chance
October, 28, 2011
10/28/11
9:00
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
All BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall was looking for was a spark. He ended up with a new starting quarterback.
Indeed, when he put Riley Nelson into the game against Utah State with the Cougars trailing 24-13, Mendenhall had no idea what to expect. Nelson had been in on a few plays here and there behind center. Maybe Nelson could wake the team up. At least, he would play with more energy.
He did more than that. Not only did he rally the team to a win, he rallied the team around him. All of a sudden, the Cougars (6-2) looked much more cohesive on offense. Nelson has started the last three games and has won all of them headed into BYU's big game tonight against former Mountain West rival TCU (8 p.m., ESPN).
“Riley got us the energy and execution with this chip-on-the-shoulder mentality of I don't care what other people think,” Mendenhall said of the performance against Utah State. “He thanked me for the opportunity, and it was like Christmas for him. He was really excited to play football, and that was a contagious frame of mind.”
For a player who wondered whether he would ever take another snap as a starting quarterback again, Nelson has made the most of his second chance. It was Nelson who went into last season as the starter, but he was almost doomed to fail because Mendenhall decided he wanted to rotate quarterbacks with Jake Heaps.
Mendenhall hoped to take advantage of their vastly different skill sets. Nelson can run and throw; Heaps is your classic drop-back passer with a stronger arm. Neither got into much of a rhythm. Neither overwhelmed with his performance.
But when Nelson went out for the season last year with a shoulder injury against Florida State, Heaps took the lead. He closed out the season with four touchdown passes in a New Mexico Bowl win over UTEP and was tabbed the starter headed into 2011 without any quarterback competition.
Nelson never pouted to the coaching staff, but he did spend lonely moments in the training room during rehab wondering about his future. “I just thought about how I was going to approach the rest of my college career,” Nelson said in a phone interview. “Am I going to bust my gut and give it my all? What kind of player did I want to be?”
Only a team player would do. Without an opportunity to win the starting quarterback job, Nelson showed up for special-teams tryouts and was one of the best players on the field. Nelson won a job on the kickoff and punt cover teams.
“We made a decision as a team that if he’s one of our best players, then we ought to use him in whatever capacity,” Mendenhall said. “As he kept knocking guys down on kickoff cover and knocking guys down on punt cover, he was sincere about helping our team. That foundation that he laid with our team -- they've come to trust he's really with us, he's trying to help our team.”
Nelson has played much more carefree since he took over at quarterback. He has thrown for 11 touchdowns, including three touchdown passes in each of his three starts and two in just over a quarter’s worth of work against Utah State. He also has run for 284 yards and a score, and provided a nice change of pace in the run game.
“I feel like the biggest difference in my play from last year to this year is I stopped trying to be perfect,” Nelson said. “I stopped trying to make the perfect play or make the perfect read. I stopped trying to put the ball in the perfect spot every time and let my playmakers make plays.
“The second thing from last year to this year is I put so much pressure on myself last year. I was so worried about what everyone was saying and labels they put on me, I was so worried about whatever everybody else was saying it was affecting my play on the field. I’m one more year older and wiser. With another year of experience, I feel I can be me -- whether or not it’s what people like.”
Indeed, when he put Riley Nelson into the game against Utah State with the Cougars trailing 24-13, Mendenhall had no idea what to expect. Nelson had been in on a few plays here and there behind center. Maybe Nelson could wake the team up. At least, he would play with more energy.
[+] Enlarge
Jim Z. Rider/US PresswireRiley Nelson has been dangerous as both as a runner and a passer since being reinstalled as the starting quarterback.
Jim Z. Rider/US PresswireRiley Nelson has been dangerous as both as a runner and a passer since being reinstalled as the starting quarterback.“Riley got us the energy and execution with this chip-on-the-shoulder mentality of I don't care what other people think,” Mendenhall said of the performance against Utah State. “He thanked me for the opportunity, and it was like Christmas for him. He was really excited to play football, and that was a contagious frame of mind.”
For a player who wondered whether he would ever take another snap as a starting quarterback again, Nelson has made the most of his second chance. It was Nelson who went into last season as the starter, but he was almost doomed to fail because Mendenhall decided he wanted to rotate quarterbacks with Jake Heaps.
Mendenhall hoped to take advantage of their vastly different skill sets. Nelson can run and throw; Heaps is your classic drop-back passer with a stronger arm. Neither got into much of a rhythm. Neither overwhelmed with his performance.
But when Nelson went out for the season last year with a shoulder injury against Florida State, Heaps took the lead. He closed out the season with four touchdown passes in a New Mexico Bowl win over UTEP and was tabbed the starter headed into 2011 without any quarterback competition.
Nelson never pouted to the coaching staff, but he did spend lonely moments in the training room during rehab wondering about his future. “I just thought about how I was going to approach the rest of my college career,” Nelson said in a phone interview. “Am I going to bust my gut and give it my all? What kind of player did I want to be?”
Only a team player would do. Without an opportunity to win the starting quarterback job, Nelson showed up for special-teams tryouts and was one of the best players on the field. Nelson won a job on the kickoff and punt cover teams.
“We made a decision as a team that if he’s one of our best players, then we ought to use him in whatever capacity,” Mendenhall said. “As he kept knocking guys down on kickoff cover and knocking guys down on punt cover, he was sincere about helping our team. That foundation that he laid with our team -- they've come to trust he's really with us, he's trying to help our team.”
Nelson has played much more carefree since he took over at quarterback. He has thrown for 11 touchdowns, including three touchdown passes in each of his three starts and two in just over a quarter’s worth of work against Utah State. He also has run for 284 yards and a score, and provided a nice change of pace in the run game.
“I feel like the biggest difference in my play from last year to this year is I stopped trying to be perfect,” Nelson said. “I stopped trying to make the perfect play or make the perfect read. I stopped trying to put the ball in the perfect spot every time and let my playmakers make plays.
“The second thing from last year to this year is I put so much pressure on myself last year. I was so worried about what everyone was saying and labels they put on me, I was so worried about whatever everybody else was saying it was affecting my play on the field. I’m one more year older and wiser. With another year of experience, I feel I can be me -- whether or not it’s what people like.”
Here are your non-AQ players of the week, as selected by each conference. The independent players are selected by a national media panel.
C-USA
Offense: Dominique Davis, QB, East Carolina. Davis set an NCAA single-game record with 26 straight completions to open the game in a 38-34 win at Navy. He finished the game 40-of-45 for 372 yards with two touchdowns. His completion percentage of 88.9 was a school record.
Defense: Marques Wheaton, DB, Southern Miss. Wheaton recorded five tackles (four solos), a pass breakup and two fourth-quarter interceptions in Southern Miss’ 27-3 win over SMU. He returned one of his interceptions 41 yards for a score.
Special teams: Ty Long, K, UAB. Long, a true freshman, made the game-winning 40-yarder with 21 seconds remaining in a 26-24 win over UCF.
Independent
Offense: Riley Nelson, QB, BYU. Nelson led six touchdown drives in seven series before leaving the game early in the third quarter in a 56-3 win over Idaho State. Nelson completed 11 of 17 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns, and added 62 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Co-defense: Geoffrey Bacon, LB, Army. Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU. Bacon returned his first career interception 70 yards for a touchdown in a 44-21 loss at Vanderbilt. Making his first career start, Bacon added a pass break-up, and he matched his season tally with a career-high 13 tackles, including a half tackle for loss. Van Noy had two sacks, three quarterback hurries and a blocked punt.
Special teams: George Atkinson III, KR, Notre Dame. Atkinson had a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a 31-17 loss to USC. He tallied 178 yards on five kickoff returns.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Chazz Anderson, QB, Buffalo. Accounted for 460 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in a 31-30 loss to Northern Illinois. Anderson completed a school record 35 passes on 53 attempts for 406 yards and three touchdowns, including one with just 14 seconds left in regulation that pulled Buffalo to within one before a missed extra point made the difference.
Defense: Chris Jones, DT, Bowling Green. Jones had six tackles, three sacks and one quarterback hurry in a 13-10 win over Temple.
Special teams: Matt Weller, K, Ohio. Went 3-for-3 on his field goal attempts, connecting from 24, 27 and 23 yards in a 37-20 win at Akron.
West Division
Offense: Javonti Greene, RB, Eastern Michigan. Greene caught a 50-yard pass from Alex Gillett in the first quarter and scored on a 50-yard run midway through the fourth quarter for the two Eastern Michigan touchdowns in a 14-10 victory over Western Michigan.
Defense: Desmond Marrow, DB, Toledo. Marrow led Toledo with six tackles and tied his career high with two interceptions in a 49-28 win over Miami.
Special Teams:Jamill Smith, KR, Ball State. Returned the opening kickoff for a career-high 48 yards in the Cardinals' 17-point second half comeback victory, a 31-27 win over Central Michigan. Smith led all returners for both teams with four kickoff returns for a total of 135 yards.
Mountain West
Offense: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State. Moore completed 23-of-29 passes for 281 yards in a 37-26 win over Air Force. Moore tied former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy for the most career wins (45) in NCAA history.
Defense:Byron Hout, LB, Boise State. Hout had a career-high 18 tackles against Air Force, including eight unassisted stops and a half tackle for loss.
Special teams:Antonio Graves, WR, TCU. Graves scored his first collegiate touchdown when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone in a 69-0 win over New Mexico. He also forced a fumble on a kickoff return.
Sun Belt
Offense:Bobby Rainey, RB, Western Kentucky. Rainey rushed for 206 yards and a career-high three touchdowns as the Hilltoppers won their first home game since 2008 with a 42-23 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.
Defense:Eric Russell, DB, Middle Tennessee. Russell had six tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception in a win over FAU.
Special Teams:Luther Ambrose, KR, ULM. Ambrose became ULM's all-time leader in kickoff return yards and he did it in style, returning the opening kickoff 100 yards at North Texas. He finished with 148 yards on three returns.
WAC
Offense: Mike Ball, RB, Nevada. Ball rushed for a career-high 198 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries and added two catches for 18 yards and another score in a 45-38 win over Fresno State.
Defense: Adrien Cole, LB, Louisiana Tech. Cole had 14 tackles (9 solo), including two for a loss, and broke up a pass in a 24-17 win at Utah State.
Special teams: Ryan Allen, P, Louisiana Tech. Allen averaged 52.2 yards on eight punts in the win at Utah State. Seven of them were downed inside the 20-yard line.
C-USA
Offense: Dominique Davis, QB, East Carolina. Davis set an NCAA single-game record with 26 straight completions to open the game in a 38-34 win at Navy. He finished the game 40-of-45 for 372 yards with two touchdowns. His completion percentage of 88.9 was a school record.
Defense: Marques Wheaton, DB, Southern Miss. Wheaton recorded five tackles (four solos), a pass breakup and two fourth-quarter interceptions in Southern Miss’ 27-3 win over SMU. He returned one of his interceptions 41 yards for a score.
Special teams: Ty Long, K, UAB. Long, a true freshman, made the game-winning 40-yarder with 21 seconds remaining in a 26-24 win over UCF.
Independent
Offense: Riley Nelson, QB, BYU. Nelson led six touchdown drives in seven series before leaving the game early in the third quarter in a 56-3 win over Idaho State. Nelson completed 11 of 17 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns, and added 62 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Co-defense: Geoffrey Bacon, LB, Army. Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU. Bacon returned his first career interception 70 yards for a touchdown in a 44-21 loss at Vanderbilt. Making his first career start, Bacon added a pass break-up, and he matched his season tally with a career-high 13 tackles, including a half tackle for loss. Van Noy had two sacks, three quarterback hurries and a blocked punt.
Special teams: George Atkinson III, KR, Notre Dame. Atkinson had a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a 31-17 loss to USC. He tallied 178 yards on five kickoff returns.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Chazz Anderson, QB, Buffalo. Accounted for 460 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in a 31-30 loss to Northern Illinois. Anderson completed a school record 35 passes on 53 attempts for 406 yards and three touchdowns, including one with just 14 seconds left in regulation that pulled Buffalo to within one before a missed extra point made the difference.
Defense: Chris Jones, DT, Bowling Green. Jones had six tackles, three sacks and one quarterback hurry in a 13-10 win over Temple.
Special teams: Matt Weller, K, Ohio. Went 3-for-3 on his field goal attempts, connecting from 24, 27 and 23 yards in a 37-20 win at Akron.
West Division
Offense: Javonti Greene, RB, Eastern Michigan. Greene caught a 50-yard pass from Alex Gillett in the first quarter and scored on a 50-yard run midway through the fourth quarter for the two Eastern Michigan touchdowns in a 14-10 victory over Western Michigan.
Defense: Desmond Marrow, DB, Toledo. Marrow led Toledo with six tackles and tied his career high with two interceptions in a 49-28 win over Miami.
Special Teams:Jamill Smith, KR, Ball State. Returned the opening kickoff for a career-high 48 yards in the Cardinals' 17-point second half comeback victory, a 31-27 win over Central Michigan. Smith led all returners for both teams with four kickoff returns for a total of 135 yards.
Mountain West
Offense: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State. Moore completed 23-of-29 passes for 281 yards in a 37-26 win over Air Force. Moore tied former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy for the most career wins (45) in NCAA history.
Defense:Byron Hout, LB, Boise State. Hout had a career-high 18 tackles against Air Force, including eight unassisted stops and a half tackle for loss.
Special teams:Antonio Graves, WR, TCU. Graves scored his first collegiate touchdown when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone in a 69-0 win over New Mexico. He also forced a fumble on a kickoff return.
Sun Belt
Offense:Bobby Rainey, RB, Western Kentucky. Rainey rushed for 206 yards and a career-high three touchdowns as the Hilltoppers won their first home game since 2008 with a 42-23 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.
Defense:Eric Russell, DB, Middle Tennessee. Russell had six tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception in a win over FAU.
Special Teams:Luther Ambrose, KR, ULM. Ambrose became ULM's all-time leader in kickoff return yards and he did it in style, returning the opening kickoff 100 yards at North Texas. He finished with 148 yards on three returns.
WAC
Offense: Mike Ball, RB, Nevada. Ball rushed for a career-high 198 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries and added two catches for 18 yards and another score in a 45-38 win over Fresno State.
Defense: Adrien Cole, LB, Louisiana Tech. Cole had 14 tackles (9 solo), including two for a loss, and broke up a pass in a 24-17 win at Utah State.
Special teams: Ryan Allen, P, Louisiana Tech. Allen averaged 52.2 yards on eight punts in the win at Utah State. Seven of them were downed inside the 20-yard line.
Here are your non-AQ players of the week, as selected by each conference. The independent players of the week are picked by a national media panel.
C-USA
Offense: J.J. McDermott, QB, SMU. McDermott was 20-of-31 and passed for a career-high 358 yards and two touchdowns as SMU defeated UCF, 38-17. McDermott improved to 5-0 as a starter and it marked his third straight 300-yard passing game, tying the SMU record.
Defense: Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall. Curry had nine tackles, which included four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, to go with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in a win over Rice.
Special teams: Richard Crawford, PR, SMU. Returned a punt 92 yards in a win over UCF, the second-longest punt return in league history. He totaled 141 punt return yards for the game, the second-best single-game effort in SMU history.
Independent
Offense: Riley Nelson, QB, BYU. Nelson completed 17 of 27 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns, while adding a team-high 87 rushing yards on 12 carries to lead BYU to a 38-28 win over Oregon State.
Defense: Brandon Ogletree, LB, BYU. Forced turnovers on each of the Beavers’ first three possessions of the third quarter, intercepting a pass and causing two fumbles.
Special teams: Jon Teague, PK, Navy. Teague made two field goals against Rutgers, though his 34-yard attempt was blocked with under five minutes to play.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple. Pierce broke five school records in a 34-0 win over Buffalo after running for 152 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. Pierce and Matt Brown each rushed for 100 yards.
Defense: Roosevelt Nix, DT, Kent State. Forced an early fumble that led to a Kent State field goal and posted career-highs of six tackles and four solo stops in a loss to Miami (Ohio). He also had two tackles for loss, a pair of quarterback hurries and broke up a pass.
Special teams: BooBoo Gates, KR, Bowling Green. Gates had four kick returns for 152 yards, including an 88-yard touchdown return in the fourth quarter in a 28-21 loss to Toledo.
West Division
Offense: Chandler Harnish, QB, Northern Illinois. Ran for a career-high 229 yards on 14 carries and passed for 203 yards on 14-of-27 passing for a total of 432 yards of total offense in the Huskies 51-22 win over Western Michigan.
Defense: Desmond Marrow, DB, Toledo. Had a team-high 10 tackles in a 28-21 win at Bowling Green. Marrow added a career-best three passes defensed.
Special Teams: Scott Kovanda, P, Ball State. Punted seven times for 327 yards and a 46.7 average in a 23-20 win at Ohio. Kovanda pinned Ohio inside the 20-yard line four times and had a career-long 67-yard punt.
Mountain West
Co-Offense: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State. Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State. Martin carried the ball 20 times for a career-high 200 yards and three touchdowns in a 63-13 win at Colorado State. His 65-yard TD run was the longest of the season for Martin. Hillman ran 27 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-27 win at Air Force. Both of his touchdowns came in the final period after the game was tied with 2:30 remaining in the third quarter.
Defense: Tyrone Crawford, DE, Boise State. Crawford recorded five tackles in a win at Colorado State, including two sacks for losses totaling 14 yards. He also recovered a fumble.
Special teams: Chris McNeill, WR/PR, Wyoming. McNeill returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown, threw a 28-yard touchdown pass and also completed a 2-point conversion pass in a 41-14 win over UNLV. The punt return for a touchdown was the Cowboys’ first since 2004 and the first in the Mountain West this season.
Sun Belt
Offense: Kolton Browning, QB, ULM. Went 23-of-31 for 275 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Troy. He also added 33 yards on nine carries on the ground to top the 300-yard mark in total offense.
Defense: Lance Kelly, LB, ULL. Had a game-high eight tackles, a tackle-for-loss, a fumble recovery, a pass break-up and an interception in a win over North Texas.
Special Teams: Mitchell Bailey, RB, ULM. After ULM took a 15-10 lead on Troy late in the third quarter, Bailey forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff that the Warhawks recovered on the 17-yard line. Two plays later, Browning threw a touchdown pass to Colby Harper to stretch the ULM lead and the Warhawks never looked back.
WAC
Offense: Chandler Jones, WR, San Jose State. Scored three touchdowns three different ways in a 28-27 win over Hawaii. He scored on a 20-yard reverse, off a fumbled kick return, and caught a 37-yard pass with 36 seconds remaining to win. Jones came into the game with just one career touchdown.
Defense: Khalid Wooten, CB, Nevada. Recorded six tackles, forced two fumbles and intercepted a pass in a 49-7 win over New Mexico.
Special teams: Travis Johnson, DE, San Jose State. Blocked two kicks in San Jose State’s win over Hawaii. One was on an extra-point attempt, which was picked up and returned by Duke Ihenacho for the Spartans’ first-ever 2-point defensive PAT. He also blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt with 3:22 remaining.
C-USA
Offense: J.J. McDermott, QB, SMU. McDermott was 20-of-31 and passed for a career-high 358 yards and two touchdowns as SMU defeated UCF, 38-17. McDermott improved to 5-0 as a starter and it marked his third straight 300-yard passing game, tying the SMU record.
Defense: Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall. Curry had nine tackles, which included four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, to go with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in a win over Rice.
Special teams: Richard Crawford, PR, SMU. Returned a punt 92 yards in a win over UCF, the second-longest punt return in league history. He totaled 141 punt return yards for the game, the second-best single-game effort in SMU history.
Independent
Offense: Riley Nelson, QB, BYU. Nelson completed 17 of 27 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns, while adding a team-high 87 rushing yards on 12 carries to lead BYU to a 38-28 win over Oregon State.
Defense: Brandon Ogletree, LB, BYU. Forced turnovers on each of the Beavers’ first three possessions of the third quarter, intercepting a pass and causing two fumbles.
Special teams: Jon Teague, PK, Navy. Teague made two field goals against Rutgers, though his 34-yard attempt was blocked with under five minutes to play.
MAC
East Division
Offense: Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple. Pierce broke five school records in a 34-0 win over Buffalo after running for 152 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. Pierce and Matt Brown each rushed for 100 yards.
Defense: Roosevelt Nix, DT, Kent State. Forced an early fumble that led to a Kent State field goal and posted career-highs of six tackles and four solo stops in a loss to Miami (Ohio). He also had two tackles for loss, a pair of quarterback hurries and broke up a pass.
Special teams: BooBoo Gates, KR, Bowling Green. Gates had four kick returns for 152 yards, including an 88-yard touchdown return in the fourth quarter in a 28-21 loss to Toledo.
West Division
Offense: Chandler Harnish, QB, Northern Illinois. Ran for a career-high 229 yards on 14 carries and passed for 203 yards on 14-of-27 passing for a total of 432 yards of total offense in the Huskies 51-22 win over Western Michigan.
Defense: Desmond Marrow, DB, Toledo. Had a team-high 10 tackles in a 28-21 win at Bowling Green. Marrow added a career-best three passes defensed.
Special Teams: Scott Kovanda, P, Ball State. Punted seven times for 327 yards and a 46.7 average in a 23-20 win at Ohio. Kovanda pinned Ohio inside the 20-yard line four times and had a career-long 67-yard punt.
Mountain West
Co-Offense: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State. Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State. Martin carried the ball 20 times for a career-high 200 yards and three touchdowns in a 63-13 win at Colorado State. His 65-yard TD run was the longest of the season for Martin. Hillman ran 27 times for 172 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-27 win at Air Force. Both of his touchdowns came in the final period after the game was tied with 2:30 remaining in the third quarter.
Defense: Tyrone Crawford, DE, Boise State. Crawford recorded five tackles in a win at Colorado State, including two sacks for losses totaling 14 yards. He also recovered a fumble.
Special teams: Chris McNeill, WR/PR, Wyoming. McNeill returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown, threw a 28-yard touchdown pass and also completed a 2-point conversion pass in a 41-14 win over UNLV. The punt return for a touchdown was the Cowboys’ first since 2004 and the first in the Mountain West this season.
Sun Belt
Offense: Kolton Browning, QB, ULM. Went 23-of-31 for 275 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Troy. He also added 33 yards on nine carries on the ground to top the 300-yard mark in total offense.
Defense: Lance Kelly, LB, ULL. Had a game-high eight tackles, a tackle-for-loss, a fumble recovery, a pass break-up and an interception in a win over North Texas.
Special Teams: Mitchell Bailey, RB, ULM. After ULM took a 15-10 lead on Troy late in the third quarter, Bailey forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff that the Warhawks recovered on the 17-yard line. Two plays later, Browning threw a touchdown pass to Colby Harper to stretch the ULM lead and the Warhawks never looked back.
WAC
Offense: Chandler Jones, WR, San Jose State. Scored three touchdowns three different ways in a 28-27 win over Hawaii. He scored on a 20-yard reverse, off a fumbled kick return, and caught a 37-yard pass with 36 seconds remaining to win. Jones came into the game with just one career touchdown.
Defense: Khalid Wooten, CB, Nevada. Recorded six tackles, forced two fumbles and intercepted a pass in a 49-7 win over New Mexico.
Special teams: Travis Johnson, DE, San Jose State. Blocked two kicks in San Jose State’s win over Hawaii. One was on an extra-point attempt, which was picked up and returned by Duke Ihenacho for the Spartans’ first-ever 2-point defensive PAT. He also blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt with 3:22 remaining.
BYU COUGARS
Record: 4-2
Year 1 as an independent has been a bit clunkier than maybe the Cougars envisioned. With a new offensive coordinator and nearly every starter returning, it was easy to believe the Cougars would return to their days of old and put up points left and right. But the offense has struggled in many of the same ways it struggled last season. Jake Heaps never looked comfortable running the new offense, and was pulled during the Utah State game. Riley Nelson took over, keyed a comeback and has regained his starting job. None of the playmakers that were projected to emerge have done so. The leading receiver, Cody Hoffman, has 258 yards total. The running game also has struggled, as the Cougars rank No. 98 in the nation. In all, BYU is No. 101 in the country in scoring offense and has failed to score over 30 points this season. The low point game in Week 3 against in-state rival Utah. BYU lost 54-10 and turned the ball over seven times -- three of them by Heaps. Has the problem been Brandon Doman calling the plays? Heaps not getting the job done? The offensive line struggling? The defense has played well for the most part. In fact, if it were not for the defense, BYU would have lost to Ole Miss to start the season. If it were not for special teams, the Cougars may have very well lost to UCF, too. So many questions remain as the Cougars hit the second half of the season with some tough games remaining. This may not have been the start fans wanted to see, but BYU is still trying to feel its way in this brand new world.
Offensive MVP: QB Riley Nelson. I am going all unconventional here and going with a player who has gotten into one and a half games. Why? Because he has more touchdowns (five) than anybody else on the team and provided a spark to a pretty poor offense. Name me somebody else who has played well on offense this season. Didn't think so.
Defensive MVP: LB Kyle Van Noy. Van Noy has been everywhere for the Cougars, ranking second on the team with 28 tackles. He also has a sack, two interceptions, two quarterback hurries and that all important fumble recovery in the end zone to give BYU a 14-13 win over Ole Miss.
Record: 4-2
Year 1 as an independent has been a bit clunkier than maybe the Cougars envisioned. With a new offensive coordinator and nearly every starter returning, it was easy to believe the Cougars would return to their days of old and put up points left and right. But the offense has struggled in many of the same ways it struggled last season. Jake Heaps never looked comfortable running the new offense, and was pulled during the Utah State game. Riley Nelson took over, keyed a comeback and has regained his starting job. None of the playmakers that were projected to emerge have done so. The leading receiver, Cody Hoffman, has 258 yards total. The running game also has struggled, as the Cougars rank No. 98 in the nation. In all, BYU is No. 101 in the country in scoring offense and has failed to score over 30 points this season. The low point game in Week 3 against in-state rival Utah. BYU lost 54-10 and turned the ball over seven times -- three of them by Heaps. Has the problem been Brandon Doman calling the plays? Heaps not getting the job done? The offensive line struggling? The defense has played well for the most part. In fact, if it were not for the defense, BYU would have lost to Ole Miss to start the season. If it were not for special teams, the Cougars may have very well lost to UCF, too. So many questions remain as the Cougars hit the second half of the season with some tough games remaining. This may not have been the start fans wanted to see, but BYU is still trying to feel its way in this brand new world.
Offensive MVP: QB Riley Nelson. I am going all unconventional here and going with a player who has gotten into one and a half games. Why? Because he has more touchdowns (five) than anybody else on the team and provided a spark to a pretty poor offense. Name me somebody else who has played well on offense this season. Didn't think so.
Defensive MVP: LB Kyle Van Noy. Van Noy has been everywhere for the Cougars, ranking second on the team with 28 tackles. He also has a sack, two interceptions, two quarterback hurries and that all important fumble recovery in the end zone to give BYU a 14-13 win over Ole Miss.
Is there a QB controversy at BYU?
October, 4, 2011
10/04/11
11:30
AM ET
By
Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com
Icon SMIAfter Riley Nelson (left) led BYU's comeback Friday, could Jake Heaps be out at quarterback?Uninspired.
Enter Riley Nelson.
Improbably, Nelson led a fourth-quarter charge to rally the Cougars from an 11-point deficit to the 27-24 win Friday night. It was Nelson who began last season as the starter, in name only. He split time with Jake Heaps -- until going down for the season with a shoulder injury against Florida State.
That gave Heaps the opportunity to win the starting job. He played well at the end of last season, and he was anointed the starter headed into 2011 without any real quarterback competition. But Heaps struggled in four-plus games, completing 54 percent of his passes and throwing more interceptions (five) than touchdowns (three).
Heaps was billed as the quarterback of the future. But watching Nelson run and pass his way to a win now means there could be a developing quarterback controversy for coach Bronco Mendenhall to address. He will not announce a starter until at least Thursday.
"Both quarterbacks were, I think, effective," Mendenhall said. "Jake continues to grow and mature and I think he throws the ball extremely well. I think he is going to be a fantastic quarterback. When Riley came in, the analogy I used was it was like our game against Texas. You have to defend a completely different style of quarterback with mobility that has the quarterback run option and it took Utah State a while to adjust to that. How best we will use our quarterback remains to be seen."
Heaps did not appear all that effective against Utah State, going 11-of-25 for 107 yards before being benched in the third quarter.
Nelson accounted for 206 yards of total offense in four drives, going 10-of-14 for 144 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 62 rushing yards on 11 carries.
"He’s someone who has been told you can't do something his whole life. Either he is too short or not a typical quarterback or many other things," Mendenhall said. "He started his career not highly recruited, went to Utah State and then transferred to BYU. He has even been told here and even I had the opinion he isn’t a prototypical BYU quarterback. I think he uses that as a motivator to have a very strong self-concept. He is just a football player and doesn’t consider himself only as a quarterback."
Mendenhall has a tough decision to make. But rest assured, he is not going to use a two-quarterback system again after seeing how it failed last season.
"I don’t think that it’s ideal," he said. "We saw that it was hard to get in a rhythm when alternating series. There is potential that when it is a game like Utah State that we think there is a quarterback change that can give us a lift might be a possibility. I wouldn’t see it going series-by-series, quarter-by-quarter or anything like that. We name a starter and go for a while and hopefully that’s working if not we make adjustments."
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