Much has been said about BYU sophomore quarterback Jake Heaps, the majority not so nice. The general issue many have with Heaps is that with all this talent, and a rocket arm to go with it, his maturity level is that of, well, a teenager.
For a school accustomed to kids who go on two-year church missions, and come back to BYU as grown men ready to take on Division I competition, let alone the world, Heaps is an anomaly to say the least.
This season has proven exponentially difficult for the communications major from Issaquah, a sleepy little suburb outside of Seattle, Washington.
What was once his program, his team and his guys earlier this season has literally proven to be a complete nightmare for him going forward. Heaps was the wonder child, the heir apparent, the sure-fire NFL draft pick who could do no wrong.
BYU administration coddled him like a newborn, swaddling him in public relations briefings, and they indoctrinated him into the outside world with coach speak.
It was all too much for this golden arm, and he snapped. At a press conference, in front of the same world that had bequeathed him with the title of the chosen one, Heaps made silly predictions he couldn't back up.
Now, he's on the outside looking in, and local media anxiously waits to see what his next step will be.
Heaps also has an interesting choice he must make on the playing field, which he'll finally see again thanks to an injury to Junior riley Nelson.
Knowing his only competition at the position, or Nelson, is out with two broken ribs and a collapsed lung, does Heaps play as hard as he can in what NBA players would refer to as a “contract year”?
Doing so would give Heaps an opportunity to show other Division I schools that he can still play at a fairly high level--though it’s likely most might see him as damaged goods.
It’s painfully obvious that BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall sees little, if any value in having Heaps start--if Nelson is healthy.
When asked if Nelson would start as soon as he was healthy again--the conservative estimate is four weeks--BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall simply replied, “He would.”
That kind of ringing endorsement for Nelson must do wonders for Heaps’ already fragile confidence. You also must wonder if anybody is paying attention to the mess Bronco might be causing down in Provo.
Or, is the current schedule of Cougar opposition so weak that nobody really cares who is playing quarterback?
For all anybody knows--and nobody is saying a word--Heaps may be counting down the minutes and plays anyway, before he puts in for a transfer. To rub a little more salt into the wound, Mendenhall hinted that Nelson could be back “as early as Hawaii [on December 3].”
There is no question that Nelson provided a different kind of dynamic on the field. The Utah State transfer has scrambling ability and he simply guts out wins.
On the other hand, Nelson's play can be risky at times, and his recklessness may have played a part in his injury, which Mendenhall explained thusly:
“There was basically what is called a multiple pneumothorax, which the severity of the blow hits you, so hard that air escapes the lung, goes into the body cavity and then the lung collapse, about 30 percent of the lung was collapsed. They put a tube in, sucked the air out so the lung can re-expand,” said Mendenhall.
The air has literally been sucked from a fan base wondering if this WAC-ky schedule, filled with opponents that play in home stadiums that hold one-third the capacity of LaVell's Place, actually means anything.
Sure, winning these games computes to a bowl game, but when you know where you're going--and it's not a tropical destination--it must be hard to get too excited about beating Idaho.
Heaps' dilemma here is unique: he still has two more years of eligibility remaining, and he is touted as NFL material. The problem is, no professional team in its right mind would give Heaps a guaranteed contract in his current state of being.
His fans probably hope he just plays the games the right way--on and off the field--against New Mexico State and Hawaii--and red shirts next season. But is it in Heaps' best interest to redshirt, and does that make his current coaches happy but not necessarily him?
Of course, should Heaps choose to transfer to Division I school, he would lose the opportunity to play next season--so redshirting may not be his worst option.
Nelson only has one more year of eligibility to use next season, and Heaps would still have two years.
But is the current system in place at BYU best for a player with Heaps' throwing ability? That’s what his coach may be hoping for, because he did throw out a small vine for his embattled star at his press conference.
Keep in mind, it took Heaps just one game to surpass Nelson in total passing yardage--though Heaps has 90 more pass attempts--and his passer rating was better than Nelson's in the 42-7 win against Idaho.
Does that mean Mendenhall is convinced? Not completely, but he likes what he sees. At any rate, it must be hard knowing Heaps has someone breathing down his neck--and it's not Nelson.
“Jake has a great opportunity, and I am not sure it is a matter of trust, I think it is just a matter of continuing to play with poise and maturity and increased confidence in leading our team,“ said Mendenhall. “Jake much like Riley a year ago had the more difficult schedule to begin with. Now he has a chance to re-surge and I would expect to see him do it now after seeing him have an increased level of leadership, excitement, execution and to really demonstrate not only to the team but everyone around BYU football to remind them just how capable he really is."
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