Nelson lead three solid drives before the game was through. Two of those drives ended in touchdown passes. The third appeared to be on the same path but ended in a DiLuigi fumble near the red (blue) zone. The point is, Nelson was clearly able to move the ball down the field, something Heaps seemed to be struggling with earlier in the game, passing for a mere 11/25 and 107 yards.
So the big question now at the hands of the BYU coaches is what to do at the quarterback spot. Do you bench Jake Heaps and let him redshirt during Nelson's senior season? It appears that's what many fans think should happen. However, this might not be the best thing for the team. Nelson still may not be the best quarterback. There are a few reasons why Nelson's stellar performance against Utah State may not carry into future games.
First, Utah State's defense was daring our quarterbacks to run. Brandon Doman noticed it before he put Nelson in. We know this because Heaps carried the ball on three designed quarterback runs. Albeit, two of those were sneaks, the third was a wide open hole that would have gone for a touchdown if Heaps was more of a runner. If the fans could see this, obviously, Doman could too. Therefore, he knew that having a Nelson type quarterback to run those plays would work...and it did. Nelson finished the game with 62 yards rushing, most of which came on the game winning drive.
Secondly, Nelson was playing against his former team. Since transferring to BYU, I can only imagine the anticipation that has been building in Nelson to play Utah State. Moreover, last season, he was injured and had to watch his team get trampled while he sat helpless on the sideline. I think the motivation was there and Nelson was going to whatever it took to beat Utah State.
Speaking of motivation, the third and final contributor to Nelson's success may very well be the bottled up aggression he has had since a hot shot freshman stole his starting job last year. In 2009, Nelson was Max Hall's back up and presumably the starter for the 2010 season until Jake Heaps showed up with his national press conference. That's enough motivation for anyone to come out and play better than they ever have before.
The challenging aspect to all of these points is that none are sustainable from a long term perspective. Not all teams are going to open up the middle for our quarterback the way Utah State did. They were preparing for a non-mobile Jake Heaps. When Riley Nelson showed up, it just took too long for them to adjust. Now that Nelson is on film, other teams will have to at least respect the fact that we can use him and will prepare accordingly.
The motivational factors of Nelson's former team speaks for itself as BYU does not play any other former teams of Nelson. Trying to prove himself against the younger Heaps may give Nelson motivation for a small period of time, but like the other two will not be sustainable over time.
So if Bronco Mendenhall and Brandon Doman elect to go with Nelson, I presume that we would see a great showing in the next game with the following performances tapering off until we see the same Riley Nelson of last year. Remember how the crowd and media were calling for Heaps.
This is not to say that I don't think Nelson is a competitor and a relatively good quarterback. I saw visible signs of improvement from last year. His short to medium range passes looked much improved. Also, I was very happy to see that his "run first" play style has diminished. It seemed, last year, he would only pass if the run/scramble wasn't open. Nelson did a great job of staying in the pocket and making plays not only with his feet but also through the air.
However, it is clear from Nelson's pass to McKay Jacobson on the final drive of the game that his arm strength just isn't there. Even in his post game interview, he said that it was more of a prayer than a targeted throw.
So, if you are the BYU coaching staff, what do you do?
The best option for BYU at this point is to continue with Jake Heaps as the starter and the "main" quarterback. However, Riley Nelson's role should be increased as determined by the in-game situations. BYU can't continue only using Nelson on every 4th and two. Let him play in a short yardage situation and then keep him in the game to throw a quick pass on the next play. Keep the defenses on their toes. Right now, the defenses know that Riley comes into the game on 4th down and always runs an option left. This cannot go on for BYU to be successful.
Riley Nelson may not have the talent to be the starting quarterback, but he has proven that he is more than the 4th down quarterback. He has the skill to move the ball and be an integral part of the a dynamic BYU offense. If used correctly, the combination of Jake Heaps and Riley Nelson could leave every defense left on the schedule shaking their heads ask what just happened to them.
