The QB Battle

I have been asked several times if I'm on Team Jacob or Team Edward, er, Riley.  Apparently they are both doing very well.  They go back and forth.  Riley Nelson looks in total command at times.  Jake Heaps can throw the seams off the ball.  I digress, here are my thoughts:

1) I think Riley's mobility and experience gives BYU a better chance to win against aggressive, fast, blitzing defenses: Florida State, TCU, and Utah.  Jake's pure passing skills give BYU a better chance against most of the other teams on the schedule that would be good enough to beat them: Washington, Nevada, and Utah State.  Whether or not BYU beats Air Force will depend on BYU's defense, not on the QB situation.  BYU should beat CSU, Wyoming, New Mexico, SDSU, and UNLV, regardless of which one plays.
Just looking at it that way, I'd play Riley Nelson.  BYU could beat Nevada and Utah State with Riley, but I don't think BYU can beat Florida State or TCU with Jake.  That is not a knock on Jake, it's just that those two defenses will do things that a true freshman won't have any idea what to do with.  Most of the great collegiate QBs weren't even any good as freshmen.  I don't see why Jake Heaps would be immune to that.  (By the Utah game, he would have gained enough experience that this wouldn't necessarily be true anymore.)

2) BYU's offense relies on a precision passer who can distribute the ball all over the field.  Jake can make all of the throws, including the deep out and the bomb (the two throws that Max Hall couldn't make).  Riley is more of a short throw, dink and dunk, kind of guy.  With a typical BYU receiving group, that is fine.  But this group has speed, size, and hands.  BYU has to play Jake Heaps with this group of WRs/TEs/RBs and with their style of offense.

3) BYU cannot play two QBs equally.  The only two-QB system that has ever worked successfully was Chris Leak and Tim Tebow.  The thrower, Leak, was the starter.  The runner, Tebow, came in on 3rd down and goalline situations.  The thrower got the majority of the snaps.  The runner never got entire series, only situational plays.  That's the only way it CAN work.  The thrower needs to get in rhythm, and he can't get that when he's splitting time.  The runner just needs his number called on play one so he can take a shot and get those juices flowing.  BYU has to play Jake Heaps.

4) I cannot think of the last team to win the MWC with a QB who wasn't at least in his third year in college football.  Alex Smith was a redshirt sophomore when he led Utah to their first MWC championship.  Max Hall is the only other sophomore I could come up with, and he had a redshirt, a transfer, and a mission.  The rest have all been juniors and seniors.  Experience counts for a lot in the MWC when it comes to the QB position.  If BYU wants to compete for a conference title THIS year, they have to play Riley Nelson.

Since I obviously cannot decide, here is how I would play it out: Riley Nelson gets the start against Washington.  Jake Heaps takes the first series or two of the second half.  Against Air Force, Heaps takes the first two series of the second half.  Maybe you extend it to three, maybe you even give him a first half possession (not in a two-minute situation).  At Florida State, Heaps takes no more than 3 series.  Starting with the Nevada game, assuming Nelson hasn't gone 3-0, you can transition Heaps to the starting role by giving him the first and third quarters.  At Utah State, you can give Jake a two-minute drive, assuming you have the ball at the end of the first half.  By Wyoming (read: after TCU), Jake Heaps is the starter with Riley Nelson taking third down and shorts and all "and goal" plays (first and goal, etc.).
Because I can't decide, that is how I would play it.  Then again, the coaches are watching these kids practice every day.  They see how the team responds to them, they see things beyond the stats, and they know all of the strengths and weaknesses of each player.  I am just doing a theoretical exercise based on historical precedent, offensive style, and the reports I hear on the QBs from people that are watching them.  Also, I am guessing that 5 or 6 games into the season, there will be a disparity in level of play on the field and it will become evident whom to start.  However, to answer the original question: I'm on team Jake-ley...