PROVO — BYU fans are enjoying the beginning of the Tanner Mangum era, but there's a catch that will eventually work itself to the forefront: injured quarterback Taysom Hill still faces a decision for next year.

A likely candidate for a medical redshirt, Hill could return for another go at BYU, or he could declare for the NFL draft. Hill might also transfer and play his senior season for another school, though. The general thinking of the latter argument is that he could transfer so coaches and players wouldn't have the difficult task of choosing between him and Tanner Mangum as the quarterback and leader of the team. If Hill does come back, who do the Cougars start in 2016?

Here are arguments for both players as the starting signal caller.

The case for starting Hill in 2016

Hill was a Heisman Trophy candidate this year, and came into his senior year with a lot of buzz. BYU Heisman winner Ty Detmer said before the season that Hill had a good chance of bringing home some hardware. Mangum has played well overall in relief of Hill but few had Mangum as a serious Heisman contender. While Mangum's development will most likely continue well into next year, how can you not start someone as dynamic and experienced as Hill?

Unless you're Ohio State, you don't bench Heisman candidates.

Hill is a proven dual threat

In his first full season as starting quarterback in 2013, Hill shattered every BYU rushing record for quarterbacks. His running ability was on full display on national TV against 15th-ranked Texas. In that game, the dynamic signal caller racked up 257 rushing yards. The performance was enough to make Texas fire its defensive coordinator the next day. However, it was also blatantly apparent in that contest that Hill had a long way to go as a passer. After the first three games of the 2013 season, Hill was completing under 40 percent of his passes. Though he showed glimpses of being able to beat teams with his arm, the passing game struggled through much of the season.

Last year, Hill showed marked progress in his decision-making and passing accuracy in the first four games. Before getting hurt, the young quarterback was looking like a legitimate dual threat. In the first half against Nebraska, Hill looked even better as a passer than he did in 2014. Having a dual-threat at the helm of the offense puts a lot of pressure on opposing defenses. Had he played in the Michigan game, for example, the Wolverines would not have been able to play man-press as much because Hill would have run all over them. While Mangum has had a lot of success thus far, he is not a major threat with his legs. The Cougar offense can beat teams in more ways with Hill at the helm.

Hill didn't lose his job because of performance

Mangum did not take over the fourth quarter against Nebraska because Hill was struggling. Mangum came in because Hill was seriously injured. It is not Hill's fault he got hurt. His injury was a freakish thing that happened in a non-contact setting. Hill did not foolishly try to run over a linebacker, and the injury did not happen due to a lack of conditioning. It's not fair to Hill to lose his job because of something outside of his control. The Cougars should give him the opportunity to finish his senior season if he wants.

The case for starting Mangum in 2016

It's not Mangum's fault Hill got injured

Just as it was not Hill's fault he sustained a serious injury, it is also not Mangum's fault. Mangum did not put a hex on Hill or ask someone to take him out. To bench Mangum so that Hill can play would be unfair to the freshman. Mangum has not done anything wrong. He has come into a difficult position and has played very well.

Starting Hill next year would stunt Mangum's progress, and it cannot be realistically asked of him to be happy about sitting on the bench after doing nothing but playing outstanding football.

Mangum has rare arm talent

In his short stint as the starting quarterback, Mangum has drawn favorable comparisons to former BYU quarterbacks. While he may have elements of all the previous greats, it's possible that there has not been a combination of mental makeup and arm talent since Jim McMahon. The biggest difference, obviously, is that Mangum is polite, and head coach Bronco Mendenhall does not have to worry about what he's doing on the weekends. The fact is, though, that like McMahon, Mangum can absolutely sling the ball around. His form and quick release are textbook examples of what a quarterback is supposed to look like.

While Hill has made considerable progress in his passing abilities, Mangum has once-in-a-generation arm talent. With some more seasoning, Mangum has the potential to break all kind of passing records.

This is Mangum's team now

Coming into this season, there was absolutely no question Hill was the leader of the team. He was unanimously voted as the offensive captain of the team. When he got hurt, however, that mantle fell upon Mangum. Cougar players attest that Mangum was an instant leader when Hill went down and that this is his team now. This bond between Mangum and his teammates will only grow stronger as the season progresses. If Hill does come back next year, it could potentially be divisive as the team might have split loyalties.

Selfishly, I would love for Hill to come back because he is the most exciting player I've seen in Provo since Luke Staley. However, after the performances Mangum has put together, it would be hard to justify benching him. As much as I love Hill, it may be time for him to pursue other avenues.

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Dylan Cannon is a regular KSL.com contributor and can be reached at DylanCannon86@gmail.com or via twitter @DylanCannon11. Listen to his weekly podcast, "Cougar Talk," on YouTube.

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