Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes
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BYU's quarterback situation took center stage at head football coach Bronco Mendenhall's weekly press conference Monday morning, with Mendenhall saying he is "not ready to name a starter yet; most likely won't do so until the end of the week."
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Junior backup Riley Nelson took over for sophomore starter Jake Heaps with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter of BYU's home game with Utah State, and was the catalyst in the Cougars' 27-24 comeback win--a win that was secured when Nelson capped a 96-yard drive on a touchdown pass with only 11 seconds remaining in the game.
"Both quarterbacks were, I think, effective," said Mendenhall.
"Jake continues to grow and mature, throws the ball extremely well, and I think he's going to be a fantastic quarterback."
"When Riley came in (v. USU)...you're defending a completely different style of quarterback, with mobility, with some quarterback run options. It took Utah State a while to adjust to that."
"How best we'll use our quarterbacks will remain to be seen...I probably won't announce a starting quarterback, at least publicly, until maybe Thursday."
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You can hear the entirety of Mendenhall's press conference and player interviews with CB Corby Eason, S Travis Uale, C Terence Brown and TE Austin Holt in "Cougar Cuts," above left, or at the "Cougar Cuts" podcast page.
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A reporter posited that "candid" player comments after the USU game seemed to indicate that certain players were "playing harder" after Nelson entered the game.
"I don't think they did play harder," said Mendenhall, nor did I see it on film."
"I think they were supportive of any player out there trying as hard as he could, and quarterback position is one--the way Riley plays it, when he starts running the football, things like that--I think that was just something they were excited about."
"I don't think they support one any more than the other, nor should they. We have two really good quarterbacks, and we've won a lot of games with Jake as well."
"Maybe the momentum, maybe the plays we were making on both sides of the ball, maybe (they were) sort of alluding to that, but I wouldn't read to much into whatever (postgame) comments were made."
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About the prospect of playing both quarterbacks moving forward, Mendenhall said "I don't think it's ideal."
"I'm not ruling out playing both quarterbacks, but (it's) hard to get into a rhythm and a routine, especially if you're alternating series, things like that."
"I wouldn't see (any rotation) going series by series, I wouldn't see it going quarter by quarter, I wouldn't see it going like that. I think it would be: we name a starter, we go for a while and hopefully that's working well, and if not--and if for some reason they've adjusted to that style--then we might be able to complement it and finish with another (QB)."
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Asked if there could be a positive to Heaps "sitting and watching," Mendenhall said "sure."
"One of the main reasons that we started Riley a year ago--if not the main reason--was Riley's poise and experience and leadership, and Jake was a true freshman."
"Certainly, being able to step back, or get a breather, or regroup, so to speak, that might have an effect. Watching someone who plays the position, and plays it really well is always helpful. Whether we choose to do that now with Jake, or not, we'll see."
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As for distribution of quarterback reps during the week, Mendenhall said "it's possible that the reps might start being different based on which way (QB Coach/OC Brandon) Doman is kind of leaning, and especially as his game plan versus San Jose State starts to get set--which way it might go."
"That could happen prior to Thursday, but then the volume of work between Monday and Thursday would kind of solidify how that would come out."
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Mendenhall said after the USU game that he planned to visit with players in the process of coming to the decision on a starting quarterback for the upcoming game.
Asked about that statement, Mendenhall said "to make it clear, this really won't be by committee or anything else...it'll simply be, when I'm talking to players, it's to make sure that they trust my decision, they trust what I do, and then they support whomever."
"It wasn't necessarily asking them to vote, so to speak, it was more 'once the decision is made, make sure they unify and get behind whoever it is.'"
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More from Mendenhall--
On Nelson:
"Riley is a fierce competitor...someone who's been told he can't do things all his life--either too short, or not the typical quarterback type...even I've had the opinion that he's the prototypical-type BYU quarterback. I think he uses that as a motivator."
"He is more of a football player than a quarterback only....sees himself maybe more as a football player-slash-quarterback than maybe quarterback-slash-football player. You'd have to ask him, but (he's) more of a combination off both."
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On gritty nature of his team:
"It seems like we might be coming from behind, we might be stumbling...nothing has come easy yet, and I'm not sure it will for this particular team, we'll see."
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On the playing status LB Jordan Pendleton (ankle) this week:
"I think you'll see him this week, yes."
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On Saturday opponent San Jose State:
"They have a nice running back; (Brandon Rutley) I'm very impressed with...they started with two quarterbacks, but they've settled a little bit more on (QB Matt Faulkner)...throwing and catching the ball pretty well. (Rutley) jumps right out at you. They're skilled and capable. They're well-coached."
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BYU QB Riley Nelson was today honored as FBS Independent Co-Offensive Player of the Week.
At least one BYU player has been honored in four of the season's five weeks.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Week 1 - Navy QB Kriss Proctor, Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd
Week 2 - Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd
Week 3 - Army QB Trent Steelman
Week 4 - Notre Dame TE Tyler Eifert
Week 5 - BYU QB Riley Nelson, Notre Dame RB Cierre Wood
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DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Week 1 - BYU LB Kyle Van Noy
Week 2 - Navy LB Matt Warrick
Week 3 - Notre Dame CB Robert Blanton
Week 4 - BYU LB Kyle Van Noy
Week 5 - Notre Dame LB Manti Te'o
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SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Week 1 - Navy PK Jon Teague
Week 2 - BYU PK Justin Sorensen
Week 3 - Notre Dame KR George Atkinson III
Week 4 - BYU KR/WR Cody Hoffman
Week 5 - Army PK Alex Carlton
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