Bronco, at least in my time there, always chose the scout team quarterback. We would make recommendations to him for a guy to get extra work, but it’s not about getting a guy extra reps or experience. It had everything to do with what Bronco wanted for that scout team offense. – Former BYU offensive coordinator Brandon Doman said.
Isn’t it always about the quarterbacks?
In this case, nothing has changed in the last year at BYU, Utah or Utah State.
In Provo, it remains the story.
Call it Taysom Hill insurance. It’s not a Lloyd’s of London thing.
One prime goal of BYU football coaches this summer was to find a suitable backup quarterback to Taysom Hill. It appears freshman Tanner Mangum has the handle on that job.
Check.
Now it’s on to another critical decision when the Cougars begin preparation for the season opener at Nebraska: Who is going to be the scout team quarterback? This role is huge because that guy will be the focal point of testing, challenging and preparing Bronco Mendenhall’s defense on a daily basis. He can’t have a weak look. He has to be a baller, competitive, tough and go out with a chip on his shoulder every day.
As advertised, Mangum came to camp with a rocket arm. He’s accurate, heady and a gym rat like John Beck. Mangum breaks everything down from the grass up.
Senior receiver Kurt Henderson remembers the spring before Mangum left on his LDS mission just over two years ago and how he was intensely serious about football.
“I love Tanner, every bit about him,” said Henderson.
“We were close before his mission, right about when I walked on. I remember walking in the indoor practice facility where we spent a lot of time. I came in at 11 at night and he had a row of chairs lined up and he was dropping back and throwing at chairs some 30 to 40 yards out.
“I mean he has the accolades but just who he is as a person, he has a presence about him. He’s out there building a team around him, building an offense, and it’s contagious. That’s what’s great about having a backup quarterback like Christian Stewart and a guy like Tanner. When he’s in, we know he’s going to sling it and we love it.”
Former BYU offensive coordinator Brandon Doman knows the value of scout team players, particularly quarterbacks. He called Alex Kuresa an “awesome” example of a guy who prepared the Cougar defense. “So was Max Hall.”
Freshman Beau Hoge is a dual threat QB who has bulk and strength and could land the third spot behind Mangum. He could also give BYU’s defense a test as a scout team guy. Freshman Koy Detmer Jr. has shown a talent for making plays and placing passes in positions receivers favor. Detmer could be called upon to take on that role.
The thing about being a scout team QB, says Doman, is that he gets so many repetitions his opportunities to grow and progress fast are greatly increased.
This was evident with Snow College transfer Stewart, who took over for Billy Green when defensive coordinator Nick Howell needed a stronger QB look in practices two years ago. Howell nominated Stewart, who ended up being BYU’s starter midway through 2014.
“Bronco, at least in my time there, always chose the scout team quarterback. We would make recommendations to him for a guy to get extra work, but it’s not about getting a guy extra reps or experience. It had everything to do with what Bronco wanted for that scout team offense,” said Doman.
“They want to be sure that the quarterback gives the defense the best look possible. If the defense wanted Christian Stewart, they were going to get Christian Stewart. It’s no different when playing Air Force getting Matt Marshall or somebody like him back there so they could get a definitive look.
“I think the opportunity to go against live bullets in a competitive atmosphere is big. It’s assimilating game speed in a game environment so the defense can prepare. That scout quarterback gets game-like repetition Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday so he progresses really fast.”
Who will be BYU’s version of Nebraska’s Tommy Armstrong Jr. when Cornhusker prep begins next week?
Stay tuned.
It’s a big decision.
The Mangum situation was easy.
Dick Harmon, Deseret News sports columnist, can be found on Twitter as Harmonwrites and can be contacted at dharmon@desnews.com.