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Saturday, December 18, 2010

Heaps will compete for his job, but will Anae?


Last week Bronco Mendenhall announced that Jake Heaps would be competing for his starting job next spring, despite performing outstandingly in his last few starts. Will he apply the same pressure on offensive coordinator Robert Anae?

Most of Jake Heaps's early struggles can be attributed to the offensive coaching staff. First, the infamous quarterback controversy left BYU fans scratching their heads and Jake Heaps without enough reps to feel comfortable at the helm. The team wasn't comfortable, either. The offensive line was blocking for an option QB one series and a pocket passer the next. Receivers were blocking down field and catching softly thrown balls for one series and catching rockets the next. The entire team was off-kilter and everyone knew it. Except Anae.

When Heaps was finally handed the reigns (due to injury, not smart coaching) he was expected to throw 45 times in his first start and 55 times in his next. Anae, in typical bipolar fashion, called 22 passing plays and 66 running in a narrow win against SDSU.
Don't even get me started with the call-playing blunders against Utah. Bleacher Report's Scott Lambson chronicled that debacle here.

Long story short, without Anae's indecision, bipolar approach, and mistrust in Heaps, the Cougars could have 8 or 9 wins this season. With a bright new future and opportunities on the horizon, there have got to be qualified OCs lining up for the BYU job. Bronco needs to put the same pressure on Robert Anae that he has applied to Jake Heaps to keep his job.

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