BYU football: Cougars will face numerous senior QBs during the 2010 football season
By Deseret News
PROVO ? While BYU's quarterback situation is unsettled, the Cougar defense will face a string of opposing QBs who are talented and experienced this fall.
The first month of the season, BYU takes on Washington's Jake Locker, Air Force's Tim Jefferson, Florida State's Christian Ponder and Nevada's Colin Kaepernick. Later, the Cougars go up against TCU's Andy Dalton, the 2009 Mountain West Conference offensive player of the year.
Locker, Ponder, Kaepernick and Dalton have plenty in common. They're all seniors, they're all on the 2010 Davey O'Brien Quarterback Watch List, they're all regarded as Heisman Trophy candidates, and they're all projected to be picked in next April's NFL draft.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper has declared that Locker will be the first overall pick of the 2011 draft. Several mock drafts have Ponder going in the second round.
"That's one thing that caught my attention looking at our schedule ? quarterback after quarterback after quarterback," said Cougar senior safety Andrew Rich. "Those teams we play early in the season have very, very good quarterbacks who can run and throw. That's going to prepare us down the road when we have to play Andy Dalton and some of these quarterbacks in our league that can run."
In 2009, Kaepernick became the first player in NCAA history to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
Starting in October, BYU will square off against more proven quarterbacks ? Utah State's Diondre Borel, San Diego State's Ryan Lindley, TCU's Dalton, Wyoming's Austyn Carta-Samuels and UNLV's Omar Clayton. The Cougars close out the season against Utah sophomore Jordan Wynn.
"It's going to be a challenge," Rich said. "But it's the way we like it."
Last season, BYU had mixed results against standout quarterbacks. The Cougars opened the year against reigning Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford. Cougar linebacker Coleby Clawson knocked Bradford out of the game with a shoulder injury just before halftime and BYU went on to upset the Sooners, 14-13.
Bradford missed most of the rest of the season but still became the top overall pick by the St. Louis Rams in last April's NFL draft.
Two weeks after the Cougars' win over Oklahoma, Ponder engineered a 54-28 victory over BYU in Provo. Dalton enjoyed similar success at LaVell Edwards Stadium, throwing for 241 yards and guiding TCU to a 38-7 win in October.
Rich is confident in this year's defense.
"We have a good secondary. We're hoping to stay healthy. I think we'll surprise some teams," he said.
"We have Brian Logan and Brandon Bradley, who I consider to be two of the top cornerbacks in the conference. They're good players and good guys. That's why they're successful. They work hard. It's comforting to have cornerbacks like that who can make plays. It takes a lot of pressure off of the safeties, for sure."
Last week, coach Bronco Mendenhall announced that reserve cornerback Lee Aguirre will sit out this fall for academic reasons. Still, the Cougars enjoy depth at that position, with Corby Eason and Robbie Buckner backing up Logan and Bradley.
Rich is excited for the arrival of junior college transfer DeQuan Everett.
"I've met him a couple of times and watched film on him. He's a good player," he said. "He's long, tall and can run. From what I've seen, he can make a lot of plays.
"I think he's going to come in and get on the field right away. That's why we're bringing a JC guy in. I'm excited to see DeQuan in action. Hopefully, we can teach him the defense fast.
"
QUARTERBACK CHALLENGE
BYU's defense will be tested this season with games against some of the nation's top quarterbacks. (Stats listed below are for the 2009 season.)
Opponent.....Class.....Passing yds.....Rushing yds.....TDs
Jake Locker.....Washington.....Sr......2,800.....388.....28
Christian Ponder.....Florida State.....Sr......2,717.....179.....16
Colin Kaepernick.....Nevada.....Sr......2,052.....1,183.....36
Andy Dalton.....TCU.....Sr......2,756.....512.....26
By Deseret News
PROVO ? While BYU's quarterback situation is unsettled, the Cougar defense will face a string of opposing QBs who are talented and experienced this fall.
The first month of the season, BYU takes on Washington's Jake Locker, Air Force's Tim Jefferson, Florida State's Christian Ponder and Nevada's Colin Kaepernick. Later, the Cougars go up against TCU's Andy Dalton, the 2009 Mountain West Conference offensive player of the year.
Locker, Ponder, Kaepernick and Dalton have plenty in common. They're all seniors, they're all on the 2010 Davey O'Brien Quarterback Watch List, they're all regarded as Heisman Trophy candidates, and they're all projected to be picked in next April's NFL draft.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper has declared that Locker will be the first overall pick of the 2011 draft. Several mock drafts have Ponder going in the second round.
"That's one thing that caught my attention looking at our schedule ? quarterback after quarterback after quarterback," said Cougar senior safety Andrew Rich. "Those teams we play early in the season have very, very good quarterbacks who can run and throw. That's going to prepare us down the road when we have to play Andy Dalton and some of these quarterbacks in our league that can run."
In 2009, Kaepernick became the first player in NCAA history to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
Starting in October, BYU will square off against more proven quarterbacks ? Utah State's Diondre Borel, San Diego State's Ryan Lindley, TCU's Dalton, Wyoming's Austyn Carta-Samuels and UNLV's Omar Clayton. The Cougars close out the season against Utah sophomore Jordan Wynn.
"It's going to be a challenge," Rich said. "But it's the way we like it."
Last season, BYU had mixed results against standout quarterbacks. The Cougars opened the year against reigning Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford. Cougar linebacker Coleby Clawson knocked Bradford out of the game with a shoulder injury just before halftime and BYU went on to upset the Sooners, 14-13.
Bradford missed most of the rest of the season but still became the top overall pick by the St. Louis Rams in last April's NFL draft.
Two weeks after the Cougars' win over Oklahoma, Ponder engineered a 54-28 victory over BYU in Provo. Dalton enjoyed similar success at LaVell Edwards Stadium, throwing for 241 yards and guiding TCU to a 38-7 win in October.
Rich is confident in this year's defense.
"We have a good secondary. We're hoping to stay healthy. I think we'll surprise some teams," he said.
"We have Brian Logan and Brandon Bradley, who I consider to be two of the top cornerbacks in the conference. They're good players and good guys. That's why they're successful. They work hard. It's comforting to have cornerbacks like that who can make plays. It takes a lot of pressure off of the safeties, for sure."
Last week, coach Bronco Mendenhall announced that reserve cornerback Lee Aguirre will sit out this fall for academic reasons. Still, the Cougars enjoy depth at that position, with Corby Eason and Robbie Buckner backing up Logan and Bradley.
Rich is excited for the arrival of junior college transfer DeQuan Everett.
"I've met him a couple of times and watched film on him. He's a good player," he said. "He's long, tall and can run. From what I've seen, he can make a lot of plays.
"I think he's going to come in and get on the field right away. That's why we're bringing a JC guy in. I'm excited to see DeQuan in action. Hopefully, we can teach him the defense fast.
"
QUARTERBACK CHALLENGE
BYU's defense will be tested this season with games against some of the nation's top quarterbacks. (Stats listed below are for the 2009 season.)
Opponent.....Class.....Passing yds.....Rushing yds.....TDs
Jake Locker.....Washington.....Sr......2,800.....388.....28
Christian Ponder.....Florida State.....Sr......2,717.....179.....16
Colin Kaepernick.....Nevada.....Sr......2,052.....1,183.....36
Andy Dalton.....TCU.....Sr......2,756.....512.....26
