BYU true freshman QB total yards in debut 1. Tanner Mangum, 260 total yards 309 yards passing, -49 rushing with 3 TDs and 2 turnovers in 35-24 win vs. Boise State on Sept. 12, 2015. 2. Taysom Hill, 255 total yards 112 yards passing and 143 rushing with 3 TDs and 2 turnovers in 47-0 win vs. Hawaii on Sept. 28, 2012. 3. Jake Heaps, 227 total yards 229 yards passing, -2 rushing with no TDs and no turnovers in 27-13 loss vs. Nevada on Sept. 25, 2010. 4. John Beck, 223 total yards 279 yards passing, -56 rushing with 1 TD and 3 turnovers in 18-14 loss vs. Stanford on Sept. 20, 2003. 5. Zach Wilson, 210 total yards 194 yards passing, 16 rushing with 4 TDs and 1 turnover in 49-23 win vs. Hawaii on Oct. 13, 2018. 6. Drew Miller, 189 total yards 226 passing, -37 rushing with 3 turnovers in 14-3 loss at UTEP on Nov. 1, 1997. 7. Joe Critchlow, 158 total yards 160 yards passing, -2 rushing with 1 TD and no turnovers in 31-21 win at UNLV on Nov. 11, 2017.<doc-sep>BYU Football: There’s still plenty to play for in 2018 BYU Football: There’s still plenty to play for in 2018 by Ron Jensen Tanner Mangum has done well so far this year, but not well enough to make up for other holes in the offense. It’s time to give Zach Wilson his shot. This is a complete turnaround for me. Throughout the offseason and the early part of this season I’ve advocated for Tanner Mangum as the starting quarterback. I still don’t put the lion’s share of the offensive woes on his shoulders. But it’s time to give Zach Wilson his chance with this offense. There’s one caveat to this. If Kalani Sitake plans to have Wilson redshirt, and if that redshirt would be an important part of BYU Football’s long-term schedule, then the Cougars should go ahead and ride it out with Mangum. But that’s a big if, especially after last weekend. If Sitake were worried about preserving the redshirt he wouldn’t have put Wilson in for just one drive against Utah State. The Spark The fact is, he did play one series, and it was an impressive one. He drove the Cougars down the field in one of the most impressive drives of the season, culminating in a touchdown. And as Lawless Republic’s Adam Gibby pointed out, he didn’t do it against Utah State’s scrubs. A good number of Aggie starters were still on the field for that drive. They may not have been playing quite as hard with the game already over, but that’s beside the point. Here’s the difference: the whole offense looked energized in that drive. Not only did Wilson make plays, but the whole offense did. Plays like Talon Shumway’s 15-yard diving catch. Or Gunner Romney’s touchdown catch and run. There was a spark on offense, one that hasn’t been there since the trick pass touchdown against Wisconsin. It’s a spark that’s been missing from the offense on a consistent basis for years. Can Wilson replicate that spark consistently? Who knows. But it’s time to find out. Soft Landing And this is the perfect time to give Wilson the reigns. Throwing a brand new quarterback, especially a freshman, into a tough game as their first start is a recipe for disaster. Just look at Beau Hoge last year against Wisconsin. Hawaii isn’t Wisconsin. They give up nearly 30 points per game and more than 250 passing yards per game. It’s a good chance for Wilson to make his first start facing a less-than-stout defense. Then there’s a bye week, a chance to get him more time with the first team in practice, then another home game against Northern Illinois. They’re better than Hawaii defensively, but not by much. They’re still giving up 24 points and 230 yards per game through the air. Of course Boise state looms after that, but Wilson would have two games under his belt to get accustomed to being the starting quarterback at an FBS school. Will Wilson be any better down the stretch than Mangum? Who knows. Mangum has played pretty well so far this season, but he isn’t good enough to make up for the myriad of other deficiencies in the BYU offense. Wilson may not be either, but Mangum has had his chance, and now it’s time for the newcomer to have his. Maybe he’ll give BYU the spark that they’re sorely lacking.<doc-sep>We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.<doc-sep>
BYU Football: There’s still plenty to play for in 2018 BYU Football: There’s still plenty to play for in 2018 by Ron Jensen BYU Football: Grading the first half of the 2018 season BYU Football: Grading the first half of the 2018 season by Shaun Gordon The Salt Lake Tribune’s Jay Drew has reported that freshman Zach Wilson will replace Tanner Mangum at starting quarterback against Hawaii this weekend. For better or worse, the change is coming. According to Jay Drew of the Salt Lake Tribune, freshman Zach Wilson will get his first start for BYU Football when they face off against Hawaii on Friday night. Drew reported that the freshman quarterback will replace Tanner Mangum at starter unless something drastic happens between now and kickoff. If Wilson does get the starting nod, he’ll be the first true freshman to start at quarterback for the Cougars since…Tanner Mangum. Wilson took over as signal caller for BYU during their last drive against Utah State. He led the Cougars in their most impressive drive of the night, culminating in a touchdown pass to fellow freshman Gunner Romney. That was the second game in which Wilson saw action. His first collegiate snaps came against McNeese State. He’s been impressive statistically in his limited time on the field. He’s completed four of his six passes for 64 yards and a touchdown, and he’s run the ball four times for 26 yards. He’s sporting a pass efficiency rating of 211.3, although once against that’s in a very small sample size. Mangum has been steady but unspectacular so far this season. He’s completed 61.5% of his passes for 1,042 yards, with five touchdown passes and three interceptions. His pass efficiency sits at 115.4. As Lawless Republic pointed out on Wednesday, now is the ideal time to make that change. Wilson will face Hawaii’s relatively soft defense, then have two entire weeks with the first team in practice due to next week’s bye. During the last weekend in October he’ll get another relatively easy matchup against Northern Illinois before he faces Boise State, the team he’d originally committed to. So he’s got four weeks to learn on the job before the first major test of his career.