Duel-Threat Quarterbacks Often Cause Heart Attacks

BY: ROBBY HUCKVALE

Columnist

I became a die-hard BYU football fan during the 1995 season.  I was 8 years old.  16 seasons later and now at the ripe age of 24 years old, I have learned that BYU football can often be bad for your health.  I am no doctor, but let me try to explain.  This may be something that only the true, die-hard, fully invested fans understand.  Do you ever find yourself during a BYU football game have mini-heart attacks?  Or maybe that empty, sick feeling in your gut during an intense moment in the game when the opposing team breaks a big play?  Picture the moment when you are at LaVell Edwards Stadium, it’s late in the game, 3rd down, crowd is going nuts, cheering for the defense to make a huge stop, and then all of the sudden the 65,000 fans are hushed to a dull roar by the opposing player making a weird, quiet, long touchdown run down the sidelines.  Or imagine the sight of seeing an opposing player wide open in the end zone waiting for the ball, which is floating slow motion in the air towards him.  Now I want you to imagine that feeling you get as this is happening. The feeling I get is usually a sick, empty, depressing feeling countered with an irregular heartbeat, loss of breath, ripping my hair out, and mini-heart attack.  It also doesn’t help that the next day I wake up with a sore throat, which usually lasts 2-3 days.  Regardless of the dangerous health effects BYU football can bring to a die-hard fan, it is all part of the game.  It is something that we all signed up for when we fell in love with this prestigious and exciting progr

As I reflect back on these intense moments of BYU football, I find that a majority of these mini heart attacks occur when we are faced with the challenge of defending a mobile, dual-threat quarterback.  One of the first games I ever watched as a young BYU football fan was the season opener against Air Force in 1995.  I remember watching the game on TV with my Dad and older brother.  Although it was over 15 years ago, I can still vividly remember Air Force quarterback Beau Morgan having his way with BYU’s weary and stifled defense.  BYU ended up losing the game 38-12 in Steve Sarkisian’s debut.  Even as a young child, I will never forget how frustrated I was watching BYU’s defense try and contain this tricky, mobile quarterback.  The frustration would only grow as BYU would continue to struggle at shutting down these speedy opposing quarterbacks.  
 

In recent years, BYU has faced a long list of dual-threat quarterbacks.  How many fans remember the 1997 finale against Utah at home, when young quarterback Darnell Arcenaux rushed for 63 yards and 2 touchdowns to help defeat BYU 20-14?  Or go back to 1998 Liberty Bowl where the haunting image of Tulane quarterback Shaun King running all over BYU’s talented defense.  King rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown in the 41-27 triumph over the Cougars.  Do you remember the empty, sick feeling in your stomach when you watched Mississippi State quarterback Wayne Madkin run around BYU’s defense for a 56 yard “crowd-hushing” touchdown during the 2000 season?  Can you still feel the mini-heart attacks from 2001 caused by Colorado State quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt as he easily ran for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Cougars?  Do you remember punching holes in the wall watching Air Force quarterback Chance Harridge running through and around BYU’s defense in 2002, scoring 4 touchdowns and rushing for 104 yards?  These are just a few examples of some of the quarterbacks BYU has had to face during my era as a BYU fan.  Again, I am no doctor, but I get a feeling that just watching BYU struggle to defend these quarterbacks may have taken some years off of my life.
 
Why do I bring up all these haunting memories of dual threat quarterbacks that BYU has faced?  If you haven’t done your research, the BYU defense may have their hands full against Central Florida this Friday night.  You can bet that there will be a few late nights in the film room this week as the defensive staff try to figure out how to defend and contain quarterback Jeff Godfrey.  Godfrey, who is only a sophomore, is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the nation.  Last season, the freshman quarterback led the Knights to an 11-3 record, a conference championship, a top-25 national ranking, and a victory over Georgia in the Liberty Bowl.  Godfrey was impressive as a mobile quarterback, rushing for 566 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season.  So far this season, Godfrey has scored 6 touchdowns on the ground in just 3 games.  In addition to his running abilities, Godfrey has proven to be dual threat, as he is very talented in throwing the football as well.  If Jeff Godfrey can get loose on Friday night, it could be another very long night for the Cougar defense. 
 
Since the hiring of Bronco Mendenhall as defensive coordinator in 2003, it is evident that BYU has shown great improvement in shutting down the mobile quarterback threat.  Mendenhall’s first test came in his debut against Georgia Tech, where the blitzing 3-3-5 defensive scheme held talented quarterback Reggie Ball to only 39 yards rushing.  Three years later, Mendenhall and the BYU defense faced another challenge against Oregon’s Dennis Dixon in the Las Vegas Bowl but were successful in holding Dixon to only 57 yards on the ground and shutting down the explosive Duck offense.  Last season however, BYU struggled against dual-threat QB’s such as Diondre Borel (Utah State), Tim Jefferson (Air Force), Christian Ponder (Florida State), and Colin Kaepernick (Nevada).  All four quarterbacks rushed for over 70 yards and each had a touchdown on the ground.  Also, all four quarterbacks led their teams to wins over BYU.  After the Utah State embarrassment, some major coaching changes were made and fans could sense a change of character and an increased intensity in the BYU defense.  That momentum has carried over into the 2011 season with Bronco Mendenhall running the defensive show from the sidelines.
 
The BYU defense is indeed capable of containing the Central Florida offense on Friday night.  However, a victory over the Knights will not come easy.  It will take some heavy and focused preparation on part of the coaching staff.  Like Corby Eason said, “If we can stop Jeff Godfrey, we can stop their offense”.  As a passionate BYU fan, I hate playing against versatile quarterbacks.  They do nothing but give fans like myself mini-heart attacks on every play.  My only hope is that BYU will come in focused, angry, and prepared.  They cannot expect to waltz into this game and expect a victory.  This will be a hard-fought battle and it begins with containing #2.  I believe in our defense and I feel we have the personnel to shut down Jeff Godfrey.  My only wish is that BYU will have the mental toughness to get it done on Friday night.

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