BYU Football: The case for and against each QB

Jacob Conover

Why he will start:

As odd as it sounds, Jacob Conover may have the most practice with the team of any quarterback on the roster despite never entering a single game. Conover was the scout-team quarterback meaning that he took snaps against the first-team defense as well as ran plays with the offense to help prepare for different looks that they may see against them. Many of the players on the scout team last year will now be playing this year meaning that there may already be chemistry and a rhythm with them.

Conover also seems to have a very high ceiling and is a combination of Jaren Hall and Baylor Romney, however maybe not as athletic as Hall or as composed as Romney. Think of a player like Zach Wilson in 2018. He appears to be mobile enough to avoid sacks, but lacks the ability to go off for a 50 yard run. He also appears to have the discipline to get through reads, but would maybe bail after a second or third read.

Why he won’t start:

Jacob Conover is still a freshman even though he was on the team last year.  Having never entered a game he just doesn’t know what that feels like. If this was a year of rebuilding, then sure  playing a freshman may seem like a really good idea. However, BYU football is trying to build off of momentum from last year and the last time a freshman had a great season was well, never.

Some freshmen quarterbacks have had alright seasons, but never any elite seasons as a freshman. Because of this, playing Jacob Conover in hopes of him getting better in the future may actually cost the team in the present, which in today’s world of changing college football may not be a good idea.