BYU quarterbacks Jacob Conover (17), Nick Billoups (15), Cade Fennegan (11), Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters (10) and Jaren Corridor (3) huddle up on the finish of apply within the Indoor Apply Facility at BYU in Provo on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. Kristin Murphy, Deseret Information
BYU quarterbacks Cade Fennegan (11), Nick Billoups (15), Jacob Conover (17), Jaren Corridor (3) and Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters (10) joke round on the finish of soccer apply within the Indoor Apply Facility at BYU in Provo on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. Kristin Murphy, Deseret Information
BYU quarterback Jacob Conover takes a snap throughout apply within the Indoor Apply Facility at BYU in Provo on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. Conover is one in every of three QBs within the working for QB2 duties in Provo. Kristin Murphy, Deseret Information
Boise State quarterback Cade Fennegan throws in opposition to BYU throughout recreation Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, in Boise, Idaho. BYU gained 51-17. Fennegan is now a part of the deep QB room at BYU. Steve Conner, Related Press
BYU quarterback Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters warms up as BYU and USF put together to play at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
As Zach Wilson-led BYU celebrated its first-ever win over the Broncos on the blue turf at Boise State on Nov. 6, 2020, third-string Cougars quarterback Jacob Conover sought out the third-string BSU quarterback who was pressured into motion as a result of accidents and performed surprisingly effectively in opposition to an excellent BYU protection within the second half.
Conover and then-Broncos backup QB Cade Fennegan had change into mates years earlier, once they attended BYU soccer camps collectively — Conover making the annual summer time journeys from Chandler, Arizona, and Fennegan from the Dallas space. Additionally they crossed paths in highschool through the recruiting course of.
“It was actually cool seeing Jake there after the sport and assembly up,” mentioned Fennegan, who threw for 182 yards and two touchdowns in a 51-17 loss to BYU that evening in reduction of starter Hank Bachmeier, who didn’t play as a result of COVID-19, and Jack Sears, who sustained a concussion within the first quarter.
“It was a type of emotions like, ‘Hey, we're each right here. We're fulfilling our goals.’ It was so cool,” he mentioned.
Little did both know then that a number of years later they'd each be carrying BYU uniforms and competing in opposition to one another for the backup quarterback function in Provo.
“I wouldn’t say any of these guys are game-ready but, however I feel there's sufficient capacity there. There's sufficient potential there that a type of guys will emerge because the clear-cut No. 2. Now we have sufficient time. I'm not in a rush. However we're going to give all of them reps.” — BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick on the battle to be Jaren Corridor’s backup
Fennegan entered the switch portal within the spring of 2021 and transferred to BYU final July. He served because the scout staff quarterback final fall, whereas Conover was the third-stringer behind starter Jaren Corridor and since-departed backup Baylor Romney.
Now the great mates, together with redshirt sophomore Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters, are battling in spring camp for the QB2 spot behind Corridor, the unquestioned starter and chief of the Cougars’ weapon-filled offense in 2022.
“To have Cade right here has been superior,” Conover mentioned final week. “You're going to have competitors and adversity regardless of the place you go. And everybody right here is right here for a motive. After I noticed Cade had the chance to come back right here, I used to be good with it. I welcome the competitors.”
Maiava-Peters additionally mentioned the extra the merrier within the quarterbacks room, understanding how in two of the previous three years the Cougars have had to make use of three or 4 quarterbacks, as a result of harm.
“My mindset is to only get higher every single day, and let the chips fall the place they could,” Maiava-Peters mentioned.
Redshirt freshman and Utah switch Nick Billoups is the fifth quarterback on the roster, however he's most likely a 12 months or two away from seeing taking part in time.
How is the backup QB battle shaping up?
Final week, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Aaron Roderick mentioned there “continues to be a superb battle happening there,” however acknowledged that Conover has obtained probably the most reps with the second staff in 11-on-11 classes, “and some with the primary staff.”
Within the parts of practices obtainable to the media, Corridor, Conover and Maiava-Peters have taken all of the reps and Fennegan and Billoups have signaled in performs from the sidelines. However Roderick mentioned Fennegan is “getting as many reps as anyone else” earlier within the practices.
Fennegan informed the Deseret Information that's correct.
“I'm feeling good on the market,” he mentioned final Thursday.
Roderick mentioned Romney’s choice to forgo his remaining eligibility and be a part of the working world leaves a “huge gap” within the offense, however is assured whoever earns the backup job will probably be able to main the Cougars to wins, if known as upon.
“Baylor is an efficient participant,” Roderick mentioned. “He was at all times able to play. We miss him. I miss him so much.”
Clearly, Corridor is able to play if video games began tomorrow, Roderick mentioned. The others, not a lot.
“I wouldn’t say any of these guys are game-ready but, however I feel there's sufficient capacity there,” Roderick mentioned. “There's sufficient potential there that a type of guys will emerge because the clear-cut No. 2. Now we have sufficient time. I'm not in a rush. However we're going to give all of them reps.”
Clearly, issues come up in all positions that guys who aren’t named starters will hit the switch portal, however that’s very true of quarterbacks, Roderick acknowledged, as a result of just one can play at a time.
“Now we have had good luck retaining our quarterbacks right here,” Roderick mentioned. “We’ve been lucky. When Zach was taking part in, it might have been very easy for Jaren or Baylor to depart, however they caught it out. However I feel it's the world we're in now that guys need to play they usually may depart in the event that they aren’t getting their alternative.”
Roderick mentioned some gamers are beginning to understand that “the portal is actually crowded” and there won't be as many suitors for his or her companies as they assume.
“There aren’t that many locations you possibly can go to and simply be the person,” Roderick mentioned. “Typically it's higher to stay it out and preserve grinding, preserve working.”
How Sitake sees it
Head coach Kalani Sitake mentioned no beginning place spot is everlasting, even at quarterback, however has admitted that Corridor is means above the others in the case of recreation readiness.
“Jaren is doing actually, very well,” he mentioned. “As a place group, the quarterbacks have appeared good, however it helps when you may have a bunch of receivers that may catch the ball like our guys.”
Sitake mentioned Monday that it's a three-man race to be QB2, and people shouldn’t overlook about Maiava-Peters simply because Fennegan and Conover have seen recreation motion and he hasn’t.
“It's truly tougher now to determine as a result of Sol-Jay is stepping up and taking part in very well,” Sitake mentioned. “Jacob is doing effectively, after which Cade is performing some good issues. I don’t know if anybody goes to catch (Corridor) however they'll attempt.”
Sitake mentioned Roderick needs to be credited for having three to 4 quarterbacks within the room ready to play effectively. Certainly, Romney and Corridor performed effectively in 2019 when Wilson broke his thumb in opposition to Toledo, and Romney and Conover had been strong final 12 months when Corridor sustained rib, chest, hip and foot accidents that saved him out of video games.
BYU quarterbacks Cade Fennegan (11), Nick Billoups (15), Jacob Conover (17), Jaren Corridor (3) and Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters (10) joke round on the finish of soccer apply within the Indoor Apply Facility at BYU in Provo on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret Information
Maiava-Peters “is getting extra comfy with the offense,” Sitake mentioned. “I feel that can also be an enormous praise to the best way A-Rod coaches his guys. They present up every single day with a special perspective than you see from most backup quarterbacks. Most fourth-string quarterbacks don’t have that type of presence and command of the offense, they usually do. That’s as a result of A-Rod prepares them that means.”
Sitake mentioned they knew Conover and Maiava-Peters had been going to be “particular and ultra-competitive” once they recruited them out of highschool, “and it's displaying proper now.”
Corridor mentioned he’s additionally been impressed with the backups.
“Everybody from highschool till now, they've finished particular issues,” Corridor mentioned. “I feel any quarterback that comes right here, they gotta understand that their time might come at any snap and any recreation. I'm excited for them and their futures. … We will probably be in good palms.”
A better take a look at the three principal candidates
Jacob Conover: The previous four-star recruit who reportedly had a suggestion from Alabama out of highschool didn’t flip lots of heads when he performed your entire second half in opposition to Utah State final October, however he did ship a win, 34-20 over the Mountain West Convention champion Aggies.
BYU quarterback Jacob Conover takes a snap throughout apply within the Indoor Apply Facility at BYU in Provo on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022. Conover is one in every of three QBs within the working for QB2 duties in Provo.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret Information
Conover was 5 of 9 for 45 yards in Logan, with an extended of 16.
“I really feel like that was my job, to handle the sport, and ensure we got here out with the W. Clearly, I might have made a number of extra throws, however I didn’t get the possibility to throw a lot. It felt nice to only play soccer once more,” he mentioned.
Ever constructive, Conover mentioned he's having fun with the QB2 competitors up to now.
“I'm positioned in an amazing place,” he mentioned. “I get to push Jaren. Clearly he's the starter, and was the starter final 12 months. Each spring there's competitors, each fall there's competitors. We're right here to push one another, make one another higher and have a wholesome quarterback room.”
Conover mentioned his objectives this season are to be prepared when known as on and earn the coaches’ belief.
“I need to show that I'm able to go at any second, as a result of final 12 months we didn’t know who was going to play,” he mentioned. “I simply need to fill my function, help everybody else, and be able to go when known as upon.”
Cade Fennegan: Requested to explain the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Fennegan to BYU followers who won't have seen him play in opposition to the Cougars in 2020, Roderick mentioned the Texan is extra athletic than some may assume.
“He's an excellent athlete, with fast toes,” Roderick mentioned. “He could make performs along with his toes. He can run, and he’s bought a fast launch.”
As a result of the 2020 season didn’t depend because of the pandemic, Fennegan is taken into account a redshirt freshman with 4 years of eligibility remaining. In highschool, he threw for greater than 6,400 yards, with 94 passing touchdowns and 18 dashing TDs.
He's the son of former BYU soccer participant Garth Fennegan (1990-93). Can he change into the backup?
“I feel I simply should compete,” he mentioned. “You recognize, it's a stacked quarterback room. Each one in every of these guys right here could possibly be a beginning quarterback. That’s type of the mentality we've. I feel on the finish of the day it simply all comes all the way down to competing. You recognize, making each rep depend.”
Fennegan ran BYU’s scout staff final fall, and says it helped him get again within the groove of throwing every single day.
“I used to be going in opposition to a top-tier protection, and that helped so much. I used to be going in opposition to the first-team D every single day,” he mentioned. “Getting these reps below my belt helped me coming into spring and every part, helped me study to take some probabilities. On scout staff, you might be informed to only let it rip, and I did. … I really feel like I bought fairly good at taking photographs down the sphere.”
Boise State quarterback Cade Fennegan throws in opposition to BYU throughout recreation Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, in Boise, Idaho. BYU gained 51-17. Fennegan is now a part of the deep QB room at BYU.
Steve Conner, Related Press
Fennegan, who's on scholarship, mentioned he took a “leap of religion” to enter the switch portal with the hope that BYU would quickly be calling, and it did.
“As soon as I used to be within the portal, A-Rod known as and was like, ‘Hey man, you had been one in every of our prime guys. For those who ever have curiosity, we'd like to recruit you, and now that you're (within the portal), we've a spot for you.’”
Fennegan mentioned he discovered so much from watching Corridor and Romney play final 12 months.
“Clearly, Jaren is a playmaker. He's a stud athlete, and he's simply calm below stress and good at making these performs. Simply his psychological strategy to the sport is spectacular,” Fennegan mentioned. “He's very studious by way of watching movie, analyzing defenses. So not solely his playmaking capacity, however simply the best way he approaches the sport and the best way he goes about watching movie, finding out and getting ready for Saturdays.”
Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters: By his personal admission, Maiava-Peters struggled within the classroom his first 12 months at BYU, a lot in order that his mother and father determined to depart their dwelling within the Washington, D.C., space and transfer to Provo to assist him along with his teachers.
He needs to repay them for that sacrifice with a giant contribution on the soccer subject in 2022.
“Struggles within the classroom are type of what set me again a bit bit,” he mentioned final week. “For a bit bit, I wasn’t eligible, however then I bought eligible proper earlier than the season, proper earlier than fall camp. Nevertheless it was a wrestle, for positive.”
Now that he’s bought a greater deal with on his teachers, Maiava-Peters is raring to point out what he can do. He simply wants an opportunity, he says.
BYU quarterback Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters warms up as BYU and USF put together to play at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
“This spring, I'm already getting some good reps in,” he mentioned. “It's means higher than I began off final 12 months in spring ball, I really feel. I get higher.”
He mentioned working again Lopini Katoa, offensive lineman Joe Tukuafu and former DL Khyiris Tonga took him in and helped him via some robust instances his first two years at BYU.
As a result of he has but to see the sphere and a part of a stacked quarterback room, Maiava-Peters is usually requested if he would ever be concerned about taking part in one other place at BYU. The reply is possibly.
“My mindset is at all times quarterback, quarterback all the best way,” he mentioned. “But when the staff decides that I ought to play one other place, I'm a team-first sort of dude, and I might take into account it. I really feel like I'm a superb athlete. I might take into consideration taking part in security, greater than something.”
Nonetheless, Maiava-Peters mentioned he’s been a QB since he was within the eighth grade, and that’s the place he loves.
“I’m simply making an attempt to get higher every single day, and I consider issues will work out,” he mentioned.