One of the topics of discussion during the 2010 season and subsequent offseason was the dropoff in production at TE — a position that has consistently been a very productive area for BYU over the years. In 2010, BYU TEs registered 34 receptions for a total of 451 yards. BYU QBs completed a total of 243 passes in 2010, so the 34 receptions represents 14% of all completions last year.
In 2011, the productivity has improved, but still isn’t on par with recent historical norms. In 9 games, BYU TEs have 40 receptions for 474 yards and have caught 22.5% (40 of 178) of all completions. However, a closer look shows that the TE production has dropped off since Riley Nelson took over as QB. Jake Heaps completed 25.0% (27 of 108) of his passes to TEs compared to Riley Nelson’s 18.6% (13 of 70). Here is a breakdown by game for each QB:
Jake Heaps
| Opp | Rec | Yds |
|---|---|---|
| Miss | 4 | 44 |
| Texas | 7 | 88 |
| Utah | 5 | 64 |
| UCF | 5 | 49 |
| USU | 5 | 41 |
| ISU | 1 | 10 |
| Totals | 27 | 296 |
Riley Nelson
| Opp | Rec | Yds |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | 1 | 12 |
| USU | 3 | 27 |
| SJSU | 4 | 82 |
| OSU | 3 | 30 |
| ISU | 1 | 18 |
| TCU | 1 | 9 |
| Totals | 13 | 178 |
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