...1st half and 2nd half of the season. What you need to do is take a step back and see the bigger picture. The entire offense stunk in the first half and half the time it was headed up by a QB that acted like a running back most of the time and was too afraid to throw the ball more than 5-7 yds deep. The other half the time you had a QB who was trying to figure out D1 football and get in sync with the offense but not getting enough time and reps to do that.

Wyoming had probably the worst defense in the entire MWC let alone all of D1 and Heaps only managed something like 80 yds through the air. As I understand it, as a result of the lack of progress Bronco very quietly made some changes in how the responsibility for play calling during games is handled and how the team is prepared for the game. Some control was taken from Anae and more input and say was given to Doman and Reynolds on how the offense was prepared and what plays were called.

That and the extra week of preparation made a fundamental difference on the performance and execution of the offense. Their confidence skyrocketed heading into the UNLV game and Bronco said it was their best week of practice preparing for the Rebels.

Here's where you miss the point of all the enthusiasm and optimism. With a true freshman QB at the helm we spanked teams like UNLV, CSU and New Mexico as thoroughly as we did with teams led by NFL caliber, senior QB's like Max Hall and John Beck. So, it's not that beating UNLV, CSU and New Mexico is a big deal in and of itself, it's that with a true freshman leading the way at QB, our offense played every bit as dominantly as it has in years past with QB's, ready to cash an NFL paycheck, leading the way.

Now, to add to that, instead of wasting the entire spring and all of next fall trying to figure out who's going to be the starting QB, TE, RB, WR, etc, its all figured out and things are clicking ahead of schedule, while confidence and position and scheme mastery is way ahead of the norm compared to past seasons.