Whenever BYU starts a senior QB, it has a winning season, and often a very strong winning season.  Below is how it has gone.  How many of these guys were in a dog fight to be the starter through fall camp?  Answer is very few if any.  The excuse that last year BYU struggled because Tanner didn't have to compete for his starting position is bogus.  Naming a starter helps during summer workouts because it is clear who is the leader.  Naming  starter helps because the starter needs more reps and the coaches can get him more.  Naming a starter helps to avoid division and dissention on the team as players align with their preferred starter.  And, while I don't list the records of true Frosh QBs as starters at BYU, go ahead an look it up and the result is that the most successful true frosh QB at BYU ever is Tanner Mangum.  Tanner is the most experienced and successful QB on the roster.  Gotta be a blockhead to not lead with him as the starting QB in game one.  The coaches should stop fooling around and throwing out lame excuses for their poor performance last year.  

2016 - Taysom Hill 9-4

2012 - Riley Nelson 8-5 (although Riley was hurt and missed a number of games)

2009 - Max Hall 11-2

2006 - John Beck 11-2

2001 - Brandon Doman 12-2

1999 - Kevin Feterick 8-4

1996 - Steve Sarkisian 14-1

1994 - John Walsh 10-3

1991 - Ty (Freakin) Detmer 8-3-2

1985 -  Robbie Boscoe 11-3

1983 - Steve Young 11-1

1981- Jim McMahon 11-2

1979 - Marc Wilson 11-1 (undefeated regular season)

1977 - Gifford Neilsen 9-2

1974 - Gary Sheide 7-4-1