As a Freshman he was a backup off the bench with limited playing time. He averaged 1.6 shots per game. . . If the whipping boy was shooting less than 2 shots per game that doesn't make sense. A whipping boy needs to be consistently on the floor or consistently missing shots. . . Noah was neither of these.
As a sophomore he was the highest FG% player on the team, he still only averaged 5 shots per game and shot 60% on the season. So he was missing 2.2 shots per game average. . . Still not whipping boy material. Maybe some people thought his defense was bad? Rebounding was bad? Nope, Noah was the #1 team rebounder his soph year.
As you said he was a solid player by his junior year, highest FG% and 3FG% shooter. . . again not whipping boy material. Plus with Jimmer BYU won so much there was very little consternation amongst cougarnation.
(Lamont Morgan technically had a higher FG% Noah's sophomore year. . . But he also averaged 1 shot per game so I didn't count it.)
My final conclusion: Cougarboard is a bunch of idiots. . . Noah was a typical Freshmen off the bench with limited playing time, he replaced a 3 year starter in JT as a sophomore with the highest FG% and #1 team rebounder, and he was a key contributor his Junior and Senior years. Second, as one of those CB idiots, I spent way too much time looking back at old 2009-2011 BYU basketball.
Link: