Junior Zack Wilson the latest Brigham Young University quarterback to be recognized nationally, has paved the way to be undefeated

Once labeled as “Quarterback U,” ZackWilson fits right in. He’s the present signal-caller on the Brigham Young University football team that once listed such standouts as Ty Detmer, Jim McMahon, Steve Young, Robbie Bosco and Max Hall.

Under 5th-year head coach Kalani Sitake, this team is nationally ranked 9th, is undefeated in eight starts, and Cougar nation is still glowing after Friday night‘s resounding 51-17 rout over No. 21 Bose State on its blue smurf turf in Idaho, a tough place to win but BYU just coasted along behind the offense generated by Wilson, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound junior from Casper, Utah, who initially committed to Boise State.

In these coronavirus pandemic times, it was difficult for BYU, an independent on the gridiron since 2006, to piece together a schedule. But with two more scheduled tilts, it is on the road to a bowl game as well as a higher ranking. That could come its way today if No. 5 Georgia, No.7 Cincinnati and No. 8 Texas A & M fall, which isn’t that likely, but could still happen if the Cougars finish the regular season unbeaten, something that has never before been celebrated by Cosmo, the current Cougar mascot.

Presently, they are a top-10 team for a program that has won 23 conference championships in five different conferences, with a national title in 1984 under the leadership of quarterback Ty Detmer, the Heisman Trophy Award winner. He is on the QB list that started with Gifford Nielsen under long-time Hall of Fame head coach LavegillEdwards.

As for the schedule already played, the Nov. 14 game against visiting San Diego States was postponed until Dec. 12 when several players were tested positive. Then came a stunning 55-3 rout of Navy in Annapolis, a 48-7 masterpiece over Troy also on the road, a 45-14 romp versus visiting Louisiana Tech, a tighter 27-20 success against the visitors from USTA, a 43-26 triumph at Houston, a 52-14 victory at home over Texas State, and then handing Boise State its biggest setback at home, at Albertson Stadium.

Next comes a contest with a visit at home from North Alabama, and then the previously postponed game to be played at the West Point Military Academy’s Michi Stadium.

In a roster of 120 players, there are 17 seniors, 27 juniors, 34 sophomores, and 42 freshmen. And while this season continues to bring joyous news while dealing with the threat of COVID-19, it should attract more recruits to the private Mormon college in Provo, Utah.

Wilson has been chili-hot from day one. He is a candidate for the Heisman Trophy, he has statistics that matches up with any other quarterback in the land, and right behind him are three freshmen and three sophomoreQBs, with 6-2, 195 sophomore BaylorRomney the back-up when the game has been wrapped up by Wilson, leading rusher, 6-foot, 180 junior Tyler Allgeier, and leading receiver, 6-1, 189 junior Dax Milne, with Romney also a threat plus a stout, aggressive defense.

Here are Wilson’s passing yards from the opening game to the air attack against Boise State. Two hundred and thirty two, 392, 325, 292, 400, 287, 224, 359. That’s 2,710 yards through the air on 165 of 220 attemptions, and only two interceptions. Twenty one have been for touchdowns. Along the ground, he has run for 368 yards and eight TDs on 50 of 88 carriers. He finds the holes as he finds the receivers short and long and from sideline to sideline.

Aligeier has totaled 549 yards tugging the ball, and has tacked on nine touchdowns. As the main receiver, Milne has scored three times and rung up 582 yards on 28 receptions, while Romney has caught 16 for 368 yards.

Against the Broncos, who dropped to 2-1 and, with its No. 1 quarterback, sophomore Hank Bachmeier, sidelined, it was 7-3 BYUafter one quarter, upped to 16-3 at halftime, increased rapidly to 38-3 after three quarters, and it was 45-3 before the frustrated home team scored twice in the final quarter.

The Cougar program has produced 13 All-Americas, but has been 15-21-1 in bowl games since kicking off the sport in 1922. Detmer has been the only Heisman winner, but BYU quarterbacks Steve Young finished second

and Jim McMahon third, respectively, but all three graced the All-America list and Young won the Davey O’Brien Award named for the leading quarterback in the country.

Just one opinion, but here’s like the best of the rest, the top-5 Cougar quarterbacks though the years.

No. 1 . . . Ty Detmer — He was a passing machine. As a freshman, he played 10 games. As a sophomore, he began coming into his own, passing for 576 yards against Penn State in the Holiday Bowl, a bowl record for passing. As a junior, he passed for over 5,000 yards that included 41 touchdowns. In 1900, he won the Heisman Trophy Award, the first from the Rocky Mountain region to do so, and the first and only Cougar. Though four seasons, he went 37-13-2, set 59 NCAA records, and led the victory over defending national champion Miami of Florida on ESPN.

No. 2 . . . Jim McMahon — He rewrote the record books at BYU. Had to first share time with Marc Wilson as a sophomore, but as a junior and senior, paved the way to s 23-3 mark, and he was named first team All-America in 1981 and was third in the Heisman. He wound down with 9,536 passing yards for 28 TDs, broke 70 NCAA records, connected on 11-straight 300-yard passing games, and was a first round pick in the college draft. He received a rousing ovation when introduced at halftime of last season’s home open along with other former BYU QB elites introduced by Nielson.

 No. 3 . . . Steve Young — From his stardom seasons at BYU, he was named to the NFL Hall of Fame and led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl championship over the Miami Dolphins and Dan Marino. He was one of the first to break the mood of the traditional drop-back quarterback, and had amazing abilities to escape the pressure and take off down the sidelines. In his senior year, he finished with 851 rushing yards and 1,0444 passing while totaling 7,633 career throws. He led the high-octane Cougar offense everyway manageable. Was first team All-America and 2nd in the Heisman voting.

No. 4 . . . Robbie Bosco — Quarterbacked the lone BYU national championship team in 1984 when he was third in the Heisman selections. Threw 36 touchdown passes and led nation in total offense in 1984. The following year, he was responsible for 30 passes and threw the ball through the air for 8,400 yards over those two seasons. He concluded with 94 passing TDs, 11,365 yards, and one conference title, but is most remembered for the 1984 NCAA championship. He then spent 13 years as an assistant coach with the team.

No. 5 . . . Max Hall — Took over from John Beck and the two led a combined two-year 43-9 record, 32 from Hall for the most-in-a-season BYU record. He threw for 94 career passing yards, and totaled 11,365 for his career. Twenty consecutive times he had 300-yard passing games. The head coach at the time was Bronco Mendenhall, and he was hesitant to let Hall run the options and instead get the ball down field through the air. And when he did, it would often result in points.