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Taysom Hill returning to BYU, but Tanner Mangum Cougars best QB

By Patrick Schmidt

Sep 5, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill (4) looks to pass against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 5, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Taysom Hill (4) looks to pass against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports /
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BYU quarterback Taysom Hill announced he is returning to the football team for one more season, but will he win the starting job over Tanner Mangum?

New BYU head coach Kalani Sitake will have a tough decision on his hands when he has to pick a starting quarterback from two quality options with Taysom Hill announcing he will return to the Cougars and compete with Tanner Mangum for the quarterback job.

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Hill was a darkhorse Heisman candidate two years ago with 13 total touchdowns after leading BYU to a 4-0 start. He was injured in the team’s fifth game and lost for the season as BYU went on to lose four straight without their field general.

Hopes were high for Hill entering the 2015 season but was injured against Nebraska in the season opener and was out for the rest of the season. Freshman Tanner Mangum came in to replace the injured Hill and threw the game-winning Hail Mary pass to beat the Huskers.

One week later, he connected on another Hail Mary to beat Boise State and he’d go on to have a stellar freshman campaign with 3,377 yards and 23 touchdowns and an 8-4 record as the starter.

Former BYU Heisman winner and national champion, Ty Detmer was hired to be the team’s offensive coordinator on Sitake’s staff after Bronco Mendenhall left to take the Virginia job. Whoever masters Detmer’s system the fastest will have a leg up on winning the starting job, but I think we’ll see a time share situation where Hill and Mangum both play.

Hill is a great runner and ran for 1,344 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2013 and I think he’ll be used in situations where his feet, not his arm, will be his greatest asset for the team.

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Conversely, I think Mangum has a much better arm and will win the starting job and be on the field for the majority of reps, but not having a package of plays for Hill to make use of his skill-set would be foolish and Detmer is anything but that.

BYU got better today with Hill returning to the team instead of transferring or simply retiring from college football after two injury-shortened seasons. The combination of Mangum and Hill in Detmer’s offense should make for a good first year for Sitake in Provo.

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