BYU Football: Cougars in good hands with Tanner Mangum at QB
BYU football moves on from the Taysom Hill era but is in good hands. Junior Tanner Mangum steps back into the starting role after a year as a backup.
The BYU football quarterback legacy is one of the greatest in college football history. Its best dual-threat in school history, Taysom Hill, is departing after six years. However, a strong-armed, athletic signal-caller in Tanner Mangum returns to the starting lineup to solidify the quarterback position.
If you don’t remember Mangum, Nebraska and Boise State certainly do. Mangum beat both teams with Hail Mary-type passes (seen below) in the first two games of the 2015 season.
He wasn’t publicized too much as the 2015 season progressed, but he proved he can perform at a high level. The Cougars finished the regular season 9-3 earning a bowl bid against rival Utah.
Although the Cougars ended up losing the bowl, Mangum brought BYU back from a 35-0 first-quarter deficit. They came just one score short of tying the game. Now, Mangum was partially to blame for the major deficit and loss, but he stayed composed as a 22-year-old freshman.
He put up big numbers for a first-year quarterback throwing for 3,377 yards, 23 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. His rushing statistics weren’t anything to write home about, but he made plays with his legs including two rushing scores.
During his sophomore campaign, he backed up Hill along with winning his only start in the Poinsettia Bowl giving the Cougars back-to-back 9-4 seasons. He didn’t put up huge numbers, but he completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 241 yards, three touchdowns, one rushing touchdown against one interception.
Magnum’s Strong Skill Set
If you weren’t able to see Mangum play, then you missed out. He’s got all the boxes checked for prototypical passers. He boasts a strong frame (6-foot-3, 215-pounds), powerful arm strength, decent mobility and platform versatility.
BYU noticed quickly he could make all the throws as evidenced by his 84-yard touchdown pass against Boise State. Mangum rolled to his right and fired a perfectly thrown post pattern to Mitchell Juergens. The ball traveled 56 yards through the air while he was on the run.
He put his arm strength and mobility to the test against ECU. Mangum was flushed from the pocket, rolled back the other way and threw on the run to receiver Devon Blackmon. It was a wild scrambling drill that usually results in a sack or the ball being thrown away. However, his athleticism and arm strength allowed him to find Blackmon on the comeback route.
In terms of the platform versatility, he can throw from anywhere. He has a strong enough arm to throw off his back foot and still have tons of zip. He can throw across his body, while being hit and standing clean in the pocket. He’s shown all the important tools.
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With two years of eligibility remaining, BYU and Mangum will have a shot for double-digit win seasons and big-time bowl games.