SALT LAKE CITY — BYU’s mid-season switch to a backup quarterback seemed to pay off in last weekend’s rout of Hawaii. With freshman Zach Wilson starting in place of senior Tanner Mangum, the Cougars scored a season-high 49 points. The kid, who’s barely 19, threw three touchdown passes and ran for another in his starting debut.
BYU was 3-3 and the offense was in a rut when the QB switch was made. This is not the first time BYU has turned to the backup quarterback in an attempt to improve the offense, but how often does it succeed on a sustained basis?