BYU QB comparison | Heisman Hopefuls

Same old BYU, right?

The Cougars have an offense that could break a scoreboard but a defense that would make Vince Lombardi break a chalkboard. The average BYU game finishes 23 yards short of 1,000 in combined yardage. Up and down the field. Quarterback U.

Brigham Young QB Brandon Doman is at the helm of the nation's No. 1 offense.(AP)

"Looks like the days of old, doesn't it?" former coach LaVell Edwards said.

Yes and no. Look below the surface. Yes, the Cougars have an outstanding quarterback guiding the nation's No. 1 offense, and a porous defense. But, no, this is not your typical BYU team. Following what seems to be their exclusive stereotype, the Cougars (9-0) are off to their best start since the 1984 national championship season.

The quarterback, though, is anything but a sleek, slinging thrower. Brandon Doman was a wishbone quarterback at Salt Lake City Skyline High School, "throwing three or four times a game," according to Edwards, who recruited him.

Doman eventually rejected offers from option schools like Notre Dame and Nebraska to come to BYU, figuring what the heck? Maybe he would change BYU to his style, maybe BYU would change him.

As the season winds down, it has been a little of both. Doman has used his arm and his legs. He is second nationally in passing efficiency behind Florida's Rex Grossman. But he is also one of the nation's leading quarterback runners with 436 yards and eight touchdowns.

The comparisons to Steve Young are obvious. The assessment by Edwards is surprising.

"He's playing as well as anybody we've had in previous years," Edwards said. "What he's doing is simply on a par with anybody we've ever had around here."

Doman, 6-feet-1 and 205 pounds, is not the biggest and not the hardest-throwing. But as of now, he stands shoulder to shoulder with BYU's best. His 11-0 career record as a starter is the best beginning for a Cougars quarterback since Robbie Bosco in the national championship season of 1984.

The school has followed up with a lavish Heisman campaign centered around his nickname "Domanator." Doman is featured in a Russell Crowe-like pose that looks like the movie poster from Gladiator.

Still, Doman is not at the top of many Heisman ballots. That also comes with the territory in being a talented BYU quarterback. Only one, Ty Detmer in 1990, has won the award. Bosco finished a distant third twice. Young finished second in 1983 but more than 600 points behind winner Mike Rozier.

After a two-year mission in Argentina, Doman came to BYU in 1998 fourth on the depth chart, figuring his option background would eventually force him to move to another position. At the end of his sophomore season in 1999, Doman was more than frustrated. He had been switched to receiver, where he was little used.

"I was kind of shocked they recruited me," Doman said. "In the back of my mind, I got this impression that they were thinking, 'We can always switch him to free safety.' At the end of '99 I said, 'OK, you guys got your wish. Let's switch to free safety.' Coach Edwards shocked me when he said no."

Edwards saw the talent. Doman was on his way to a redshirt year in 2000 but had to play when starter Bret Engemann was injured and backup Charlie Peterson hurt a shoulder. It was Doman who helped salvage a .500 finish in Edwards' final season. With 64 seconds remaining, Doman led an 83-yard drive that beat Utah. Edwards went out after a 6-6 season seeing the future in Doman.

"What he is, is bright, alert, perfect command of what's going on, the perfect intangible that all the great quarterbacks have," Edwards said.

New coach Gary Crowton found a perfect quarterback for his system that's based on balance. Complementing Doman is the nation's No. 4 rusher, Luke Staley. When was the last time you saw that BYU's rushing game (sixth nationally) was better than its passing game (11th)?

The result is still the same. BYU leads the country averaging 50.78 points. If that holds up, it would the fifth-highest leading scoring average ever.

"I had to prove to myself I could drop back," Doman said. "Coach Crowton definitely tailored the offense to me. Quarterbacks in the past here threw 40 to 50 times a game. Now it's 30 times a game."

The struggle now is a familiar one. Despite a perfect record, BYU is on the outside looking in at the BCS. It will be hard for the Cougars to finish in the top 12 of the BCS, which is required just to be eligible for a BCS at-large berth.

Back when BYU went 13-1 and finished fifth in 1996, it played the likes of Texas A&M and Washington. This year's squad is stuck with non-conference opponents with a combined 12-26 record. BYU is one of only three Mountain West teams with a winning record.

"This whole league is kind of struggling," Edwards said.

Not at BYU, where The Domanator is balancing an undefeated season, a Heisman campaign and the time of his life.

"I grew up dreaming I'd be the quarterback at BYU," Doman said. "I don't think I'd ever pictured it being as great as it is."

This week's ballot ...

1. Eric Crouch, QB, Nebraska: Modest numbers against Kansas (213 yards in total offense). Still the best player on the best (BCS) team. A national championship would secure his place as the best quarterback in Nebraska history.
2. Rex Grossman, QB, Florida: Stop using Rex as a weapon! Steve Spurrier did Saturday, removing Grossman shortly after halftime. Maybe it's not fair to count yardage against Vanderbilt (306 yards, three touchdowns) but Grossman is putting up stunning numbers (2,942 yards, 27 touchdowns) in a program that doesn't play quarterbacks, it hazes them.
3. Joey Harrington, QB, Oregon: Throwing a touchdown pass every 12.5 attempts. There were six touchdown passes Saturday against Arizona State. He is the reason the Ducks keep topping themselves under Mike Bellotti.