I don’t get the Bushman love.

[Utah]

Everyone is all on and on about how Bushman would play for us. Let’s look at some actual facts here:

1 – Bushman can’t block. Han Olsen admits it. BYU coaches admit it. He can’t block. So, you can’t use him when you run the ball. If you can’t use him when you run the ball, when a DC sees him come on the field, what type of play are you most likely running? You can’t play him unless he can block. 

2 – Look at Utah’s TE’s last year: Handley, SR. Fakailoatonga – SR. AT BEST, Bushman would have been our third TE last year. BUT, what TE DID play a lot last year? Falemaka and Jackson…TWO GOOD BLOCKERS. So, Bushman would have not played a down for us last year. He would have redshirted. 

3 – So, I don’t think any person would argue that Bushman can block, nor do I think anyone would argue that if he can’t block, Utah coaches wouldn’t play him and he would have redshirted last year. 

Now, knowing that he would have redshirted last year, he’d be coming into this year fighting for playing time against Falemaka and Jackson, two players who are proven blockers and have playing time already. He’d also be fighting for playing time with Chad Hekking, who looked very good for a freshman last year before getting hurt. AND, we need to toss Fotheringham, Kuithe and Yassmin into the mix as well. 

Bushman is a solid player and has potential, but put him on the Utes and he is just another player in a long list of solid players with potential. 

TL/DR: Bushman looks better on BYU because BYU sucks. He is just another Utah TE. 

[Utah]

TE’s on Utah vs Bushman:

Best offer for Bushman: Colorado.

Best offer for Utah TE’s: Boise St (Kuithe and Fotheringham), Colorado (Kuithe), Iowa State (Kuithe), UCLA (Yassmin), BYU (Fotu and Fotheringham).

So, does Bushman have talent? ABSOLUTELY. Would have have played for Utah last year? NOPE. Would he compete to play for us this year? ABSOLUTELY. Would he be guaranteed to start? NOPE.

He’d just be another TE that is young and has potential.  

[Utah]

Honestly, if Bushman was on our team, he’d probably be a DE by now. lol. 

[noneyadb]

Bwahahaha, acting like Handley and Fakailoatanga can block…

[noneyadb]

[Utah]

Which only furthers my argument more. 

Falemaka and Jackson played a lot over those two because they could block. Bushman would not have seen the field at all last year at Utah. 

[Charlie]

I was looking at could he play for us. To do so, he does not need to beat out the seniors that have left. I also think it is important to compare freshmen to freshmen not seniors. So looking at this year, I would compare him to our 2018 TEs. Several are ex walk-ons, nothing wrong with that but some have been here a while. Jake Jackson has been here 3 years, but honestly, I have not noticed him much at all (he may start). The others are prospects with expectations but are incoming freshmen and are untested. Blocking is something for him to work on, however, I thought Bushman was able to catch a ball in traffic better than our TEs. I would say TEs need both skills or call him a sixth OL. Do you think we had better blocking TEs that were underclassmen, better enough to overlook his catching skills? I may be jaded by my disappointment that our TEs dropped several easy big passes.
BYU will generally have a couple of studs, like most MWC teams, but will struggle mightily to have a team of studs.

[Utah]

Bushman is a fantastic receiver. I totally agree with you there. That’s why I called him a slower Kenneth Scott. 

I think the dropped passes also furthers my point. Handley is an older Bushman. And the blockers played. A TE is useless if he can’t block. 

I think he’s a good player with a lot of potential. Like the TE’s we have. 

Hes not a top 10 player in state. I’m not sure he’s a top 30. That’s all I’m saying. 

IF he learns to block, he COULD be a top 20, maybe top 10 player. So can Yassmin. And Kuithe. And Fotheringham. And Hekking. Right now, Bushman is a prospect. 

[Puget Ute]

Chad Hekking had surgery a few months ago (for the third time?), and isn’t on the roster.  Did he leave the program?

[jrj84105]

I wish Caleb Repp had stayed on offense.  I think he’d be every bit as good a receiver at this point as Bushman.  Sadly, he doesn’t seem to be figuring into the DE competition much.

[FtheY]

I’m with you there. I think he’s struggled to keep his weight up and just hasn’t seen a ton of time. Were his receiving numbers slow? Why was he moved in the first place? 

[RiseasUtes]

He is a receiving TE and a pretty decent one at that.  You don’t understand the love, but I don’t understand the hate(outside of him playing for BYU).  BYU tends to find good players at TE and I see him being their next good one.  He would definitely be in our rotation if not starting.

[Utah]

I don’t understand why you think I “hate” him. See my post two above yours. He’s a good player. But not as good as everyone is making him out to be…yet. 

[RiseasUtes]

I know you don’t hate him, I was making a play on the love/hate thing.  He is a pass catching TE that was a freshman last year.  He showed good potential and has 3 years to improve.  Not saying he will be an NFL guy for sure, but he has the size and athleticism to get there.