Robbie Bosco knows all too well what it feels like to be Kevin Feterik - to live every second of every Saturday in a pressure cooker.
That's because Bosco, a former Brigham Young quarterback who led the Cougars to the national championship in 1984, was in Feterik's position, right under center, 11 years before Feterik arrived in Provo, Utah.
So that may explain why, instead of advertising his protégé like a garage sale, Bosco, who now coaches the BYU signal callers, pulled his prodigy aside for a stern dose of reality. Playing quarterback at BYU is prestigious; it also isn't easy.
"You'd think he was perfect, but he wasn't," Feterik said. "He tells me all these stories of being booed and he only lost one game here. He's helped me a lot in terms of dealing with the pressure."
Quarterback and pressure are synonymous in Provo. After all, when a program boasts marquee alums like Jim McMahon, Steve Young and Ty Detmer, pressure slaps a young signal caller squarely in the face upon arrival in LaVell Edwards' country.
Starting with McMahon, who captured a Super Bowl ring as the Chicago Bears quarterback in 1985 and leading up to Detmer, who hauled in the Heisman Trophy in 1990, BYU has earned a reputation as the preeminent quarterback factory in America. Feterik was well aware of what he threw himself into.
"Obviously coming in that's all you hear about," Feterik said. "You can't get away or hide from it. You just have to go out there and win."
The Los Alamitos, Ca., product is not cowering at the feet of any ghosts of BYU quarterbacks past. And as a result, victories have come.
Through two games, both Cougar triumphs before a national television audience, Feterik's numbers have been nothing short of sizzling - 811 yards through the air and five touchdowns against only one interception.
"I expected to do well," Feterik said, "maybe not this well as far as the passing yards, but I thought I'd be around the 300-yard mark every game since we were going to throw the ball so much."
And then there's Feterik's now near-mythical 501-yard eruption against Washington in the season opener. As part of that brilliant aerial display, the senior signal caller threw for three scores, including the game-winner in the final minute, lifting the Cougars to a 35-28 victory.
"I've never thrown for that many yards in my life," Feterik said. "The way we won that game on national television was just awesome."
Awesome seems to be an appropriate adjective to describe Feterik, who averaged 405 yards per contest in the two victories.
"I've expected this out of myself since I came here," Feterik said. "I came here because I threw the ball, and I wanted to be a part of the great tradition at quarterback. I came here to carry on the quarterback legacy."
With the gaudy statistics and the unblemished record arrived the Heisman hype - attention and acclaim unexpected for a quarterback once passed over for bigger names with intriguing stories like Weinke, Hamilton and Brees.
"I don't even think about that," Feterik said. "It's not like I had any preseason hype. It all comes down to wins. If we win, then I'll get recognition. If we don't, I won't."
Winning has not been much of a problem so far. While Feterik has been impressive, help has come in the unexpected form of two freshmen, running backs Luke Staley and Fahu Tahi, who provide the already-deadly Cougar offensive arsenal with two more weapons.
"Both these freshmen have really helped," Feterik said. "We were counting on them, but not this much. They've helped our passing game by being able to run the ball effectively, which opens up the defense."
If history is any indication, Feterik's already staggering statistics could reach near-astronomical proportions against Virginia. In Death Valley just two weeks ago, a dazed and confused Cavalier secondary watched as Clemson's spread-the-field, Cougar-esque offensive scheme shredded them to the tune of 343 passing yards. Brigham Young runs similar plays; in fact, much of Clemson's offense finds roots in the BYU tradition of quick-strike firepower. And the Cougars are not planning on holding anything back come Saturday.
"It sounds like U.Va. really beat themselves in the Clemson game," Feterik said. "We're going to stick to our gameplan and take what the defense gives us."
The Cavs are in a stingy mood, though.
"I know I can make the plays," safety Chris Williams said. "We just need to be in the right position and let our talent take over. We want to show that we're better than we were at Clemson."
But Virginia coach George Welsh has seen tape of the Brigham Young offense. He knows that with Feterik spearheading the Cougars, BYU's offense is a powder keg, just waiting to be lit.
"It's a sophisticated passing attack that's very good - the timing is very good," Welsh said. "They make long drives like wishbone teams used to. Four times against Washington they went 80 yards for touchdowns throwing the ball - that's unheard of."
Read More
Leo Afonso is ascending the ranks of club soccer — and he is not done yet
By Ben Istvan | 4 hours agoVirginia's former talisman recently made waves in professional soccer with a dreamlike 17-day stretch.
Virginia softball fumbles last home game of the season to Virginia Tech
By Eleanor Lynch | YesterdayThe Hokies shut out the Cavaliers, who continue to show immense struggles at the plate.
Hoos in the NBA Playoffs
By Oliver Blair | YesterdayThe NBA Playoffs are tipping off imminently, and many of Virginia’s former heroes will be chasing the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
