This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
John Beck did absolutely nothing Thursday night to improve his reputation for losing close games.
It's not his fault this time. The Brigham Young quarterback was so efficient and effective in the fourth quarter that the Cougars made their 31-17 upset of No. 17 Texas Christian look rather comfortable.
Winning at the wire can wait for another day. Until then, this was the performance Beck's fans and critics alike have waited for: a crisp, error-free game against an outstanding defense.
"The best game he's played in his life," said BYU quarterbacks coach Brandon Doman.
If not, it was certainly the most significant. This was a breakthrough victory for BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall, and it required a complete effort from his team.
Yet considering what TCU's defense had done to Texas Tech's seemingly un-
stoppable offense, holding the Red Raiders to three points two weeks ago, this was a validating performance for Beck, especially.
"People were saying he can't get it done in a big game," Doman observed. "This is as 'get it done' in a big game as any quarterback's done here at BYU."
That's saying something. Under the circumstances, it was justifiable praise.
Beck's statistics were impressive, as he completed 23 of 37 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns. But his performance went beyond the numbers. He delivered in the fourth quarter, when BYU's defense was showing signs of wearing down and the Cougars needed to keep scoring.
Beck responded by leading two long scoring drives, hitting clutch third-down throws and finishing each possession with a touchdown pass. It was exactly what the Cougars failed to do against TCU last September in Provo, when Beck's 517-yard, five-touchdown day was made meaningless by the offense's failure to complete the job and the defense's collapse.
Thursday was another story. "Just finish," was BYU's mantra, according to Beck, and that's what the Cougars did.
Actually, this may be just a start for Beck and his team in Mountain West Conference play. In one sense, beating the Horned Frogs so decisively makes those tough losses to Arizona and Boston College hurt even more. Imagine where the Cougars (3-2) would be if they could have found ways to win those games.
Then again, they're unbeaten in the league with what looks like an easy road ahead of them for several weeks, anyway.
And this is a whole new position for Beck: first place.
BYU's victory came over a quarterback who was basically considered the anti-Beck. TCU's Jeff Ballard was never known for his numbers, just his ability to win. Thursday, Ballard pretty much matched Beck's numbers - except on the scoreboard.
Beck knows how he feels, having had to explain all those losses during his career. There's no avoiding this theme during Beck's senior season: Every game is a referendum about what kind of legacy he will leave at BYU, much like two years ago when every game was a test of whether former coach Gary Crowton would keep his job.
That's what happens at BYU when a guy plays quarterback for four years and has a losing record, regardless of how much blame he really should receive. Beck has a lot to overcome in terms of how he will be remembered, but Thursday's effort was huge for him.
With Beck returning from an ankle injury that caused him to miss last weekend's win over Utah State, Mendenhall credited him with "a courageous performance, a tough performance, a gutty performance - one that's the mark of a leader and the mark of a great quarterback."
Maybe it's not too late for Beck to radically change the perception of him. Then again, BYU may not have a close game for a while.