LaVell Edwards passes away

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I'm very sorry to hear of the passing of Coach Edwards. He was a great football coach and a great man. It's not a stretch to say that the current era of football success enjoyed by all in the state of Utah is a direct consequence of the influence of LaVell Edwards. He laid a foundation on which every program in the state has built from.



In addition to being an innovative football coach he also served the community and those struggling and in need. I'll forever be grateful to Coach Edwards for the kindness and support he has shown me in the past.



Thank you Coach Edwards, you will be missed and your legacy will live on.

What a legend. Hard to believe he's gone, but he led a great life and is well renowned.



In one of those weird, unusual coincidences, I have now lost, in this month of December 2016, my high school FB and BB coach (one 70 and the other 74) and the FB coach of where I attended college. LaDell Andersen, you better be careful these next couple of days!

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He was a great man, and a wonderful example of how to be professional. How to treat others with kindness, honesty and respect. The world is a better place as a result of his influence

http://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=17146644



Few know this, but Coach Edwards saved BYU football as we know it today. He was called in to speak with then Counselor in the First Presidency, Gordon B. Hinckley who asked him point blank if BYU football could continue as it was and serve the mission of BYU or if it should be done away with or drop out of the NCAA to play other small religious institutions in games that didn't matter. It was only on his assurance that the program could be run in such a way that it served BYU's mission that the program was allowed to continue. Most don't realize that this was ever a serious possibility like it was. We owe him a great debt of gratitude.

A legend.

scott715 wrote:
http://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=17146644



Few know this, but Coach Edwards saved BYU football as we know it today. He was called in to speak with then Counselor in the First Presidency, Gordon B. Hinckley who asked him point blank if BYU football could continue as it was and serve the mission of BYU or if it should be done away with or drop out of the NCAA to play other small religious institutions in games that didn't matter. It was only on his assurance that the program could be run in such a way that it served BYU's mission that the program was allowed to continue. Most don't realize that this was ever a serious possibility like it was. We owe him a great debt of gratitude.

Honest question and I'm sorry that I can't phrase it less accusatory, I'm not trying to accuse, but how would one know that this isn't a faith-promoting rumor?

This has been a bad week for this. RIP coach Edwards.

ABYUFAN wrote:

http://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=17146644



Few know this, but Coach Edwards saved BYU football as we know it today. He was called in to speak with then Counselor in the First Presidency, Gordon B. Hinckley who asked him point blank if BYU football could continue as it was and serve the mission of BYU or if it should be done away with or drop out of the NCAA to play other small religious institutions in games that didn't matter. It was only on his assurance that the program could be run in such a way that it served BYU's mission that the program was allowed to continue. Most don't realize that this was ever a serious possibility like it was. We owe him a great debt of gratitude.

Honest question and I'm sorry that I can't phrase it less accusatory, I'm not trying to accuse, but how would one know that this isn't a faith-promoting rumor?

I'm not sure why it would fall under the category of faith promoting rumor. Of course Lavell would have been consulted if the BofT ever considered dropping football while he was coach. But the timing here doesn't make a lot of sense though. Pres. Hinckley was called to the First Presidency several years after BYU football was strong and was clearly representing the university and the church in a positive way.



However, it is pretty much an established historical fact that BYU had discussed and considered dropping football in the early 70s when they had no history of winning to that point. That was more about costs and whether it was worth it. Lavell even talked about that himself. A lot of people have believed he may have been the last BYU head football coach if he hadn't turned around the program. The only other time there was close to any crisis around BYU football was around the time Gary Crowton got fired following the sex scandals on the team, and Pres. Hinckley was the president of the church at the time, not just a counselor. But at that time Lavell would only have been in a position to give advice and not an assurance of how the program would operate in the future since he was no longer the coach.

scott715 wrote:
http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/18371394/former-byu-cougars-coach-lavell-edwards-dies-86

Thanks for posting this. It is a powerful tribute that former players would bring their kids to see the trophies won by BYU. Matich saw that the real tribute was the more the fathers of the kids than the trophies in the case . He inspired his players to be better husbands to their wives and better fathers to their kids.



My niece just drove by the Y and it's all lit up.

scott715 wrote:
http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/18371394/former-byu-cougars-coach-lavell-edwards-dies-86

Most of us football fans will remember Lavell as the revolutionary coach that brought BYU out of obscurity into national prominence as a football power. And rightfully so. But I cannot imagine a more profound, salutary, memorable tribute than that paid to Lavell by Mattich--a tribute of a man who helped young men become good fathers and husbands and men of character.

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