Through his coaching tree, LaVell Edwards’ influence on football will never cease

Michelle Budge, Deseret News / Source: Getty Images

LaVell Edwards wasn’t just running a college football program at BYU.

Over the course of his 29-year run at the helm of the Cougars, Edwards operated one of the most decorated coaching academies the sport has ever seen.

Forget about the “quarterback factory.” Under Edwards, BYU became an assembly line to churn out an absurd amount of groundbreaking football minds, and the ripple effects are still being felt across the widespread college and NFL landscapes.

Edwards won 257 games, 19 conference titles and a national championship not because of any personal genius of his own, but rather because of the collective brilliance of the coaches he brought together to help shape his vision and bring it to life.

More than 20 college head coaches — and a number of other accomplished coordinators — spent time on BYU’s staff with Edwards.

Three NFL head coaches have come from the Cougars, and each of them have won Super Bowls, including Andy Reid, who looks to earn a third ring in five seasons Sunday in Las Vegas.

Edwards and his assistants found success through orchestrating an elaborate, unprecedented passing attack based upon scheme and timing to counter opposing physicality.

This radical thinking allowed BYU to regularly topple programs with far more resources and become a true national force.

Looking back at some of the names from old Cougars coaching staffs, it’s easy to see why BYU enjoyed the success it did for so long. From 1978-86 especially, Edwards essentially organized a Manhattan Project in Provo, assembling the brightest minds to yield the most explosive results.

Here’s a look at some of the key individuals to blossom from the LaVell Edwards coaching tree.

Kansas City Chiefs’ Andy Reid reacts during warm-ups before an AFC Championship NFL football game…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/coaching-tree-lavell-edwards-influence-030220390.html

Author : Deseret News

Publish date : 2024-02-10 03:02:20

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.