LaVell Edwards
LaVell Edwards
Reuben LaVell Edwardsis a former American football head coach for Brigham Young University. With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time. Among his many notable accomplishments, Edwards guided BYU to a national championship in 1984 and coached Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer in 1990...
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth11 October 1930
football team player
The main reason for doing it now had more to do with the players. This is a great group. This particular group has really worked hard to prepare themselves. And we have a chance to have a good football team.
athlete hard-work successful
We tend to look at successful athletes and make them almost bigger than life. I have seen many young men who have achieved greatness. I have also seen those who have come up a little short of their potential. I do know that those who succeed have been able to recognize within themselves the potential to do something well and then work hard to prepare themselves for that eventual opportunity. Others wait for the opportunity to come and then start to work, thus coming up a little short.
past matter coaches
When I started I knew it was a matter of when, not if, I would get fired. That's because that was just the past history of the previous coaches that had been there.
fire tickets my-family
They can't fire me because my family buys too many tickets.
dream retirement farewell
Speaking as he unintentionally launched his farewell tour by announcing that the 2000 season would be his last before retirement: Honestly, I had never, ever in my wildest dreams believed I would ever do this. All I wanted to do was to play it out and when it was time to go, hang it up, take off and sail into the sunset somewhere.
running morning men
I was asked this morning if it was frustrating to be 13-1 last year and not have more recognition and I said, "Hey man, I'd take that every year. I'd take that kind of frustration and not worry about it one bit. It wasn't frustration, it was one of those great runs and I enjoyed it."
appreciation careers appreciate
Reminiscing, with obvious emotion, on his long career: It's like the size of the crowd here today. It always surprises me. But I do appreciate it.
football children kids
Commenting on playoffs to determine a national champion: I'm not in favor of 15 games either. I think that's way too much football. The thing that I feel good about is that these guys hung together through 15 games and played hard every week. That's a marvelous tribute to the kids. We just hung in there today and kept playing. It's just been a special feeling all year long.
home son college
My sons served excellent missions, and returned to participate in college athletics. In their letters home, and even now that they have been back for some time, they frequently mention that the experiences in the mission field were the choicest and most gratifying of their lives. You young men, begin to prepare yourselves now for this marvelous experience.
football believe adversity
When we have adversity we oftentimes tend to look around and think that we're the Lone Ranger. We tend to believe that we're the only one who has problems. And we always look around and see others who are more talented, taller, smarter, handsomer, or faster. I can assure you, everyone has problems-even football coaches. The ability we have to handle this adversity will determine the degree of success that we will have in life.
disappointment adversity tragedy
Those who have succeeded have also had the ability to overcome adversity, disappointment, and even tragedy in their lives.