Following the lead of four standout quarterbacks he coached, former Brigham Young University head football coach LaVell Edwards has been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

With a 29-year tenure that resulted in 257 victories, a national title and a trademark high-octane aerial offense, Edwards was one of 14 "Class of 2004" inductees announced at a Tuesday news conference in South Bend, Ind.

Edwards was introduced as "a coaching icon, whose success and longevity are paralleled by few," by Jon F. Hanson, chairman of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.

Edwards joins Cougar quarterbacks Gifford Nielsen, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon and Steve Young as BYU Hall honorees.

"A spectacular choice," said Young in a prepared statement. "When you think of the Hall of Fame, you think of longevity, excellence, leadership, and quality. In my book, Hall of Fame and LaVell Edwards go hand in hand. He is definitely a worthy recipient of this honor."

Saying he was humbled and overwhelmed by the recognition, Edwards added he considered his greatest accomplishment was "I did win enough games that I stayed employed and that I was able to do the things that I wanted to do — to coach and to work with people."

Retiring after the 2000 season, Edwards compiled a record of 257-101-3 for a .716 winning percentage. His Cougars won the 1984 national championship and 21 conference titles and played in 22 bowl games. And his program produced quarterbacks who combined for one Heisman Trophy, four Davy O'Brien awards and seven Sammy Baugh honors, two linemen who earned Outland Trophy recognition linemen, and 32 players who received All-American recognition.

He himself won national coach-of-the-year honors in 1979 and 1984. His 257 wins is ranks sixth all-time among Division I-A coaches, and his 29-year tenure was fifth-longest for a head coach at one school.

"I think this is awesome — there is not a more deserving guy in college football than LaVell Edwards," said BYU head coach Gary Crowton, Edwards' successor. "All the things he has done are tremendous — and I ought to konw because I'm the guy following him."

Edwards is one of two retired coaches earning Hall of Fame honors this year, joined by former Navy and Virginia head coach George Welsh, with 189 victories between 1973 and 2000.

"I'm not surprised LaVell is here," said Welsh, noting that while his and Edwards' tenures coincided, "LaVell has about 60 more wins than I do."

Upon Edwards' retirement, BYU's football stadium was renamed in his honor. He and his wife, Patti, later served an LDS Church mission in New York City, returning to Utah last year.

The dozen players included Army running back Bob Anderson (1957-59), Oklahoma middle guard Tony Casillas (1982-85), Tennessee linebacker Frank Emanuel (1963-65), Southern Mississippi punter Ray Guy (1970-72), Arkansas guard/linebacker Wayne Harris (1958-60), California quarterback Joe Kapp (1956-58), Michigan tight end James Mandich (1967-69), Penn State running back Lydell Mitchell 91969-71), Auburn defensive tackle Tracy Rocker (1985-88), Ohio State defensive back Jack Tatum (1968-70), Houston quarterback Andre Ware (1987-89) and Southern California tight end Charles Young (1970-72).

The Class of 2004 will be inducted at a Dec. 7 dinner in New York City and enshrined at the hall — located at South Bend — in ceremonies scheduled for Aug. 14-15, 2004.

Eligibility criteria for coaches include a 10-year tenure as head coach, minimums of 100 games coached and a .600 winning percentage, and to have been retired for three years. Players must have earned first-team All-American honors, have been out of college football for 10 years and be retired from professional football. An "Honors Review" committee reviews possible exceptions to the eligibility standards.

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