LaVell Edwards honored at 'his' stadium

PROVO — BYU took time during Saturday's football game to pay tribute to retired Cougar head football coach LaVell Edwards, honoring the newly elected National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame member during halftime ceremonies in the stadium that bears his name.

But not even the presence of the last coach to beat New Mexico in Provo — nor his exhortation to the standing-ovation crowd that the Cougars turn around a halftime deficit — could help BYU, which fell 21-14.

The 74-year-old Edwards and his wife, Patti, were joined by BYU President Cecil O. Samuelson; interim athletics directors Tom Holmoe, Peter Pilling and Brian Santiago; and Grant Teaff, the former Baylor coach and longtime friend who is executive director of the American Football Coaches Association.

Teaff, who first became acquainted with Edwards as coaches in an all-star postseason game and later coached against him in a pair of early '80s BYU-Baylor games, highlighted Edwards' accomplishments and election to the Hall of Fame. Edwards then briefly expressed appreciation before calling for a Cougar comeback that didn't materialize.

"When the histories are all written, he'll be one of the top 10 coaches who ever coached the game," said Teaff later, complimenting Edwards for his personality, character and integrity.

"He changed college football — he was the guy who really made the wide-open offense, and he changed the mentality of the game," added Teaff, saying fans nationwide quickly embraced high-octane offenses and aerial attacks.

Since his retirement, Edwards has been a regular at BYU home games — with the exception of his two years serving with his wife in New York City as an LDS Church public-affairs missionary.

"It's a whole lot more relaxed," he said of being in the stands rather than the sidelines and not missing his profession. "I never have — not once. Once it was over, it was over. I was fortunate to have coached long enough to make sure it was out of my system, that I had had enough."

Announced in April as one of the 14 members of the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2004, Edwards will be inducted during a Dec. 7 banquet in New York City, with enshrinement ceremonies planned for next August at the Hall in South Bend, Ind.