From Deseret News archives:
They love LaVell — and Bronco
Zeus and Apollo.
This was the case Friday at LaVell Edwards Stadium as a horde of former BYU football players made its way to a player reunion created by Bronco Mendenhall. They attended position meetings, listened to Mendenhall, watched his practice scrimmage and sat at his table, eating barbecue catered by Ruby River.
For the second year in a row, they gathered by the hundreds, arriving from coast to coast.
By and large, they are LaVell Edwards' men. You cannot pry love for Edwards from them; only a fool would try.
Yet, conversely, they are enamored by the school's second attempt at replacing Edwards, an outsider unafraid to weld Edwards to his own Cougar enterprise.
You approach guys like NFL all-pros Vai Sikahema, Chad Lewis, current Super Bowl champion Rob Morris or former Outland Trophy winner Jason Buck. You ask them what they think of Bronco Mendenhall, and wheels in their minds churn. Their eyes glance away, as if they're about to cheat on LaVell. They usually begin answers by talking about Edwards, as if earning their letter was linked to a blood oath of sorts.
Then, they allow words to leak out about Mendenhall.
"LaVell was an innovator, breaking ground by using every gadget he could, and he changed college football here and on the national scene," said Sikahema. "Mendenhall is now breaking new ground with his own ways, reaching out to find the souls of his players; inspiring them to play harder than they have before. I like what I see."
Ted Nelson (class of 1970), serial entrepreneur from Anaheim, Calif., said Edwards made every player on the team feel important. And the new guy? "First of all, Bronco made me feel good by reaching out, like somebody does remember us old guys," said Nelson.
"Second, everything he does seems principle-based and he seems to have a good process. If I was a CEO of a company, I'd buy stock in his company."
Offensive tackle John Monahan (1972), now CEO of Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau in Honolulu, remembers the day Edwards was hired. "I remember the changes he brought and correct principles he taught. For a while, we lost ourselves. Now I see Bronco doing similar things, bringing back tradition, doing things based on the right things. Inviting us back, those who were there when LaVell began it all, well, it makes you feel appreciated and that all your work was not in vain."
