Latter-day Saint Life

Legendary BYU Football Coach LaVell Edwards Passes Away at 86

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Our prayers go out to LaVell Edwards' family and his many fans. 

Legendary BYU football coach LaVell Edwards, a College Football Hall of Famer known for his pioneering offenses, died Thursday. He was 86.

Renowned for his pass-first offenses that threw for more than 57 miles and opened a new era of college football, Edwards led BYU to the 1984 national championship and sent five players to the College Football Hall of Fame before his own enshrinement in 2004.

He earned Bobby Dodd national coach of the year honors in 1979 and AFCA national coach of the year in 1984, when he helped the Cougars to a 13-0 record, a win over Michigan in the Holiday Bowl, and a national championship by the Associated Press and Coaches’ Poll.

Edwards ranks in the top-10 winningest coaches in Football Bowl Subdivision history. His .722 winning percentage over 29 years is just one of two coaches nationally to win as many games in fewer than 30 seasons.

Lead image from Jayne Price Edwards' Facebook page
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