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Underrated Historical Coaches
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Author:  Irish Boy [ Sat Feb 09, 2013 1:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Underrated Historical Coaches

I'm working on a new history project along the same lines as the book, but focusing only on the WAC. I think there's a case to be made for LaVell Edwards at BYU being one of the top 5 or so coaches in college football history. What he did at that program -- which was an afterthought, even in the WAC, before he took over -- is pretty ridiculous. Not only that, but his coaching tree is insane. I don't think that it's too much of a stretch to say that almost every notable offensive coach from the 1990s and 2000s in the NFL came from either the Bill Walsh or the LaVell Edwards coaching tree. Not nearly enough credit for his role in the game.

Author:  doug - evergreen park [ Sat Feb 09, 2013 2:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Underrated Historical Coaches

btw...i finally finished your book. got half way through it in Miami in October then put it down for a bit. spent the free time in January finishing the 2nd half. I really liked it. write more stuff. 8)

Author:  Irish Boy [ Sat Feb 09, 2013 2:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Underrated Historical Coaches

:thumleft: Glad to hear you enjoyed it. This piece on the WAC is a magazine article I'm working on. It is scheduled for publication sometime early summer, probably June.

Author:  bigfan [ Sat Feb 09, 2013 2:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Underrated Historical Coaches

Gary Crowton, the god father of the Bubble screen

Author:  beni hanna [ Sat Feb 09, 2013 2:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Underrated Historical Coaches

Is this a football centric WAC article or mainly an article on Edwards?

Author:  newper [ Sat Feb 09, 2013 3:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Underrated Historical Coaches

Ron McBride with Utah back in the day and Fresno State Pat Hill are two must includes.

Author:  Irish Boy [ Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Underrated Historical Coaches

beni hanna wrote:
Is this a football centric WAC article or mainly an article on Edwards?

Full history of the WAC, though obviously Edwards and BYU play a big role in that history. It's something of an obituary for the conference.

Author:  Hawkeye Vince [ Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Underrated Historical Coaches

What about Ron McBride at Utah? He really led that program out of the dumps and left it in great shape for Urban Meyer.

Author:  reents [ Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Underrated Historical Coaches

Irish Boy wrote:
I'm working on a new history project along the same lines as the book, but focusing only on the WAC. I think there's a case to be made for LaVell Edwards at BYU being one of the top 5 or so coaches in college football history. What he did at that program -- which was an afterthought, even in the WAC, before he took over -- is pretty ridiculous. Not only that, but his coaching tree is insane. I don't think that it's too much of a stretch to say that almost every notable offensive coach from the 1990s and 2000s in the NFL came from either the Bill Walsh or the LaVell Edwards coaching tree. Not nearly enough credit for his role in the game.


I was wondering what the book that you wrote, what its called and what its about.

Author:  good dolphin [ Mon Feb 11, 2013 6:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Underrated Historical Coaches

newper wrote:
Ron McBride with Utah back in the day and Fresno State Pat Hill are two must includes.


Any book about WAC football coaching has to include Fisher DeBerry at Air Force. However he and La Velle Edwards aren't really underrated as their names would be the two that spring to mind immediately.

Pat Hill I think would be in the underrated category, especially because he was ultimately fired even though he stayed loyal to the program when bigger jobs were offered.

Chris Ault from Nevada was a guy with a great record, reputation and devotion to the school before he retired.

June Jones deserves some mention as well. The guy took a doormat to a BCS game. He made Hawaii worth watching at 11 pm on Saturday evenings.

John Mackovic I believe found football redemption at San Diego State. I always thought he was a good coach who got a raw deal because he didn't have a big personality.

Author:  Irish Boy [ Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Underrated Historical Coaches

1.) My book isn't about the WAC specifically (I talk about it a bit, but mostly as an aside), but about the history of college football more generally. If interested, you can buy it for $2.99 for Kindle here (or $12.99 in paperback): http://www.amazon.com/Spiral-Revolutions-Footballs-Conference-ebook/dp/B009JPUO1C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1360628625&sr=8-2&keywords=Spiral+Revolutions

2.) My upcoming article is about the WAC, which got me thinking about underrated coaches. Lots of good names in this thread. My thinking on Edwards is that a case could be made that he was a top-5 all time head coach. I think most regard him as a good or even great coach, but you don't hear his name along with the Bear Bryants of the sport. He probably deserves to be rated up there.

Someone could probably do a whole book on the WAC. It won't sell at all, but it would be interesting as all hell. Won't be me to write it though. This article will have to do.

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