100 Things I Love About BYU Football
By Mitch Harper
A general view of a game during a TV timeout during the third quarter between Washington State Cougars and Brigham Young Cougars at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN’s Gene Wojciechowski put together a list of 100 things that he loves about College Football. His post inspired myself to put together a list of 100 things I love about BYU Football.
Wojciechowski mentioned LaVell Edwards in his list of things he loves about the country’s greatest sport. Probably safe to say I’m going to have LES as well.
BYU Football can sometimes be that abusive spouse that can break your heart, but regardless of the pain and heartbreak the Cougars can give us we will always come back for more.
Here’s 100 things about BYU Football that will always keep me coming back for more.
1. The Oval Y
It’s an iconic logo. Athlon Sports dubbed it one of the best logos in College Football. When you see that Y glistening on a white helmet (not a fan of ’99-’04 helmets) it gets you excited for some Cougar Football.
2. LaVell Edwards Stadium
Always has been considered one of the best places to watch a College Football game. You won’t see a BYU Football media guide without the quote from ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit that reads, “You guys will agree that [LaVell Edwards] stadium is one of the prettiest settings of college football. This stadium is just unbelievable.”
3. BYU’s Power of the Wasatch band during the spelling of ‘Cougars’ before kickoff.
Maybe this is personal nostalgia for me, but whenever I hear the Power of the Wasatch perform before kickoff it just epitomizes a Saturday afternoon at Cougar Stadium/LES. I think of being with my dad and nestling into my metal bench with a Sprite that has a blue straw and unwrapping my hoagie from BYU concessions. It’s so BYU, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
4. Bronco Mendenhall
Is there a better man to be head coach of BYU Football right now than Bronco? If you say no, you’re a liar. Bronco took over a BYU program that was treading mediocre waters when he took over in December of 2004. Since, BYU is a perennial Top 25 team every year and competitive with any program in College Football on a weekly basis.
5. Broncoisms
Is there anything more entertaining than hearing Coach Mendenhall talk? Media reporter: “Hey coach, what’s about Virginia worries you the most this Saturday?” Bronco: deep breath looks to ceiling “I really respect Virginia as an opponent. They are going to be a well coached team with tremendous talent. But when push comes to shove, it comes down to how we personally execute as a team. In terms of an attention to detail and aspiring to achieve something that is greater than our selves. And looking at the type of men we have not only on the football field but how they are as students, citizens in the community, and positive extensions of our religion; shakes head there’s not a doubt in my mind what we are capable of as a team.”
That quote was a joke by the way….
Bronco, a bookshelf, and Greg Wrubell? It’s a match made in cougar heaven.
6. Bronco’s Book Shelf
Sunday nights on KSL SportsBeat. If you don’t know about the shelf, well, you haven’t lived.
7. The Holy War
One of College Football’s best rivalries. The hatred in this rivalry is top notch. When I hear folks from around the west try to hype up their rivalry as being bigger than BYU-Utah, I scoff at them. What rivalry always lives up to the pre-game billing and has the storylines off the field like this one?
8. Royal Blue
BYU will obviously be bringing back the royal blue uniforms for the game against Utah this season. The tradition of BYU Football was built in royal blue. Great to see it popular amongst fans again.
9. BYUtv Film Room
Remember the 1995 game at Colorado State where Kirk Herbstreit was a sideline reporter in the first live ESPN2 college football broadcast? Fire up the Film Room.
10. Greatest Moments in BYU Football History VHS tape.
Dedication, honesty, loyalty, commitment. These are qualities that define Brigham Young University Football.
11. The Victory Bell. It means one thing, the Cougars won.
12. Independence
BYU as a football Independent is great. For personal reasons alone, Independence is allowing me to visit places that I’ve never seen in my lifetime or wanted to visit. Why else would I want to go to Murfreesboro, Tennessee?
13. LaVell Edwards
Looking back, I’m amazed, like all of us, with what LaVell did at BYU. Growing up I didn’t truly appreciate the job LaVell did at BYU. Think about it. BYU was always a nationally televised team in a day and age where national TV appearances were few and far between, and they always played against the who’s who of College Football. A national powerhouse that schools feared. Built by a revolutionary passing attack. It was the type of powerhouse that when a school like Oregon, who is considered a College Football power today, once stormed the field at Autzen Stadium after taking down LaVell’s Cougars in 1990.
LaVell will always be remembered as one of College Football’s greatest coaches. BYU needs to build a statue to honor him in front of LES as soon as possible.
14. LaVell’s Hats
I collect hats. LaVell’s hats from the 90’s are prime BYU merch these days.
15. The JC Cornerback that will save the cornerback position
It doesn’t matter what year it is BYU is always banking a JUCO cornerback to come in the fall and be a starter. It’s up there with golf’s Masters in terms of being a tradition unlike any other. If Cougar fans don’t have cornerback issues, what do we honestly have as fans?
16. Greg Wrubell
The Voice of the Cougars always delivers.
17. A running back that wears a bandana with a back plate
Ronney Jenkins and now Jamaal Williams.
18. Quarterback U.
19. Jimmy Mac calls BYU his alma mater.
20. From Pee Wee Herman to Heisman, Ty Detmer wowed us all on the football field and of course his appearances on KSL’s Outdoors with Doug Miller.
21. A seventh string QB from Greenwich went on to NFL fame. (Steve Young)
22. Lavell’s picture with the Quarterback assembly line.
23. Steve Sarkisian lassoes Texas A&M in the Pigskin Classic and delivers the “K.O. Punch”
24. Hometown boy, Gifford Nielsen leads the charge in a historic win at Texas A&M in Houston.
25. The moment John Beck had “it”
26. Max Hall telling us what we already knew.
27. Robbie Bosco looking at the Goodyear Blimp in 1984 against Pitt.
28. The National Championship from 1984. So what if we live in the past at times. Be proud that there is a past to speak of.
29. Royal Blue 1984 National Championship banner in the north end zone from yesteryear.
Bring this back please? The National Championship banner on the pressbox right now is not enough. Promote that title baby.
30. Obscure sponsors of BYU Football
Would I want legit sponsors? Sure. But it’s so BYU to have the likes of Orangesoda, Domo, Voonami, Qualtrics, Vivint, NuSkin, and others as sponsors, that in a weird pyramid scheming way, I’ve grown to have a weird liking for them.
31. The two-year missionary trips
BYU has an unfair advantage with all these mature men that are fathers to 8 kids.
32. Wide Receivers with no speed but “great hands”
If I had a nickel for every time a national media member described BYU’s WRs with great hands. I’d be running my own MLM in Alpine by now.
33. An ESPN broadcast mentioning how many married players are on the team.
Over/Under in 2013: 34.5. It’s always in that 32-38 range. Will be interesting to see. You’ll hear about it at least 10 times this year.
34. The Wives Club
Founded by Patti Edwards, what other College Football program can say they have a wives club? I bet many NFL franchises don’t even have one. Happy wife means a happy husband.
35. The moment the Haka was laid to rest.
If you’re name isn’t Hala Paongo, you shouldn’t be doing the Haka while playing at BYU.
36. BYU fans driving down I-15 in a packed minivan to the game.
37. B-Y-U in the end zones.
38. Brady Poppinga’s passion
39. The 2006 captains
40. Nate Hutchinson’s impression of Bronco Mendenhall
41. Polynesian players being dosed in 500 leis on Senior night
42. Senior blankets
43. Black Nike cleats with black Nike socks
44. All white’s on the road in a primetime, hostile environment.
45. Sailer coug logo from the 80’s
46. The old Cougar Club logo
47. Friday Night Fandemonium
Jeffrey Holland was a BYU Football fan first before he was a BYU president.
48. Jeffrey Holland and Rex E. Lee because they were football fans.
49. Ziggy not knowing how to put his pads on.
50. The recruiting hype for players that don’t call Utah County their home.
51. Paul James not looking at a roster till a week before the first game.
52. BYU playing in Las Vegas
53. BYU defeating Pac-12 schools.
54. The kid that wears a Cosmo outfit to games
55. The token walk-on that will go on to Cougar Football glory each season.
56. BYU books. Cougarmania, Wild Blue Yonder, Tales from the BYU Sidelines, TY. Just to name a few.
57. The Year of the Cougars: 1996 BYU Football Team
58. Kyle Van Noy bouncing back from adversity
59. HB Arnett recruiting DVDs accompanied with great songs.
60. The new video boards.
61. Power of the Wasatch playing the opposing team’s fight song.
62. Event staff showing visiting fans around the press box before games.
63. Orange Event Staff jackets
64. BYU providing pizza and ice cream to the visiting team, win or lose, after a game against the Cougars in LES.
65. That awful stench walking into a west sideline restroom after a Cougar victory.
66. BYU defeating any former MWC or WAC foe.
67. Late night kick-offs against Hawaii with paper flying everywhere
68. Cougar Tails!
69. Former players carrying the alumni flag onto the field.
70. Dave McCann
71. A+ Sportsmanship for the fans.
72. Pickle Juice to heal those nasty cramps
73. Good luck mustaches
74. Robert Anae saying Go Fast Go Hard 100 times in an interview because that’s the way he lives.
75. BYU allegedly recruiting players on missions according to Salt Lake media and Ute fans everywhere.
Bronco and Kyle meet on the field and the golf course. Mandatory Credit: Douglas C. Pizac-USA TODAY Sports
76. The annual summer golf tournament between BYU and Utah. Bronco brings his players for a bonding experience, while Whitt and the Utes bring ringers.
77. BYU Football Media Day
78. Holiday Bowl patches on the shoulders
79. The Mizlou Network
80. Kurt Gouveia’s dance against New Mexico in 1984
81. The mystery that is Pete Van Valkenburg
82. Gary Crowton’s debut against Tulane and BYU’s rare appearance on the west sideline.
83. Luke Staley’s calves.
84. Cosmo’s smooth dance skills
85. 1994 Media Guide cover
86. Hard copy media guides
87. The Watermelon Bust
88. Owen Pochman dating a playmate
89. Linebacker tradition
90. Chad Lewis leaping over defenders
91. Taysom Hill as BYU’s starting Quarterback in 2013
92. Go Fast Go Hard offense
93. Cody Hoffman becoming one of the all-time greats in BYU history.
94. Daniel Sorensen and Craig Bills becoming BYU’s best Safety tandem ever.
95. 18 year old Jswagdaddy.
96. Kyle Van Noy, Alani Fua, Spencer Hadley, and Uani Unga causing havoc on offensive backfields.
97. The “new Bronco”
98. BYU might have a kicker this season
99. The quest continues
100. Kickoff
August 31st can’t get here soon enough.