Throwback Thursday: LaVell Edwards Coaching Tree

#5 – Doug Scovil Courtesy of Cougar Nostalgia

Possibly the most underrated name to ever be associated with the history of the BYU football program.  Doug Scovil was hired at BYU in 1976 by LaVell Edwards, which would set the stage for BYU’s high-powered passing offense, which would ultimately change the landscape of college football forever.  After a disappointing season in 1975, Scovil arrived at BYU from the San Francisco 49ers to help mentor quarterback Gifford Nielson, who struggled during his sophomore season. LaVell Edwards allowed Scovil to completely re-write BYU’s playbook, and to build off of what Dewey Warren had started at BYU with this “crazy idea” of the forward pass.  Scovil installed a pro-set offense, where, whenever possible, would have five receivers in patterns, including two running backs.  Doug Scovil was a perfectionist–an extremely detail oriented coach.  Gifford Nielsen and Scovil became inseparable.  They spent a half hour every practice just working on drop back techniques and feet work.  In one season, Scovil developed Nielsen into an All-American quarterback, breaking almost every NCAA passing record and becoming a leading Heisman candidate early into the 1977 season.  After Nielsen went down with a season ending knee injury, Scovil completely modified the playbook to the strengths of backup quarterback Marc Wilson.  In 1979, Wilson became the All-American quarterback and led BYU to an undefeated regular season and fourth straight WAC title.  Scovil would then mold legendary quarterback Jim McMahon into setting seventy-two NCAA records and another WAC title, including a Holiday Bowl victory over SMU.  Scovil would go on to become the head coach at San Diego State for five seasons, and then coach the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL for four seasons, before tragically passing away of a heart attack in 1989.