Brigham Young University Cougars football
Encyclopedia
The Brigham Young Cougars football team is a college football
program representing Brigham Young University
in Provo, Utah
. The Cougars won the national championship
in 1984 and have a Heisman Trophy
winner in Ty Detmer
. Since 1965, BYU has claimed 23 conference championships and played in 29 bowl games (11-17-1). The Cougars became the fourth Football Bowl Subdivision Independent on July 1, 2011.
, who gave the school its first winning seasons.
Ott Romney and Eddie Kimball
ushered in a new era in Cougar football in which the team went 65–51–12 between 1928–1942. In 1932, the Cougars posted a 8–1 record and outscored their opponents 188-50, which remains one of the school's finest seasons on record. Also, it was during this era that they first beat the Utes from the University of Utah
. Since 1922, they had gone 0–17–3 against them. In 1942, BYU finally broke through and beat the Utes by a score of 12–7 in Salt Lake City
. The university did not field a team from 1943–1945 due to World War II
.
Both Kimball (34–32–8) and Romney (42–31–5) finished their respective terms as head coach with winning records, and they are joined by LaVell Edwards, Gary Crowton and current head coach Bronco Mendenhall as the only coaches to do so. In 1975, Kimball and Romney were inducted into the BYU Athletic Hall of Fame.
Slowly, the program improved and began to again show some signs of life. Head coach Hal Kopp engineered back-to-back winning seasons in 1957 and 1958, led by southpaw quarterback Jared Stephens and the ferocious nose tackle Gavin Anae. For the first time in its history, the University made a real commitment to football. In 1964, Cougars' stadium was built and had a capacity of 30,000. Also, in 1961, BYU experienced national success when Eldon "The Phantom" Fortie
was honored as the school's first All-American as a running back. His #40 was retired by BYU to honor his accomplishments. In 1965 Virgil Carter was honored as the first quarterback from BYU to be selected first team All-Conference. The biggest accomplishment of this era was in 1965 when Head coach Tommy Hudspeth led the Cougars to their first conference championship with a record of 6-4. Coach Hudspeth retired in 1972 and finished with a record of 39–42–1. Despite not finishing with a winning record as head coach, he did lead the Cougars to 3 winning seasons between 1965 and 1967 with a great offensive line anchored by all-conference tackles Adam Johnson and Matt Shumway.
The mid-1960s saw the introduction of the "Y" on the Cougars' helmets. The 'Y' had become the symbol of the university after only the 322-foot-high letter 'Y' of 'BYU' was constructed in 1907, overlooking the campus on what is now called Y Mountain
.
revamped the Cougar offensive attack. While everyone else in college football was using run-heavy offenses such as the veer and wishbone, Edwards and his staff installed a drop-back passing game. This was considered by many experts to be the early implementations of the West Coast offense
. Ironically, in its first year, the new offense produced the nation's leading rusher in Pete Van Valkenburg
, who ran for 1,386 yards. In 1973, Gary Sheide took over as quarterback and the Cougars struggled to a 5-6 finish. This would be the only time that Edwards would have a losing season during his run as BYU coach. In 1974, Sheide led the Cougars to their first conference championship under Edwards, including a 21-18 victory over Arizona St., ending the Sun Devils domination of the WAC.
A new era dawned in Provo, in which BYU began excelling in football with consistent winning. BYU finished in a tie for the conference championship in both 1976 and 1977 leading to a string of outright WAC titles that lasted from 1978-1985. However, they lost their first four bowl games. In 1980, they appeared to be on their way to their fifth consecutive bowl loss, trailing SMU 45-25 with four minutes left in the Holiday Bowl. During these final four minutes, the Cougars scored 21 points to upend the Mustangs and record one of the greatest comeback wins in college football history. BYU would win their 1981, 1983 and 1984 bowl games as well. The new era also led to success against rival Utah. Up until 1964, the Cougars were 2-34-4, but from 1965 to 1992, the Cougars were 22-6 against the Utes.
BYU also produced several All-American quarterbacks during this time and earned the nickname "Quarterback U
." Gifford Nielsen
, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon
and Steve Young were all named first team All-Americans. BYU had several quarterbacks that came close to winning the Heisman Trophy
, including Steve Young, who finished second in the race in 1983 to Nebraska
's Mike Rozier
, and Jim McMahon, who finished third in 1981 to Marcus Allen
of USC.
, ranked #3 in the nation at the time and finished with a victory over the Michigan Wolverines
(6-5-0). BYU defeated Michigan 24-17 in the Holiday Bowl, marking the only time a national champion played in a bowl game
before New Year's Day. Coupled with the 11 consecutive wins to close out the 1983 season, BYU concluded the 1984 championship on a 24-game winning streak.
Several college football pundits (Barry Switzer and Bryant Gumble) argued that BYU had not played a legitimate schedule and thus should not be recognized as national champion. Nonetheless, at the end of the season, BYU was a unanimous choice for the number-one ranking in both the AP
and UPI polls. The team is the most-recent national champion that is not a current member of the Bowl Championship Series
coalition.
Winning the national championship opened new windows of opportunity for BYU football. The growing success of the program, and increased national exposure brought recognition to BYU athletes. In 1985, Robbie Bosco
finished third in the Heisman balloting. In 1986, defensive lineman Jason Buck
became the first BYU player ever to win the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the top interior lineman in all of college football. In 1989, offensive lineman Mo Elowonibi
also won the Outland Trophy.
quarterbacked the Cougars from 1988 to 1991, during which Detmer threw for 16,206 yards and 127 touchdowns (including bowl games) while setting 59 NCAA records and tying for three others. During that time period, BYU played difficult schedules consisting of match-ups against traditional college football powers, including Miami
, Florida State
, Penn State
, Iowa
, UCLA
, Oregon
, Texas
, and Texas A&M
. Detmer's tenure at quarterback also saw the Cougars achieve their first victory over a top-ranked team when they defeated the #1 Miami Hurricanes
early in the 1990 season. The 1990 season culminated with Detmer also providing BYU its first and only Heisman Trophy winner.
In 1996 BYU produced arguably its best team ever. With Steve Sarkisian as the Quarterback, the team completed the longest season in modern-day college football history by playing in 15 games in one season. Starting off with a victory over Texas A&M
in the Pigskin Classic
, the Cougars only loss that regular season was at Washington. (Sarkisian is now the Head football coach of Washington)
In 1996 the WAC
expanded to a 16-team conference by adding Rice
, TCU
, SMU
, Tulsa
, San Jose State
and UNLV
. After winning their division by going undefeated in conference play, the #7 ranked Cougars faced #20 Wyoming
in the first ever WAC Championship Game in Las Vegas
. BYU defeated the Cowboys in overtime and earned a bid to play in the Cotton Bowl, in Dallas, Texas
, on January 1, 1997. It was the BYU Cougars first ever New Year's Day bowl game and their opponent was #14-ranked Kansas State
of the newly formed Big 12 Conference
. Although the Cougars had a high powered offense led by quarterback Steve Sarkisian
, the game was a defensive struggle. Sarkisian connected with K.O. Kealaluhi for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to give BYU a 19-15 lead. Kansas State, however, was driving with time winding down in the game. With less than one minute left, BYU defensive back Omarr Morgan tipped a Wildcat pass to himself for an interception inside the 5-yard line, preserving the BYU win. BYU finished the season 14-1 and ranked #5 in both polls at the end of the season. BYU's 14 wins that season was the most ever by a Division I college football team in a single season until Ohio State
tied that record with a 14-0 record in 2002. BYU returned to the WAC Championship Game in 1998 but lost to 20-13.
In 1999 after leaving the WAC along with seven other teams to form the Mountain West Conference
, the Cougars won a share of the inaugural MWC championship. Just prior to the 2000 season, Edwards announced that it would be his final year as the program's head coach. That season, the Cougars struggled and found themselves with a 4-6 record with just two games left. Prior to Edwards' final home game, against , LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley
announced that Cougars Stadium would be renamed "LaVell Edwards Stadium
." Before the game started, President Hinckley addressed the BYU players in the locker room and admonished them, "Don't muff it." The Cougars went on to dominate the Lobos 37-13. The season finale against the Utes
was much more intense as the Cougars were trailing late in the 4th quarter, still deep in their own territory. On a fourth and thirteen, quarterback Brandon Doman
found Jonathan Pittman on a Hail Mary pass
. On the next play, Doman completed another pass to Pittman to put them in scoring position. Doman completed the comeback by running for the clinching score, winning the game 34-27, and Coach Edwards was triumphantly carried off the field.
, serving at the time as offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears
was hired to replace LaVell Edwards. The 2001 Cougars returned several key players including quarterback Doman and running back Luke Staley
. BYU ran off 12 straight wins to open the season and were ranked seventh nationally in at least one major poll, becoming the first MWC team to go undefeated in conference and won the conference championship outright. Staley, however, broke his leg in their 12th game against Mississippi State. Walking on crutches due to his broken leg, he accepted the Doak Walker award, given to the nation's top running back, after compiling 1,596 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns. Staley's absence proved critical as the Cougars lost their last two games including their bowl game.
The 2002 season started with a big home win, but the Cougars struggled throughout the season and a loss to Utah in the season finale marked the first losing season in 29 years. The following year also saw BYU start the season with a win, but by the time the season was over the Cougars had suffered their second straight losing season. The Cougars were also shut out in the finale against Utah, ending their nation-leading record of consecutive games without being shut out, which dated back to 1975. In 2004, BYU opened the season with a victory at home over Notre Dame, however, the Cougars ended their season with a final record of 5-6. After leading the Cougars to their third straight losing season and posting an overall record of 26-23, Crowton resigned.
, who had been brought into the program in 2003 as defensive coordinator, was named the next BYU head football coach after Kyle Whittingham
turned down BYU's offer to be head coach in favor of coaching the University of Utah. In his first season, Mendenhall led his team to a 6-5 regular season record. Mendenall's defensive secondary was weak, a significant problem for the Cougars in several close games including a 51-50 loss to nationally ranked TCU. Nevertheless, Mendenhall returned BYU to a bowl game in his first season and the team finished second (5-3) in the Mountain West Conference.
In 2006, the Cougars lost two early non-conference games to opponents from BCS conferences: one to Arizona on a last minute field goal and another to Boston College in double overtime. After that, the Cougars went on to run the table in their first seven conference games and set up a regular season finale at rival Utah. BYU jumped out to a 14-0 lead and was again driving until John Beck fumbled on a third-and-short play and the Cougars were forced to punt after recovering the fumble. In the second half, Utah jumped out to a 24-14 lead, but BYU responded in the fourth quarter with a pair of Beck touchdown passes. Utah scored again to take a 4-point lead with just over a minute left to play. The Cougars final play would take 13 seconds before Beck, as he was being hit, falling through the air, with his momentum carrying him the other direction, found Jonny Harline
all by himself clear across the field. Harline caught the ball on his knees in the endzone at the opposite side of the field, giving BYU a 33-31 victory. The Cougars would then go on to dominate the Pac-10 Oregon Ducks in the Las Vegas Bowl
, 38-8. The win was the largest margin of victory for BYU in their bowl game history, and it marked BYU's first bowl win since the Cotton Bowl Classic on New Year's Day 1997, ten years earlier. The Cougars finished the year 11-2 (8-0 in conference), and ranked 15th in the nation, their first top-20 ranking since 2002.
The Cougars started the 2007 “rebuilding” season with unproven redshirt sophomore quarterback Max Hall--a transfer from Arizona State. As in 2006, the team opened with two early losses to non-conference opponents. However, to fans delight the squad went on to run the table the rest of the way, winning nine straight games to finish the season 10-2 with their second consecutive undefeated conference title. In what was once again a hard-fought game against Utah, who were riding their own nine-game winning streak, BYU seized the win with about a minute left on the game clock after Hall completed a 49 yard pass to Austin Collie
from the BYU 12 on 4th & 18, which was followed by a Harvey Unga
touchdown. The Cougars played UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl and preserved the win on a last-second field goal block by freshman defensive lineman Eathyn Manumaleuma.
In 2008, Mendenhall's team went 10-3 which marked the 3rd consecutive 10 win season for the Cougars. Notable games in the 2008 season included the historic 59-0 shutout of UCLA (UCLA's worst loss since 1929), and a 28-27 victory over the Washington Huskies in Seattle, thanks to BYU's defense blocking a last-second extra point attempt. With those two victories, BYU's 2008 season began with an undefeated record against non-conference opponents, including all BCS opponents. BYU suffered a lopsided defeat to Top-15 TCU, and again against Top-10 Utah, finishing with a 6-2 conference record. BYU lost the Las Vegas Bowl to Arizona, 31-21.
The 2009 season for BYU began against 3rd ranked Oklahoma at the new Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The field was supposed to be neutral, but nearby Oklahoma supplied the vast majority of the 75,000+ fans in attendance. The scoring opened with Ryan Broyles catching a touchdown pass from 2008 Heisman Trophy
winner Sam Bradford
from eight yards out shortly after BYU had dropped a punt return. In the second quarter, quarterback Max Hall
answered with a touchdown pass to Andrew George to tie the game at 7. Near the end of the first half Sam Bradford was knocked out of the game by Colby Clawson and Oklahoma had to settle for a 35 yard field goal and went up 10-7. In the 4th Quarter, Oklahoma drove down to the 1 foot line, but BYU's defense held strong, and Oklahoma settled for another Jimmy Stevens field goal, this time from 22 yards out. Then, Max Hall
led the Cougars on a 16-play, 78-yard drive, culminating in a 7 yard touchdown pass to McKay Jacobson, to take the lead 14-13 with 3:03 remaining in the game. The Sooners had one more drive, but came up short on a 54 yard field goal attempt.
The Cougars would go on to finish 11-2 overall and 7-1 in MWC play, losing only to conference champion TCU in October in a game preceded by the first-ever visit to Provo by ESPN College GameDay. In the last game of the regular season, BYU defeated Utah at Edwards Stadium, winning in overtime on a pass from Hall to George across the middle of the field. George just missed two potential Ute tacklers in catching the ball, enabling him to go untouched into the end zone. The Cougars rounded out the year with yet another appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl where BYU defeated Oregon State, 44-20.
In 2010, BYU began a new after losing quarterback Max Hall, leading rusher Harvey Unga and leading receiver Dennis Pitta, all of whom signed with different NFL teams. After fall camp, junior Riley Nelson and true freshman Jake Heaps were both given the job at quarterback for the Cougars in the hopes of a two-quarterback system, with Nelson deemed more experienced and with better leadership and Heaps more skilled and the future of the program. After BYU defeated Washington in the first game of the season, the plan seemed to be the right one, but the Cougars would go on to lose four-straight games. Following the team's fourth loss at Utah State, defensive coordinator Jaime Hill was fired. Mendenhall took over defensive coordinator duties while assigning defensive graduate assistant Kelly Poppinga as interim outside linebackers coach and moving Nick Howell, in his first year after long-time assistant Barry Lamb was forced to retire due to health issues right before the season, to coach the secondary.
With Nelson out with a shoulder injury suffered in the third game of the season at Florida State, Heaps started the last 10 games of the season. The second true freshman to ever start at quarterback for BYU, Heaps finally helped lead BYU to its second win of the season at home against San Diego State. After falling the following week at No. 4 TCU, the Cougars went on to reel off four consecutive wins, including a victory at Colorado State that saw senior wide receiver Luke Ashworth tie a BYU record with four receiving touchdowns in one game, all in the first half.
Despite holding Utah scoreless through three quarters, BYU lost to the Utes after a last-second field goal attempt by the Cougars was blocked. Finishing the regular season 6-6, BYU was invited to play in the New Mexico Bowl against former WAC foe UTEP. BYU had no problem with the Miners, cruising to a 52-24 victory as Heaps was named Offensive MVP and senior safety and team captain Andrew Rich named the Defensive MVP.
Following the season, the Cougar coaching staff changed after offensive coordinator Robert Anae took a position at Arizona and wide receivers coach Patrick Hickman was hired at Purdue. Mendenhall then promoted quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator, named interim outside linebackers coach Kelly Poppinga to a permanent position on the staff, switched assistant head coach Lance Reynolds from running backs coach to tight ends coach and adding special teams duties to secondary coach Nick Howell. In addition, Joe DuPaix was hired from Navy to coach the running backs and take over as recruiting coordinator while former BYU and CFL great Ben Cahoon was hired to coach the wide receivers after retiring from the CFL just a short time before.
(4 wins, 6 losses, 1 tie), the Cotton Bowl Classic (1 win), the Las Vegas Bowl
(3 wins, 2 losses), the Copper Bowl
(1 win), the Tangerine/Citrus Bowl
(2 losses), the Freedom Bowl
(1 win, 1 loss), the Liberty Bowl
(2 losses), the Aloha Bowl
(1 loss), the Fiesta Bowl
(1 loss), the Motor City Bowl
(1 loss), the All-American Bowl
(1 loss), and the New Mexico Bowl (1 win).
After finishing the 1984 season 13-0, BYU was ranked number one by the Associated Press, United Press International (coaches' poll), Sports Illustrated, CNN-USA Today, and the Football Writers of America.
Heisman Trophy
In 1990, quarterback Ty Detmer
won college football's most prestigious individual award, the Heisman Trophy
. Detmer is the only BYU football player ever to win the award. Detmer passed for 5,188 yards and 41 touchdowns during the 1990 season, with 28 interceptions. During the same season, he also led BYU to defeat the number-one-ranked Miami Hurricanes
28-21 in Provo. The Heisman Trophy has been awarded every year since 1935. Other BYU quarterbacks finishing in the top ten in Heisman voting include Gary Sheide (8th in 1974), Gifford Nielsen (6th in 1976), Marc Wilson (3rd in 1979), Jim McMahon (5th in 1980, 3rd in 1981), Steve Young (2nd in 1983), Robbie Bosco (3rd in 1984 and 1985), and Ty Detmer (9th in 1989, Winner in 1990, 3rd in 1991).
The Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award
has honored the nation's best running back since 1990. BYU running back Luke Staley
won this award in 2001 while helping the Cougars win their first 12 games in a row before becoming injured. Staley rushed for 1,596 yards and 24 touchdowns in just 11 games.
The Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award
has honored the nation's best quarterback since 1981. BYU quarterbacks have won the award four times—more than any other school. Former NFL greats Jim McMahon
and Steve Young both won the award while at BYU, and in 1991, Ty Detmer became the first of only three quarterbacks to win the award twice.
The Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy
has honored the nation's best interior lineman since 1946. Two BYU linemen have won the prestigious award. In 1986, Jason Buck earned the honor while Mohammed Elowonibi received the honor in 1989.
Sammy Baugh Trophy
The Sammy Baugh Trophy is awarded to the nation's best passer. Steve Sarkisian
was awarded this trophy for the 1996 season during which he had a 173.6 passer rating, the highest in the nation. Other BYU quarterbacks to win the award were Gary Sheide (1974), Marc Wilson (1979), Jim McMahon (1981), Steve Young (1983), Robbie Bosco (1984), and Ty Detmer (1991).
In 1999, Coach Edwards' penultimate year, the school colors switched to dark blue, white, and tan, and the football helmets switched from white to dark blue. The block 'Y' remained on the sides of the helmet but received a new, more current treatment. The home uniforms consisted of dark blue jerseys with white "bib" and dark blue pants, and the away uniforms consisted of white jerseys with white pants. These new uniforms were disliked by both the conservative fans in Provo and the NCAA, who required the team to remove the white bib on the front of the blue home jersey in 2000 (NCAA rules require that a team's jersey have a single dominant color). The home jersey thereafter was modified with blue replacing the white on the bib area.
These uniforms lasted until 2004, when a uniform new style incorporating New York Jets-style shoulder stripes was introduced (the helmets remained the same). The new uniforms were worn in a "mix-and-match" strategy—e.g., the home blue jerseys were worn with either blue or white pants and the white away jerseys were worn with either blue or white pants. This uniform incarnation lasted for only one season.
Ultimately, the traditional design with the white helmet and former logo was re-introduced for the 2005 season. While the uniforms were also changed to be similar to the 1980s uniforms, the darker blue remained instead of the former royal blue, but all tan highlights were eliminated. This change was done at the insistence of new head coach Bronco Mendenhall, who wanted to return the team to the successful traditions of the 1980s. Normally, it takes a minimum of 1–2 years to create, design and approve a uniform change. When Nike, the team's uniform supplier, said that they could not possibly make the change in just five months, former head coach and BYU legend LaVell Edwards made a call to Nike and asked them to help the new Cougar coach. Edwards had worked with Nike on several occasions since his retirement, and with the legendary coach's weight behind the request, BYU was able to take the field in 2005 in new, traditional uniforms. One slight change in the uniform came in the 2007 season, when a small traditional 'Y' logo was added to the bottom of the collar.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
program representing Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
in Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
. The Cougars won the national championship
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
in 1984 and have a Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner in Ty Detmer
Ty Detmer
Ty Hubert Detmer is a former National Football League and NCAA quarterback. He starred at Brigham Young University, where he set many records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990...
. Since 1965, BYU has claimed 23 conference championships and played in 29 bowl games (11-17-1). The Cougars became the fourth Football Bowl Subdivision Independent on July 1, 2011.
The early years
BYU Football made a brief appearance at Brigham Young Academy in 1896, but was discontinued in 1903. It did not get its official start at Brigham Young University until 1922. The team struggled during the first couple of seasons, but in 1928, BYU hired G. Ott RomneyG. Ott Romney
George Ottinger Romney was the third head football coach at Brigham Young University . He coached for nine years from 1928-1936. His overall record at BYU was 42-33-5...
, who gave the school its first winning seasons.
Ott Romney and Eddie Kimball
Eddie Kimball
Edwin R. "Eddie" Kimball was a head coach of the Brigham Young University college football program from 1937-1948. He was a former player at BYU, and earned team captain status in 1925...
ushered in a new era in Cougar football in which the team went 65–51–12 between 1928–1942. In 1932, the Cougars posted a 8–1 record and outscored their opponents 188-50, which remains one of the school's finest seasons on record. Also, it was during this era that they first beat the Utes from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
. Since 1922, they had gone 0–17–3 against them. In 1942, BYU finally broke through and beat the Utes by a score of 12–7 in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
. The university did not field a team from 1943–1945 due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Both Kimball (34–32–8) and Romney (42–31–5) finished their respective terms as head coach with winning records, and they are joined by LaVell Edwards, Gary Crowton and current head coach Bronco Mendenhall as the only coaches to do so. In 1975, Kimball and Romney were inducted into the BYU Athletic Hall of Fame.
Slowly, the program improved and began to again show some signs of life. Head coach Hal Kopp engineered back-to-back winning seasons in 1957 and 1958, led by southpaw quarterback Jared Stephens and the ferocious nose tackle Gavin Anae. For the first time in its history, the University made a real commitment to football. In 1964, Cougars' stadium was built and had a capacity of 30,000. Also, in 1961, BYU experienced national success when Eldon "The Phantom" Fortie
Eldon Fortie
Eldon Fortie, b. 1941, was a college football player at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Dubbed "The Phantom" while at BYU, he was the first BYU football player to be named to a first-team All-America squad....
was honored as the school's first All-American as a running back. His #40 was retired by BYU to honor his accomplishments. In 1965 Virgil Carter was honored as the first quarterback from BYU to be selected first team All-Conference. The biggest accomplishment of this era was in 1965 when Head coach Tommy Hudspeth led the Cougars to their first conference championship with a record of 6-4. Coach Hudspeth retired in 1972 and finished with a record of 39–42–1. Despite not finishing with a winning record as head coach, he did lead the Cougars to 3 winning seasons between 1965 and 1967 with a great offensive line anchored by all-conference tackles Adam Johnson and Matt Shumway.
The mid-1960s saw the introduction of the "Y" on the Cougars' helmets. The 'Y' had become the symbol of the university after only the 322-foot-high letter 'Y' of 'BYU' was constructed in 1907, overlooking the campus on what is now called Y Mountain
Y Mountain
Y Mountain is located directly east of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The Slide Canyon/Y Mountain Trail leads to a large block Y located 1.2 miles from a parking area at the mountain's base. This hillside letter was built over a hundred years ago as the insignia for BYU...
.
LaVell Edwards from 1972 to 1983
Soon after he was named head coach (in 1972), LaVell EdwardsLaVell Edwards
R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time...
revamped the Cougar offensive attack. While everyone else in college football was using run-heavy offenses such as the veer and wishbone, Edwards and his staff installed a drop-back passing game. This was considered by many experts to be the early implementations of the West Coast offense
West Coast offense
In American football, "West Coast Offense" refers to two similar but distinct offensive-strategic-systems of play: the "Air Coryell" system; or more commonly the pass play system popularized by Bill Walsh...
. Ironically, in its first year, the new offense produced the nation's leading rusher in Pete Van Valkenburg
Pete Van Valkenburg
Pete Van Valkenburg is a former running back in the National Football League. Van Valkenburg was drafted in the third round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints and would play that season with the Buffalo Bills. He split the following season between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago...
, who ran for 1,386 yards. In 1973, Gary Sheide took over as quarterback and the Cougars struggled to a 5-6 finish. This would be the only time that Edwards would have a losing season during his run as BYU coach. In 1974, Sheide led the Cougars to their first conference championship under Edwards, including a 21-18 victory over Arizona St., ending the Sun Devils domination of the WAC.
A new era dawned in Provo, in which BYU began excelling in football with consistent winning. BYU finished in a tie for the conference championship in both 1976 and 1977 leading to a string of outright WAC titles that lasted from 1978-1985. However, they lost their first four bowl games. In 1980, they appeared to be on their way to their fifth consecutive bowl loss, trailing SMU 45-25 with four minutes left in the Holiday Bowl. During these final four minutes, the Cougars scored 21 points to upend the Mustangs and record one of the greatest comeback wins in college football history. BYU would win their 1981, 1983 and 1984 bowl games as well. The new era also led to success against rival Utah. Up until 1964, the Cougars were 2-34-4, but from 1965 to 1992, the Cougars were 22-6 against the Utes.
BYU also produced several All-American quarterbacks during this time and earned the nickname "Quarterback U
Quarterback U
Quarterback U is a nickname used by sportswriters to refer to colleges that have trained a series of notable football quarterbacks . It is a literary device invoked in the individual discretion of sportswriters and does not represent any formal decision-making process or organized sportswriters'...
." Gifford Nielsen
Gifford Nielsen
Gifford Nielsen is a former NFL quarterback who played for the Houston Oilers. He announced his retirement as the sports director of KHOU-TV in Houston, TX, on March 30, 2009...
, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
and Steve Young were all named first team All-Americans. BYU had several quarterbacks that came close to winning the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, including Steve Young, who finished second in the race in 1983 to Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
's Mike Rozier
Mike Rozier
Michael Rozier is a former American collegiate and professional football running back who won the Heisman Trophy in 1983. He was born in Camden, New Jersey. Mike and his wife, Rochelle, an attorney, reside in South Jersey and together they have one son. Mike has two other children who reside in...
, and Jim McMahon, who finished third in 1981 to Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
of USC.
1984 National Championship
In 1984, BYU was declared NCAA Division I-A national champions. The undefeated Cougars (12-0-0) opened the season with a 20-14 victory over PittPittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
, ranked #3 in the nation at the time and finished with a victory over the Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
(6-5-0). BYU defeated Michigan 24-17 in the Holiday Bowl, marking the only time a national champion played in a bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
before New Year's Day. Coupled with the 11 consecutive wins to close out the 1983 season, BYU concluded the 1984 championship on a 24-game winning streak.
Several college football pundits (Barry Switzer and Bryant Gumble) argued that BYU had not played a legitimate schedule and thus should not be recognized as national champion. Nonetheless, at the end of the season, BYU was a unanimous choice for the number-one ranking in both the AP
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
and UPI polls. The team is the most-recent national champion that is not a current member of the Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
coalition.
Winning the national championship opened new windows of opportunity for BYU football. The growing success of the program, and increased national exposure brought recognition to BYU athletes. In 1985, Robbie Bosco
Robbie Bosco
Robbie Bosco is most widely known as an American football quarterback at Brigham Young University. Bosco is a native of Roseville, California....
finished third in the Heisman balloting. In 1986, defensive lineman Jason Buck
Jason Buck
Jason Ogden Buck is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League. As a player for Brigham Young University, he won the Outland Trophy in 1986. He was taken with the 17th pick of the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He recorded six...
became the first BYU player ever to win the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the top interior lineman in all of college football. In 1989, offensive lineman Mo Elowonibi
Mohammed Elewonibi
Mohammed Thomas David "Moe" Elewonibi is a Nigerian-Canadian former offensive lineman in the National Football League and the Canadian Football League.- Early years:...
also won the Outland Trophy.
Edwards from 1985 to 2000
Between 1989 and 1996, BYU won at least a share of the conference championship each year except 1994. Ty DetmerTy Detmer
Ty Hubert Detmer is a former National Football League and NCAA quarterback. He starred at Brigham Young University, where he set many records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990...
quarterbacked the Cougars from 1988 to 1991, during which Detmer threw for 16,206 yards and 127 touchdowns (including bowl games) while setting 59 NCAA records and tying for three others. During that time period, BYU played difficult schedules consisting of match-ups against traditional college football powers, including Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
, Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
, Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
, UCLA
UCLA Bruins Football
The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll...
, Oregon
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
, Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
, and Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies football
The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18...
. Detmer's tenure at quarterback also saw the Cougars achieve their first victory over a top-ranked team when they defeated the #1 Miami Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
early in the 1990 season. The 1990 season culminated with Detmer also providing BYU its first and only Heisman Trophy winner.
In 1996 BYU produced arguably its best team ever. With Steve Sarkisian as the Quarterback, the team completed the longest season in modern-day college football history by playing in 15 games in one season. Starting off with a victory over Texas A&M
1996 Texas A&M Aggies football team
The 1996 Texas A&M Aggies football team completed the season with a 6-6 record. The Aggies had a regular season Big 12 record of 4-4.-Schedule:-Brigham Young:-Southwest Louisiana:The Cajuns upset then-25th-ranked Aggies....
in the Pigskin Classic
Pigskin Classic
The Pigskin Classic was a season-opening college football game played at Anaheim Stadium from 1990 until 1994, and continued from 1995-2002 at various stadiums. It was initially created as a west-coast counterpart of the Kickoff Classic and hosted by the National Association of Collegiate Directors...
, the Cougars only loss that regular season was at Washington. (Sarkisian is now the Head football coach of Washington)
In 1996 the WAC
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
expanded to a 16-team conference by adding Rice
Rice Owls
The Rice University athletic teams are known as the Rice Owls. The name comes from the owls in Rice's crest.Rice participates in NCAA Division I athletics and is part of Conference USA. Rice was a member of the Southwest Conference until its breakup in 1996. Rice then joined the Western Athletic...
, TCU
TCU Horned Frogs
The TCU Horned Frogs are the athletic teams that represent Texas Christian University, consisting of 18 varsity teams. The "horned frog" nickname and mascot refer to the Texas horned lizard, as known as the "horned frog". The women's athletics teams are often referred to often as the Lady Frogs...
, SMU
SMU Mustangs
The SMU Mustangs is the name of the athletic teams representing Southern Methodist University. The Mustangs participate in the NCAA's Division I as a member of Conference USA. In 2005, SMU accepted an invitation to the Western Division of Conference USA, and left the Western Athletic Conference...
, Tulsa
Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa Golden Hurricane athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports team of the University of Tulsa. These teams are referred to as the Tulsa Golden Hurricane...
, San Jose State
San José State Spartans
The San Jose State Spartans is the name of the athletic teams representing San Jose State University. SJSU sports teams compete in the Western Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division I level...
and UNLV
UNLV Rebels
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas' sports teams are called the Rebels. The Rebels participate in NCAA Division I and in the Mountain West Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The school's colors are Scarlet and Grey. The Rebels' main rival is the Wolf Pack of the University...
. After winning their division by going undefeated in conference play, the #7 ranked Cougars faced #20 Wyoming
1996 Wyoming Cowboys football team
The 1996 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming in the 1996 NCAA football season. The Cowboys offense scored 464 points while the defense allowed 284 points...
in the first ever WAC Championship Game in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. BYU defeated the Cowboys in overtime and earned a bid to play in the Cotton Bowl, in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, on January 1, 1997. It was the BYU Cougars first ever New Year's Day bowl game and their opponent was #14-ranked Kansas State
1996 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 1996 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 1996. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. 1996 saw the wildcats finish with a record of 9-3, and a 6-2 record in Big...
of the newly formed Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
. Although the Cougars had a high powered offense led by quarterback Steve Sarkisian
Steve Sarkisian
Steve Sarkisian is an American football coach and former player of American and Canadian football. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Washington, a position he has held since the 2009 season...
, the game was a defensive struggle. Sarkisian connected with K.O. Kealaluhi for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to give BYU a 19-15 lead. Kansas State, however, was driving with time winding down in the game. With less than one minute left, BYU defensive back Omarr Morgan tipped a Wildcat pass to himself for an interception inside the 5-yard line, preserving the BYU win. BYU finished the season 14-1 and ranked #5 in both polls at the end of the season. BYU's 14 wins that season was the most ever by a Division I college football team in a single season until Ohio State
2002 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was the national champion of the 2002 college football season. The team was the first in Division I-A history to finish its season at 14–0, and the second to win 14 games, following BYU's 14–1 season in 1996...
tied that record with a 14-0 record in 2002. BYU returned to the WAC Championship Game in 1998 but lost to 20-13.
In 1999 after leaving the WAC along with seven other teams to form the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
, the Cougars won a share of the inaugural MWC championship. Just prior to the 2000 season, Edwards announced that it would be his final year as the program's head coach. That season, the Cougars struggled and found themselves with a 4-6 record with just two games left. Prior to Edwards' final home game, against , LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
announced that Cougars Stadium would be renamed "LaVell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium
LaVell Edwards Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Provo, Utah, on the campus of Brigham Young University. Primarily used for college football, it is the home field of the BYU Cougars....
." Before the game started, President Hinckley addressed the BYU players in the locker room and admonished them, "Don't muff it." The Cougars went on to dominate the Lobos 37-13. The season finale against the Utes
2000 Utah Utes football team
The 2000 season saw the Utes sliding back again. They went 4–7, the worst W-L record since Ron McBride's first season in 1990.-Schedule:-NFL draft:Two players went in the 2001 NFL Draft, including future pro bowler Steve Smith.-References:...
was much more intense as the Cougars were trailing late in the 4th quarter, still deep in their own territory. On a fourth and thirteen, quarterback Brandon Doman
Brandon Doman
Brandon Doman is an American football coach and is currently the offensive coordinator for the Brigham Young Cougars. Doman played quarterback for BYU in 2000-2001 and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2002 NFL Draft....
found Jonathan Pittman on a Hail Mary pass
Hail Mary pass
A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half....
. On the next play, Doman completed another pass to Pittman to put them in scoring position. Doman completed the comeback by running for the clinching score, winning the game 34-27, and Coach Edwards was triumphantly carried off the field.
Gary Crowton era (2001–2004)
Gary CrowtonGary Crowton
-External links:* *...
, serving at the time as offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
was hired to replace LaVell Edwards. The 2001 Cougars returned several key players including quarterback Doman and running back Luke Staley
Luke Staley
Lucas Staley is a former American football player who starred as a running back at Brigham Young University from 1999 to 2001.-High school career:...
. BYU ran off 12 straight wins to open the season and were ranked seventh nationally in at least one major poll, becoming the first MWC team to go undefeated in conference and won the conference championship outright. Staley, however, broke his leg in their 12th game against Mississippi State. Walking on crutches due to his broken leg, he accepted the Doak Walker award, given to the nation's top running back, after compiling 1,596 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns. Staley's absence proved critical as the Cougars lost their last two games including their bowl game.
The 2002 season started with a big home win, but the Cougars struggled throughout the season and a loss to Utah in the season finale marked the first losing season in 29 years. The following year also saw BYU start the season with a win, but by the time the season was over the Cougars had suffered their second straight losing season. The Cougars were also shut out in the finale against Utah, ending their nation-leading record of consecutive games without being shut out, which dated back to 1975. In 2004, BYU opened the season with a victory at home over Notre Dame, however, the Cougars ended their season with a final record of 5-6. After leading the Cougars to their third straight losing season and posting an overall record of 26-23, Crowton resigned.
Bronco Mendenhall era (2005–present)
Bronco MendenhallBronco Mendenhall
-Personal life:Mendenhall has three children: Raeder-Steel, Breaker, and Cutter. Mendenhall is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.-External links:**- References :...
, who had been brought into the program in 2003 as defensive coordinator, was named the next BYU head football coach after Kyle Whittingham
Kyle Whittingham
Kyle Whittingham is the head football coach of the University of Utah Utes. Prior to becoming the head coach at Utah, Whittingham served as Utah's defensive coordinator for ten seasons. He was named head coach of Utah after Urban Meyer left for the Florida Gators in 2004...
turned down BYU's offer to be head coach in favor of coaching the University of Utah. In his first season, Mendenhall led his team to a 6-5 regular season record. Mendenall's defensive secondary was weak, a significant problem for the Cougars in several close games including a 51-50 loss to nationally ranked TCU. Nevertheless, Mendenhall returned BYU to a bowl game in his first season and the team finished second (5-3) in the Mountain West Conference.
In 2006, the Cougars lost two early non-conference games to opponents from BCS conferences: one to Arizona on a last minute field goal and another to Boston College in double overtime. After that, the Cougars went on to run the table in their first seven conference games and set up a regular season finale at rival Utah. BYU jumped out to a 14-0 lead and was again driving until John Beck fumbled on a third-and-short play and the Cougars were forced to punt after recovering the fumble. In the second half, Utah jumped out to a 24-14 lead, but BYU responded in the fourth quarter with a pair of Beck touchdown passes. Utah scored again to take a 4-point lead with just over a minute left to play. The Cougars final play would take 13 seconds before Beck, as he was being hit, falling through the air, with his momentum carrying him the other direction, found Jonny Harline
Jonny Harline
Jonathan "Jonny" Harline in North Brunswick, New Jersey) is a current member of the band Perfect Disorder. He played college football at Brigham Young.-College career:...
all by himself clear across the field. Harline caught the ball on his knees in the endzone at the opposite side of the field, giving BYU a 33-31 victory. The Cougars would then go on to dominate the Pac-10 Oregon Ducks in the Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. since 1992. From 1992 to 1996, matchups featured the champion teams from the Big West and Mid-American...
, 38-8. The win was the largest margin of victory for BYU in their bowl game history, and it marked BYU's first bowl win since the Cotton Bowl Classic on New Year's Day 1997, ten years earlier. The Cougars finished the year 11-2 (8-0 in conference), and ranked 15th in the nation, their first top-20 ranking since 2002.
The Cougars started the 2007 “rebuilding” season with unproven redshirt sophomore quarterback Max Hall--a transfer from Arizona State. As in 2006, the team opened with two early losses to non-conference opponents. However, to fans delight the squad went on to run the table the rest of the way, winning nine straight games to finish the season 10-2 with their second consecutive undefeated conference title. In what was once again a hard-fought game against Utah, who were riding their own nine-game winning streak, BYU seized the win with about a minute left on the game clock after Hall completed a 49 yard pass to Austin Collie
Austin Collie
Austin Kirk Collie is a Canadian-American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Colts in the fourth round in the 2009 NFL Draft...
from the BYU 12 on 4th & 18, which was followed by a Harvey Unga
Harvey Unga
-Chicago Bears:Unga was selected by the Chicago Bears with a seventh round selection in the 2010 Supplemental Draft. He was signed to a four-year contract on July 21, 2010....
touchdown. The Cougars played UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl and preserved the win on a last-second field goal block by freshman defensive lineman Eathyn Manumaleuma.
In 2008, Mendenhall's team went 10-3 which marked the 3rd consecutive 10 win season for the Cougars. Notable games in the 2008 season included the historic 59-0 shutout of UCLA (UCLA's worst loss since 1929), and a 28-27 victory over the Washington Huskies in Seattle, thanks to BYU's defense blocking a last-second extra point attempt. With those two victories, BYU's 2008 season began with an undefeated record against non-conference opponents, including all BCS opponents. BYU suffered a lopsided defeat to Top-15 TCU, and again against Top-10 Utah, finishing with a 6-2 conference record. BYU lost the Las Vegas Bowl to Arizona, 31-21.
The 2009 season for BYU began against 3rd ranked Oklahoma at the new Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The field was supposed to be neutral, but nearby Oklahoma supplied the vast majority of the 75,000+ fans in attendance. The scoring opened with Ryan Broyles catching a touchdown pass from 2008 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Sam Bradford
Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a...
from eight yards out shortly after BYU had dropped a punt return. In the second quarter, quarterback Max Hall
Max Hall
Max Hall is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at BYU.-Early years:...
answered with a touchdown pass to Andrew George to tie the game at 7. Near the end of the first half Sam Bradford was knocked out of the game by Colby Clawson and Oklahoma had to settle for a 35 yard field goal and went up 10-7. In the 4th Quarter, Oklahoma drove down to the 1 foot line, but BYU's defense held strong, and Oklahoma settled for another Jimmy Stevens field goal, this time from 22 yards out. Then, Max Hall
Max Hall
Max Hall is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at BYU.-Early years:...
led the Cougars on a 16-play, 78-yard drive, culminating in a 7 yard touchdown pass to McKay Jacobson, to take the lead 14-13 with 3:03 remaining in the game. The Sooners had one more drive, but came up short on a 54 yard field goal attempt.
The Cougars would go on to finish 11-2 overall and 7-1 in MWC play, losing only to conference champion TCU in October in a game preceded by the first-ever visit to Provo by ESPN College GameDay. In the last game of the regular season, BYU defeated Utah at Edwards Stadium, winning in overtime on a pass from Hall to George across the middle of the field. George just missed two potential Ute tacklers in catching the ball, enabling him to go untouched into the end zone. The Cougars rounded out the year with yet another appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl where BYU defeated Oregon State, 44-20.
In 2010, BYU began a new after losing quarterback Max Hall, leading rusher Harvey Unga and leading receiver Dennis Pitta, all of whom signed with different NFL teams. After fall camp, junior Riley Nelson and true freshman Jake Heaps were both given the job at quarterback for the Cougars in the hopes of a two-quarterback system, with Nelson deemed more experienced and with better leadership and Heaps more skilled and the future of the program. After BYU defeated Washington in the first game of the season, the plan seemed to be the right one, but the Cougars would go on to lose four-straight games. Following the team's fourth loss at Utah State, defensive coordinator Jaime Hill was fired. Mendenhall took over defensive coordinator duties while assigning defensive graduate assistant Kelly Poppinga as interim outside linebackers coach and moving Nick Howell, in his first year after long-time assistant Barry Lamb was forced to retire due to health issues right before the season, to coach the secondary.
With Nelson out with a shoulder injury suffered in the third game of the season at Florida State, Heaps started the last 10 games of the season. The second true freshman to ever start at quarterback for BYU, Heaps finally helped lead BYU to its second win of the season at home against San Diego State. After falling the following week at No. 4 TCU, the Cougars went on to reel off four consecutive wins, including a victory at Colorado State that saw senior wide receiver Luke Ashworth tie a BYU record with four receiving touchdowns in one game, all in the first half.
Despite holding Utah scoreless through three quarters, BYU lost to the Utes after a last-second field goal attempt by the Cougars was blocked. Finishing the regular season 6-6, BYU was invited to play in the New Mexico Bowl against former WAC foe UTEP. BYU had no problem with the Miners, cruising to a 52-24 victory as Heaps was named Offensive MVP and senior safety and team captain Andrew Rich named the Defensive MVP.
Following the season, the Cougar coaching staff changed after offensive coordinator Robert Anae took a position at Arizona and wide receivers coach Patrick Hickman was hired at Purdue. Mendenhall then promoted quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator, named interim outside linebackers coach Kelly Poppinga to a permanent position on the staff, switched assistant head coach Lance Reynolds from running backs coach to tight ends coach and adding special teams duties to secondary coach Nick Howell. In addition, Joe DuPaix was hired from Navy to coach the running backs and take over as recruiting coordinator while former BYU and CFL great Ben Cahoon was hired to coach the wide receivers after retiring from the CFL just a short time before.
Current coaching staff
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Bronco Mendenhall Bronco Mendenhall -Personal life:Mendenhall has three children: Raeder-Steel, Breaker, and Cutter. Mendenhall is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.-External links:**- References :... |
Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator |
| Lance Reynolds | Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Coach |
| Brandon Doman Brandon Doman Brandon Doman is an American football coach and is currently the offensive coordinator for the Brigham Young Cougars. Doman played quarterback for BYU in 2000-2001 and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2002 NFL Draft.... |
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| Paul Tidwell | Inside Linebackers Coach |
| Ben Cahoon Ben Cahoon Ben Cahoon is a former professional Canadian football slotback in the Canadian Football League who spent his entire career with the Montreal Alouettes... |
Wide Receivers Coach |
| Nick Howell | Secondary Coach/Special Teams |
| Steve Kaufusi Steve Kaufusi Sitiveni P. Kaufusi is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1989-1990.... |
Defensive Line Coach |
| Kelly Poppinga Kelly Poppinga Kelly Scott Poppinga is an American football linebackers coach for the Brigham Young University. Poppinga was an American football linebacker. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Brigham Young.Poppinga has also been a member of the... |
Outside Linebackers Coach |
| Joe DuPaix | Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator |
| Mark Weber | Offensive Line Coach |
Conference History
Year | Conference |
|---|---|
1922-1937 | Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference |
1938-1961 | Mountain States Athletic Conference |
1962-1998 | Western Athletic Conference |
1999-2010 | Mountain West Conference |
2011-present | Division I-A Independent |
Coaches
| Name | Seasons | Record | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alvin Twitchell Alvin Twitchell Alvin Twitchell was the first head football coach at Brigham Young University. He started his coaching regime in 1922 with a game against Utah State University in Logan, Utah. BYU lost the game 41–3. Twitchell finished the year with a record of 1–5 with the only win coming against... |
1922-24 | 5-13-1 | |
| C. J. Hart C. J. Hart -External links:... |
1925-27 | 6-12-2 | |
| G. Ott Romney G. Ott Romney George Ottinger Romney was the third head football coach at Brigham Young University . He coached for nine years from 1928-1936. His overall record at BYU was 42-33-5... |
1928-36 | 42-31-5 | |
| Floyd Millet Floyd Millet Floyd Millet was a head coach of the BYU college football program from 1942. He attended BYU himself, where he lettered in basketball, football, and track. In football and basketball, he earned all-conference honors. He received his masters degree from USC. From 1963 to 1970, he served as the... |
1942 | 2-5-0 | |
| Eddie Kimball Eddie Kimball Edwin R. "Eddie" Kimball was a head coach of the Brigham Young University college football program from 1937-1948. He was a former player at BYU, and earned team captain status in 1925... |
1937-41, 46-48 | 34-32-8 | |
| Chick Atkinson Chick Atkinson Charles L. "Chick" Atkinson was a college football coach. From 1949 to 1955, he coached at BYU, where he compiled an 18-49-3 record. This included an 0-11 record in 1949. In high school, he was all-state in football and basketball. He attended Idaho State College for 2 years, where he played... |
1949-55 | 18-49-3 | |
| Hal Kopp Hal Kopp Harold W. "Hal" Kopp was the head college football coach at Brigham Young University, the University of Rhode Island and Bentley University. He compiled an overall record of 51–39–6.... |
1956-58 | 13-14-3 | |
| Tally Stevens Tally Stevens Floyd C. "Tally" Stevens was the head coach for Brigham Young University Cougars football team from 1959 to 1960. His record while coaching the school was 6–15.-Head coaching record:-External links:*... |
1959-60 | 6-15-0 | |
| Hal Mitchell | 1961-63 | 8-22-0 | |
| Tommy Hudspeth Tommy Hudspeth Tommy Hudspeth was a football coach at both the collegiate and professional levels. He served as head coach at Brigham Young University, the University of Texas-El Paso, the National Football League's Detroit Lions and the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts.-Career:Hudspeth graduated... |
1964-71 | 39-42-1 | |
| LaVell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
1972-2000 | 257-101-3 | |
| Gary Crowton Gary Crowton -External links:* *... |
2001-04 | 26-23-0 | |
| Bronco Mendenhall Bronco Mendenhall -Personal life:Mendenhall has three children: Raeder-Steel, Breaker, and Cutter. Mendenhall is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.-External links:**- References :... |
2005-present | 56-21-0 |
Conference championships
| Conference | Year | Coach |
| Western Athletic Conference Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS... |
1965 | Tommy Hudspeth Tommy Hudspeth Tommy Hudspeth was a football coach at both the collegiate and professional levels. He served as head coach at Brigham Young University, the University of Texas-El Paso, the National Football League's Detroit Lions and the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts.-Career:Hudspeth graduated... |
| 1974 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1976 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1977 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1978 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1979 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1980 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1981 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1982 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1983 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1984 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1985 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1989 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1990 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1991 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1992 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1993 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1995 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| 1996 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
|
| Mountain West Conference Mountain West Conference The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999... |
1999 | Lavell Edwards LaVell Edwards R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time... |
| 2001 | Gary Crowton Gary Crowton -External links:* *... |
|
| 2006 | Bronco Mendenhall Bronco Mendenhall -Personal life:Mendenhall has three children: Raeder-Steel, Breaker, and Cutter. Mendenhall is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.-External links:**- References :... |
|
| 2007 | Bronco Mendenhall Bronco Mendenhall -Personal life:Mendenhall has three children: Raeder-Steel, Breaker, and Cutter. Mendenhall is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.-External links:**- References :... |
Bowl games
BYU has made 29 Bowl appearances, winning 11, losing 17, and tying 1. They have played in the Holiday BowlHoliday Bowl
The Holiday Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that has been played annually at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, since 1978. Beginning with the 2010 playing the bowl will officially be known as the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl after...
(4 wins, 6 losses, 1 tie), the Cotton Bowl Classic (1 win), the Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas Bowl
The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. since 1992. From 1992 to 1996, matchups featured the champion teams from the Big West and Mid-American...
(3 wins, 2 losses), the Copper Bowl
Insight Bowl
The Insight Bowl is an NCAA college football bowl game played in Arizona since 1989. From 1989 to 1999, the games were played at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. The game moved to Phoenix in 2000 and was played at Chase Field until 2005. After the 2005 playing the Insight Bowl moved to Sun Devil Stadium...
(1 win), the Tangerine/Citrus Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
(2 losses), the Freedom Bowl
Freedom Bowl
The Freedom Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, from 1984 to 1994. Beginning with the 1995 season, the Freedom Bowl's WAC tie-ins were merged with that of the Holiday Bowl and the game was dissolved...
(1 win, 1 loss), the Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
(2 losses), the Aloha Bowl
Aloha Bowl
The Aloha Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game played in Honolulu, Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. With the exception of the 1983-86 playings, the Aloha Bowl was traditionally played on Christmas morning in Honolulu. For most of its...
(1 loss), the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
(1 loss), the Motor City Bowl
Motor City Bowl
The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually since 1997. The first five games were played at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Starting in 2002, the game was moved to 65,000-seat Ford Field in downtown...
(1 loss), the All-American Bowl
All-American Bowl
The All-American Bowl was an annual postseason college football bowl game played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama from 1977 to 1990. The game was known as the Hall of Fame Classic from 1977 to 1985....
(1 loss), and the New Mexico Bowl (1 win).
| Date | Bowl | W/L | Opponent | PF | PA |
| December 28, 1974 | Fiesta Bowl Fiesta Bowl The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil... |
L | Oklahoma State Oklahoma State Cowboys Oklahoma State Cowboys are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Their mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Big 12 Conference's South Division. The university's current athletic director is Mike Holder... |
6 | 16 |
| December 18, 1976 | Tangerine Bowl Capital One Bowl The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl... |
L | Oklahoma State | 21 | 49 |
| December 22, 1978 | Holiday Bowl Holiday Bowl The Holiday Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that has been played annually at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, since 1978. Beginning with the 2010 playing the bowl will officially be known as the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl after... |
L | Navy Navy Midshipmen football The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007... |
16 | 23 |
| December 21, 1979 | Holiday Bowl | L | Indiana Indiana Hoosiers football The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:... |
37 | 38 |
| December 19, 1980 | Holiday Bowl | W | SMU Southern Methodist University Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church... |
46 | 45 |
| December 18, 1981 | Holiday Bowl | W | Washington State Washington State Cougars The Washington State Cougars are the athletic teams at Washington State University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Washington State University is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I... |
38 | 36 |
| December 17, 1982 | Holiday Bowl | L | Ohio State Ohio State Buckeyes football The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state... |
17 | 47 |
| December 23, 1983 | Holiday Bowl | W | Missouri Missouri Tigers The Missouri Tigers athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of the University of Missouri, located in Columbia, Missouri, United States... |
21 | 17 |
| December 21, 1984 | Holiday Bowl | W | Michigan Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history... |
24 | 17 |
| December 28, 1985 | Citrus Bowl Capital One Bowl The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl... |
L | Ohio State | 7 | 10 |
| December 30, 1986 | Freedom Bowl Freedom Bowl The Freedom Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, from 1984 to 1994. Beginning with the 1995 season, the Freedom Bowl's WAC tie-ins were merged with that of the Holiday Bowl and the game was dissolved... |
L | UCLA UCLA Bruins Football The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll... |
10 | 31 |
| December 22, 1987 | All-American Bowl All-American Bowl The All-American Bowl was an annual postseason college football bowl game played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama from 1977 to 1990. The game was known as the Hall of Fame Classic from 1977 to 1985.... |
L | Virginia Virginia Cavaliers football Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
16 | 22 |
| December 29, 1988 | Freedom Bowl | W | Colorado Colorado Buffaloes football The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,... |
20 | 17 |
| December 29, 1989 | Holiday Bowl | L | Penn State Penn State Nittany Lions football The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the... |
39 | 50 |
| December 29, 1990 | Holiday Bowl | L | Texas A&M Texas A&M Aggies football The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18... |
14 | 65 |
| December 30, 1991 | Holiday Bowl | T | Iowa Iowa Hawkeyes football The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association... |
13 | 13 |
| December 25, 1992 | Aloha Bowl Aloha Bowl The Aloha Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game played in Honolulu, Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. With the exception of the 1983-86 playings, the Aloha Bowl was traditionally played on Christmas morning in Honolulu. For most of its... |
L | Kansas Kansas Jayhawks football The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference.... |
20 | 23 |
| December 30, 1993 | Holiday Bowl | L | Ohio State | 21 | 28 |
| December 29, 1994 | Copper Bowl Insight Bowl The Insight Bowl is an NCAA college football bowl game played in Arizona since 1989. From 1989 to 1999, the games were played at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. The game moved to Phoenix in 2000 and was played at Chase Field until 2005. After the 2005 playing the Insight Bowl moved to Sun Devil Stadium... |
W | Oklahoma Oklahoma Sooners football The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association... |
31 | 6 |
| January 1, 1997 | Cotton Bowl Classic | W | Kansas State Kansas State Wildcats football The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference... |
19 | 15 |
| December 31, 1998 | Liberty Bowl Liberty Bowl The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003... |
L | Tulane Tulane Green Wave Green Wave, the nickname of the sports teams of Tulane University, was adopted during the 1920 season, after a song titled The Rolling Green Wave was published in Tulane's student newspaper in 1920. From 1893 to 1919, the athletic teams of Tulane were known as the Olive and Blue for the official... |
27 | 41 |
| December 27, 1999 | Motor City Bowl Motor City Bowl The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl is a post-season college football bowl game certified by the NCAA that has been played annually since 1997. The first five games were played at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. Starting in 2002, the game was moved to 65,000-seat Ford Field in downtown... |
L | Marshall Marshall University Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States.... |
3 | 21 |
| December 31, 2001 | Liberty Bowl | L | Louisville Louisville Cardinals football The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship... |
10 | 28 |
| December 22, 2005 | Las Vegas Bowl Las Vegas Bowl The Maaco Bowl Las Vegas is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. since 1992. From 1992 to 1996, matchups featured the champion teams from the Big West and Mid-American... |
L | California California Golden Bears football The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to... |
28 | 35 |
| December 21, 2006 | Las Vegas Bowl | W | Oregon Oregon Ducks football The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the... |
38 | 8 |
| December 22, 2007 | Las Vegas Bowl | W | UCLA | 17 | 16 |
| December 21, 2008 | Las Vegas Bowl | L | Arizona Arizona Wildcats football The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:... |
21 | 31 |
| December 22, 2009 | Las Vegas Bowl | W | Oregon State Oregon State Beavers football The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive... |
44 | 20 |
| December 18, 2010 | New Mexico Bowl | W | UTEP | 52 | 24 |
| Total | 29 bowl games | 11-17-1 | 676 | 792 |
Rankings - Top 25 finishes
| Season | Overall Record | AP Ranking | Coaches Ranking | BCS Ranking* |
| 1977 | 9-2 | 20 | 16 | did not exist |
| 1979 | 11-1 | 13 | 12 | did not exist |
| 1980 | 12-1 | 12 | 11 | did not exist |
| 1981 | 11-2 | 13 | 11 | did not exist |
| 1983 | 11-1 | 7 | 7 | did not exist |
| 1984 | 13-0 | 1 | 1 | did not exist |
| 1985 | 11-3 | 16 | 17 | did not exist |
| 1989 | 10-3 | 22 | 18 | did not exist |
| 1990 | 10-3 | 22 | 17 | did not exist |
| 1991 | 8-3-2 | 23 | 23 | did not exist |
| 1994 | 10-3 | 18 | 10 | did not exist |
| 1996 | 14-1 | 5 | 5 | did not exist |
| 2001 | 12-2 | 25 | 24 | unranked |
| 2006 | 11-2 | 16 | 15 | 20 |
| 2007 | 11-2 | 14 | 14 | 17 |
| 2008 | 10-3 | 25 | 21 | 16 |
| 2009 | 11-2 | 12 | 12 | 14 |
- BCS rankings are final as of the end of the regular season, and thus do not consider performance in any bowl game as the AP and Coaches polls do.
Awards
National ChampionshipAfter finishing the 1984 season 13-0, BYU was ranked number one by the Associated Press, United Press International (coaches' poll), Sports Illustrated, CNN-USA Today, and the Football Writers of America.
Heisman Trophy
In 1990, quarterback Ty Detmer
Ty Detmer
Ty Hubert Detmer is a former National Football League and NCAA quarterback. He starred at Brigham Young University, where he set many records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990...
won college football's most prestigious individual award, the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. Detmer is the only BYU football player ever to win the award. Detmer passed for 5,188 yards and 41 touchdowns during the 1990 season, with 28 interceptions. During the same season, he also led BYU to defeat the number-one-ranked Miami Hurricanes
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
28-21 in Provo. The Heisman Trophy has been awarded every year since 1935. Other BYU quarterbacks finishing in the top ten in Heisman voting include Gary Sheide (8th in 1974), Gifford Nielsen (6th in 1976), Marc Wilson (3rd in 1979), Jim McMahon (5th in 1980, 3rd in 1981), Steve Young (2nd in 1983), Robbie Bosco (3rd in 1984 and 1985), and Ty Detmer (9th in 1989, Winner in 1990, 3rd in 1991).
The Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
has honored the nation's best running back since 1990. BYU running back Luke Staley
Luke Staley
Lucas Staley is a former American football player who starred as a running back at Brigham Young University from 1999 to 2001.-High school career:...
won this award in 2001 while helping the Cougars win their first 12 games in a row before becoming injured. Staley rushed for 1,596 yards and 24 touchdowns in just 11 games.
The Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award
Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
has honored the nation's best quarterback since 1981. BYU quarterbacks have won the award four times—more than any other school. Former NFL greats Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
and Steve Young both won the award while at BYU, and in 1991, Ty Detmer became the first of only three quarterbacks to win the award twice.
The Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
has honored the nation's best interior lineman since 1946. Two BYU linemen have won the prestigious award. In 1986, Jason Buck earned the honor while Mohammed Elowonibi received the honor in 1989.
Sammy Baugh Trophy
The Sammy Baugh Trophy is awarded to the nation's best passer. Steve Sarkisian
Steve Sarkisian
Steve Sarkisian is an American football coach and former player of American and Canadian football. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Washington, a position he has held since the 2009 season...
was awarded this trophy for the 1996 season during which he had a 173.6 passer rating, the highest in the nation. Other BYU quarterbacks to win the award were Gary Sheide (1974), Marc Wilson (1979), Jim McMahon (1981), Steve Young (1983), Robbie Bosco (1984), and Ty Detmer (1991).
Coaching awards
- Amos Alonzo Stagg AwardAmos Alonzo Stagg AwardThe Amos Alonzo Stagg Award is presented annually by the American Football Coaches Association to the “individual, group or institution whose services have been outstanding in the advancement of the best interests of football’’. Recipients receive a plaque which is a replica of the one given to...
- LaVell EdwardsLaVell EdwardsR. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time...
- 20032003 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate....
- AFCA (Kodak) Coach of the Year AwardEddie Robinson Coach of the YearThe Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award is given annually to a college football coach by the Football Writers Association of America. The award honors Eddie Robinson, former coach at Grambling State who holds the second best record for most Division I wins with 408 behind only Joe...
- AFCA (Kodak) Coach of the Year Award
- LaVell Edwards - 19841984 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Brigham Young University winning their first national championship by beating an unranked Michigan team in the Holiday Bowl...
- Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year AwardBobby Dodd Coach of the Year AwardThe Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award is an annual college football award given to the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision head coach whose team excels on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. The award is named for Bobby Dodd, longtime head football coach at Georgia Tech and was...
- Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award
- LaVell Edwards - 19791979 NCAA Division I-A football seasonThe 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season saw the Alabama Crimson Tide bring home a national title with a perfect 12-0 season. The title was Alabama's 11th claimed, though the number is disputed. It was their 6th Associated Press awarded title....
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
- Gifford NielsenGifford NielsenGifford Nielsen is a former NFL quarterback who played for the Houston Oilers. He announced his retirement as the sports director of KHOU-TV in Houston, TX, on March 30, 2009...
(QB), 1994 - Marc Wilson (QB), 1996
- Jim McMahonJim McMahonJames Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
(QB), 1999 - Steve Young (QB), 2001
- LaVell EdwardsLaVell EdwardsR. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time...
(Head Coach), 2004 - Gordon HudsonGordon HudsonGordon Lynn Hudson is an American football tight end born in Everett, Washington, on June 22, 1962. He attended Brighton High School in Salt Lake City, UT. He was a Two-time consensus All-America pick in 1982 and 1983 He led BYU to four WAC titles and four Holiday Bowl berths. He also set the NCAA...
(Tight End), 2009
Uniforms
From the 1970s to 1999—a period coinciding with the some of the school's best and most prominent football seasons—BYU school colors were royal blue and white. The football team generally wore royal blue jerseys and white pants at home, and white jerseys and royal blue pants on the road.In 1999, Coach Edwards' penultimate year, the school colors switched to dark blue, white, and tan, and the football helmets switched from white to dark blue. The block 'Y' remained on the sides of the helmet but received a new, more current treatment. The home uniforms consisted of dark blue jerseys with white "bib" and dark blue pants, and the away uniforms consisted of white jerseys with white pants. These new uniforms were disliked by both the conservative fans in Provo and the NCAA, who required the team to remove the white bib on the front of the blue home jersey in 2000 (NCAA rules require that a team's jersey have a single dominant color). The home jersey thereafter was modified with blue replacing the white on the bib area.
These uniforms lasted until 2004, when a uniform new style incorporating New York Jets-style shoulder stripes was introduced (the helmets remained the same). The new uniforms were worn in a "mix-and-match" strategy—e.g., the home blue jerseys were worn with either blue or white pants and the white away jerseys were worn with either blue or white pants. This uniform incarnation lasted for only one season.
Ultimately, the traditional design with the white helmet and former logo was re-introduced for the 2005 season. While the uniforms were also changed to be similar to the 1980s uniforms, the darker blue remained instead of the former royal blue, but all tan highlights were eliminated. This change was done at the insistence of new head coach Bronco Mendenhall, who wanted to return the team to the successful traditions of the 1980s. Normally, it takes a minimum of 1–2 years to create, design and approve a uniform change. When Nike, the team's uniform supplier, said that they could not possibly make the change in just five months, former head coach and BYU legend LaVell Edwards made a call to Nike and asked them to help the new Cougar coach. Edwards had worked with Nike on several occasions since his retirement, and with the legendary coach's weight behind the request, BYU was able to take the field in 2005 in new, traditional uniforms. One slight change in the uniform came in the 2007 season, when a small traditional 'Y' logo was added to the bottom of the collar.
Alumni
As of 2008, BYU has produced 146 professional football players—including alumni playing in 48 NFL Super Bowls.Rivalries
- BYU vs Utah Utah–BYU rivalry The 'Holy War'- Utah UtesUtah Utes footballThe Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
- BYU vs Utah State The Old Wagon Wheel - Utah State AggiesUtah State AggiesThe Utah State Aggies are the athletics teams of Utah State University. The school fields men's varsity teams in basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, and track and field. Women's varsity teams include basketball, cross country, gymnastics, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field,...
- BYU vs Hawaii - the two programs are scheduled to play each other through 2023