Zoob board

LaVell played in a different time and different set of circumstances. Bronco’s winning percentage is better than LaVell’s and LaVell averaged 1 P5 school a year, Bronco was almost three. And Utah sucked when LaVell was around (at least the beginning 2/3rds) and there was no TCU. What Bronco did was a lot more impressive than what LaVell did. PLUS, LaVell didn’t have to worry about the honor code like Bronco did. 

LaVell did what he was supposed to do, with three times the athletic budget of anyone else: win. And he won. And he should get credit for that. 

But if you were to line up the head coaches that coached in this state and hold a draft, it would look like this:

Urban, Whitt, Ike Armstrong, Bronco, LaVell. Maybe you flip Bronco and Armstrong because of all the extra BS Bronco had to deal with down there. 

LaVell won a national championship, which is amazing. BUT, when you look at 2004, 2008 and 1984, 2004 and 2008 were much more impressive seasons. When you look at the teams Urban and Whitt beat, what they did was much, much more impressive. 

BYU was lucky they lived in a time where they could scam their way to a national title. 

Here is some more info on LaVell: He had some DISTINCT advantages. BYU was spending twice as much money on their athletic department as any other school in the WAC/MWC. 

Bronco didn’t have that. He had Utah and TCU in the same realm as BYU. 

What does that mean? LaVell could hire a lot of damn good coaches and he did. Bronco? He was stuck hiring HS coaches and s**tty former BYU players. 

LaVell didn’t have the honor code, Bronco did. LaVell didn’t play a good Utah and TCU every year. Bronco did. 

I’d take Bronco over LaVell any day of the week, all other things being equal. 

I’d place LaVelle third, behind Ike and Whitt. If your working across eras you need to look within that period to get a valid take. Ike Armstrong had a national presence when that was almost impossible for a western school outside the LA area. Second would be Whitt, his BCS appearance and second place finish is easily equivalent to the trophy at BYU in an era when the system was so flawed it had to be changed. Couple that with his successful move to the next weight class and I don’t think there’s any question he has outpaced his mentor. LaVelle gets credit for innovation and the one Championship, despite the flaws in the system back then. Fourth would probably be Jack Curtis. After that it’s probably a pick’em between 4-5 coaches.

Do you want to know why BYU always struggled when they played at Hawaii? 

I’ll tell you why, and it makes me respect LaVell as a person even more. LaVell’s philosophy that being in Hawaii was a treat for his players and he realized that many of his players would never have the chance to be in Hawaii again. So, they would have bed checks early while there and the coaches would then go away. 

There was an unwritten rule that there would not be any more bed checks the rest of the night and the players were free to go and explore the island. So after 3-4 nights of 2-3 hours of sleep, BYU players were WRECKED for the football games and stuggled there. 

Source: Many, many players who played for LaVell. 

STEP IT UP.

If Urban was still at Utah he wouldn’t find it acceptable that Utah has not won a PAC12 championship ( let alone a division championship).

Maybe it’s a mormon thing that Utah shouldn’t demand the best….. F’n Boize demands more…  

what makes you think his goal has ever been anything other than winning the pac12?

And you still haven’t come up with any sort of realistic alternative… Not a single one.

Kyle has apparently won a national championship at Utah… So I don’t know what you are griping about. How much higher could he possibly get?