The main reason for doing it now ... had more to do with the players. This is a great group. read more

The main reason for doing it now ... had more to do with the players. This is a great group. This particular group has really worked hard to prepare themselves. And we have a chance to have a good football team.

I feel that the progress I have made as a coach, as well as a person, is a direct result read more

I feel that the progress I have made as a coach, as well as a person, is a direct result of the growth that I have made through my Church callings. I had the opportunity to serve as a bishop in a campus ward while I was still an assistant coach. When I was appointed head football coach in 1972, I decided to approach my role as a coach much the same as I did as a bishop, delegating responsibility to my assistants, putting responsibility on the players for self-improvement in all aspects of their lives, and using personal interviews with players to try to give positive reinforcement and encouragement so that they might do their very best and reach their full potential, both on and off the field.

Martha was watching the football game with me when she said, 'You know, most of these sports are based on read more

Martha was watching the football game with me when she said, 'You know, most of these sports are based on the idea of one group protecting its territory from invasion by another group.' 'Yeah,' I said, trying not to laugh. Girls are funny.

I don't like to lose, and that isn't so much because it is just a football game, but because defeat read more

I don't like to lose, and that isn't so much because it is just a football game, but because defeat means the failure to reach your objective. I don't want a football player who doesn't take defeat to heart, who laughs it off with the thought, 'Oh, well, there's another Saturday.' The trouble in American life today, in business as well as in sports, is that too many people are afraid of competition. The result is that in some circles people have come to sneer at success if it costs hard work and training and sacrifice.

Football is a mistake. It combines the two worst elements of American life. Violence and committee meetings.

Football is a mistake. It combines the two worst elements of American life. Violence and committee meetings.

I'm old, old enough to play baseball or football. I'm not eight yet. My Mom told me when you start read more

I'm old, old enough to play baseball or football. I'm not eight yet. My Mom told me when you start baseball, you aren't going to be able to run that fast because you had an operation. I told Mom I wouldn't need to run fast. When I play baseball, I'll just hit them out of the park. Then I'll be able to walk.

Reminiscing: No one knows ... until you live it, to be there, to tee it up each week, to get read more

Reminiscing: No one knows ... until you live it, to be there, to tee it up each week, to get yourself ready, the players and whatever else.... I think it's a very, very difficult, tough and demanding job. And to be able to, particularly, stay at the level of expertise that we have over the years. Along with the fact that we have made football a presence at BYU. I think those are the things that are about as satisfying as anything that has happened. Then, of course, the players.... I think the thing that will be the most difficult is leaving the relationships and the involvement.

If you are worshipping false gods—such as football, baseball, gold, tennis, or money or technology or automobiles or houses or read more

If you are worshipping false gods—such as football, baseball, gold, tennis, or money or technology or automobiles or houses or gold or silver—and you can tell what a man worships by what he does on Sunday—repent and start worshipping the true and living God, the maker of heaven and earth and all things that in them are.

Current condition of the BYU football program? I think it's in good shape. We've got some good young players. We've read more

Current condition of the BYU football program? I think it's in good shape. We've got some good young players. We've had two or three pretty good recruiting years. We lost some players, obviously, that hurt us, but you always have turnover in college through attrition (graduation, transfers). That's the nature of the game.