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By Kent Larsen
LDS Church Officials Appeal to Reid to Coach at BYU
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA -- A report in yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer
indicates that LDS Church leaders are appealing to Philadelphia Eagles Coach
and LDS Church member Andy Reid to take the head coaching job at BYU. The
report cites "a close friend" of Reid's as saying that BYU has "mounted a
new campaign to convince Reid" to be LaVell Edward's replacement.
Reid is one of a handful of LDS Church members qualified and being
considered for the job. They include current BYU offensive coordinator Lance
Reynolds and defensive coordinator Ken Schmidt. Also under consideration are
Alabama quarterbacks coach Charlie Stubbs and Chicago Bears offensive
coordinator Gary Crowton.
According to the Inquirer, BYU contacted Reid before the NFL season began,
but Reid declined to be interviewed. Other analysts have suggested that it
wouldn't make sense for Reid to consider the job because the coaching career
ladder generally works in the other direction -- college head coaches get
hired as NFL coahces, not vice versa.
To date most speculation in the press has focused on Cowton, but the Bears
horrific 1-7 performance to start the year has made pundits think him less
appealing. However, BYU officials say that they don't see it that way.
"LaVell made the comment that he was involved in something like four or five
winning seasons in his entire career before he became head coach at BYU,"
BYU's athletic director Val Hale told the Salt Lake Tribune earlier this
week. "When you're in the NFL, it's all about talent and ability. If you
look at Gary and look what he did did in college, he was successful in
college and was successful last year. There are a lot of variables. I don't
think it would be fair to judge any candidate by one season."
Recent events may also give Reid more interest in the position than he was
at the beginning of the season. Reid took the head coaching job at
Philadelphia with the understanding that the team would have both a new
stadium and a new practice facility by 2002. But the team has been unable to
reach a deal with the city on a new stadium, and although the practice
facility is under construction, that may also stop if the team can't reach
an agreement with the city.
Meanwhile, other NFL teams are snapping up shares of an NFL loan fund for
new facilities. The Inquirer's analysis suggests that if the Eagles can't
reach an agreement with the city in the next 30 days, the stadium project
will have to be delayed at least another year. And if other teams claim the
remaining funds from the NFL, the deal may become so expensive that it
collapses, leaving Reid much less happy in his current job.
Source:
BYU courts Reid; Eagles do not get break from NFL
Philadelphia PA Inquirer 1Nov00 S2
By Phil Sheridan: Inquirer Staff Writer
COACHING UPDATE: BYU Steps Up Search to Replace Edwards
Salt Lake Tribune 30Oct00 S2
By Patrick Kinahan: Salt Lake Tribune
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