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By Kent Larsen
BYU Honors Edwards With Stadium Name
PROVO, UTAH -- For BYU coach LaVell Edwards it could not have been a better
day. The Cougars thrashed New Mexico 37-13, BYU President Merrill Bateman
announced that the University would spend $60 million on a new athletic
center long sought by the department, and LDS Church President Gordon B.
Hinckley surprised everyone by naming BYU's stadium after the retiring
Edwards. On, and there were fireworks after the game.
The Cougars may have been helped to victory by a visit to the locker room by
LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley, who urged the team to win in honor
of Edwards. "It brought chills through my whole body," said Brandon Doman, a
returned missionary making his first start as a BYU quarterback. "I was
sitting there in the locker room and in walked my idol. He tells us there
was no option, we had to win the game today." And the team pulled it off,
winning the way Edwards wanted for the first time this season, "I've been
waiting for this one," Edwards said. "I kept saying one of these days we
were going to put it all together, play hard and play well and execute. We
did it tonight. I was very glad to see it happen."
But although the way the team played was surprisingly good, the bigger
surprises came before the game. First, BYU President Bateman announced that
the school will build a $40 to $60 million athletic facility. The planned
building will include a 120-yard indoor practice field, a 350-meter track,
offices for coaches and administrators, training rooms and meeting rooms.
"We've been dreaming of this and planning it for 15 years," Hale said. "This
is a major piece of the puzzle to take our program to the next level."
The biggest surprise of all, however, came during President Hinckley's
pregame remarks. He said the stadium would now be known as LaVell Edwards
Stadium, Home of the BYU Cougars. "It was totally a stunner for me. I didn't
know that would happen," Edwards said. "It's been a very emotional and a
very special evening for me." The announcement was heralded as "fitting" by
sportswriters, given Edwards' contribution to BYU. Because of that
contribution, even if the stadium were not named for him it still would
likely be known as 'The House that Edwards Built.'
Sources:
BYU Coach Ends Career on High Note
(Long Island) NY Newsday (AP) 19Nov00 S2
By Tim Korte: AP Sports Writer
A Very Special Evening For Edwards
Deseret News 19Nov00 S2
By Jeff Call: Deseret News sports writer
A fitting tribute
Deseret News 19Nov00 S2
By Jeff Call: Deseret News sports writer
LaVell's House
Deseret News 19Nov00 S2
By Brad Rock: Deseret News sports columnist
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