I went to many coaching clinics, talked to other coaches, read articles, books, etc. Anything I could do that would help me prepare to be the best coach possible. Fortunately, the coaches I had as a player were good men and were excellent role models in setting priorities and relating to the team members and coaching staff.
My belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the testimony I have of the Savior and His atonement [is my personal shelter].
I can honestly say that two weeks after the national championship year, I'd forgotten about it and started laying the groundwork for spring practice. And so every year, that's been the thing that's motivated me. . . .
My testimony helps me to establish priorities in my life.
One day I was complaining to Bill Coltrin about what I thought was an unfair article about our team. I was going to call the writer and complain to him. Bill told me, "If you plan to stay in this business (coaching), you need to realize a couple of things about the press. One, whatever is written, it will probably be forgotten in two or three days by the public; and two, if you complain or make an enemy of the writer, just remember you may have your 'day in the sun,' but he/she is going to press 365 days a year." I have never forgotten that.
Edwards recalled that he once planned to coach until he was 60 as he signed an extension to his contract. I was about 62 before I ever remembered that's what I had set up. . . . Now I'm already making plans for next year and recruiting. That's the reason for this. I just feel good right now.
Being a member of the Church has never placed any roadblocks in my personal and professional life.
Professionally - I had the opportunity to play sports throughout my youth, in high school and college. Early on, I decided I wanted to be a coach so I tried to learn everything I could about all positions on the team.
Edwards said he would like to be remembered for the impact he has had on the lives of his players. In this business we are judged by wins and losses in the media. I don't discount that, but I've never concerned myself much with that . . . except that it helps me stay employed.
Much of coaching consists of teaching and communicating ideas, concepts and philosophies to the players and my education helped make me a much more effective coach.
I honestly haven't thought about it much. When it comes time for me to retire, I don't think I'll know going into that season. I'll have to evaluate it at the end of each year.
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.
Considering retirement? When that happens, I don't want that to be the story of whatever the season it is. I don't want to have to be talking about it all the time. My plan is when the time is up, it'll be time to hang it up. When that comes, it'll come. But right now, I don't have any clue as to when that'll be. It's been that way the last couple of years. . . . I've often felt if I ever get to a point where I don't want to go recruiting and can't get excited about it, then maybe it's time. That's a pretty good indication that's probably it. And I haven't reached that point at all yet.
Milestones you'd like to reach before retiring? Not really. Because when I began it was never to reach 100 games or reach 200 or to get high on the all-time list or whatever else. Those things are by-products. I want to win another championship, beginning with the conference championship. The thing that was disappointing to me last year was the fact that we did not win the conference championship. I felt like we just let that game (against Air Force in Las Vegas) get away from us.
My sons served excellent missions, and returned to participate in college athletics. In their letters home, and even now that they have been back for some time, they frequently mention that the experiences in the mission field were the choicest and most gratifying of their lives. You young men, begin to prepare yourselves now for this marvelous experience.
I know the team, as a whole, has had an impact on the youth of the church, and on the missionary efforts throughout the world.
I hope I've been a good example to the youth of the church.
Even though I did not go into college teaching, I believe the education I did receive helped me to become a better coach.
The Wyoming game in 1974, my third year as head coach. My first year, we were 7-4; the second year, we went 5-6; the third year started out 0-3-1. Some of the players got together and had a team meeting to get a few things straightened out. Starting with the Wyoming game, we won 6 straight games and won our first conference championship, the second in BYU's history. We went to the Fiesta Bowl, the first of many bowl games for the Cougars.
One of our goals was to serve a mission, which we are now doing. After that, we want to keep our family together eternally, be of service in whatever way possible, and endure to the end!
I try to give to most legitimate requests, but the amount of my contribution and my personal time varies greatly.
I had to come up with some criteria to help me; i.e., what the favor was, if it was legitimate, if it was in no way compromising, and if there would be a benefit some way by my participation.
In the early years, I was able to accommodate most of the requests and favors that came my way, but as the requests multiplied, I had to make tough choices because the numbers were more than I could handle.
I received my Master's degree from the University of Utah while coaching at Granite High School. I obtained my doctorate from BYU while coaching. I pursued these degrees to prepare myself if coaching didn't work out.
Personally - I also continued my education while I was coaching, attending night school and summer school, taking correspondence courses, etc.
