Who was BYU's head football coach the last time the team was 1-5?
Yes, it was LaVell Edwards. It was his 2nd season.
Going into a home game against New Mexico on November 3, 1973, BYU was 1-5 before Gary Sheide and the new pass-happy offense rolled up 56 points against the Lobos. There were two big differences between BYU football then and BYU football today. First, the expectations were much lower. Edwards believed he would only get a few seasons at BYU before getting fired. He could build up his resume before going on to be a coordinator at Utah State or somewhere else. His passing scheme just wasn't clicking before this game. Their defense couldn't stop anyone. Future Dallas Cowboy, Danny White, passed for 303 yards 3 touchdowns no sacks and no interceptions as the Sundevils crush BYU 52-12. However, that is what was expected. No one was leaving the bandwagon back in those days because no one was on it. Arizona State of 1973 was much like Boise State of today.
The other difference between BYU of then and BYU of today is the schedule. Of those 6 opponents in 1973, 3 were what we now consider Power-5 programs, and yes, I would put Arizona State of 1973 into that category, as the Frank Cush-led Sun Devils were among the nation's elite back then. But those program were not elite programs like BYU faced this year. The other two power programs were Iowa State and Oregon State. The Cyclones and the Beavers, even then, like today, were in power conferences but not the elite programs of their respective conferences. The other losses in 1973 came to Colorado State, Utah State and Wyoming. These football programs then, were like these football programs are today, were good but not elite. Today LSU, Utah and Wisconsin are arguably the creme de la creme. Mississippi State, who has BYU next, is also one of those elite programs. The 1973 schedule was a spanking machine. The 2017 schedule is like running though a sting a guillotines.
BYU would finish 1973 with a 5-6 record with their last loss of that season coming to Arizona in Provo. Their other wins were against Weber State, Utah and UTEP where BYU would score 45, 46 and 63 points, respectively. At that time, the 63-0 victory against the Miners was the most lopsided victory in school history. Those scores showed the potential of the offense that scored 7 against Utah State, 12 against Arizona State, 13 against Colorado State and 10 against Arizona.
In 1974, BYU would start the season 0-3-1 before reeling off 7 straits wins and earning a bid to the Fiesta Bowl. One of those 7 wins would be against the same elite Arizona State program. In 1974, in spite of breaking in a new quarterback, the Sun Devils were still the WAC favorites. ASU left Provo empty-handed at the short end of a 21-18 Cougar Victory.
In 2018, BYU starts the season against Arizona, California, Wisconsin and Washington with McNeese State mixed in and they conclude the season at Utah. Reeling off 7 victories in a row against these schools would indeed be impressive, beating all of these schools as well as beating the teams they would be expected to beat would earn them a shot a big bowl game and make Tanner Mangum a high NFL draft pick. One similarity between 1974 and 2018 is that as 1974 was no easier than 1973, 2018 will be no easier than 2017.
Back then, BYU got better. LaVell Edwards and his assistants got better. No need to rehash what Edwards did in his career after 1973. Edwards is now a legend for what he did afterwards. 1973 wasn't the end of the world, but a new beginning. In 2017, BYU can get better. Kalani Sitake can be better. Ty Detmer and the other assistants can be better. They do not have to set their sights on being legends, just getting better. At the end of the 1973 season, no one expected LaVell Edwards would go on to win 257 games and 19 conference championships. Back then, they only focused on improving.
Even the most elite programs in college football, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, USC and others have a bad season now and then. BYU can learn from them as well. Like 1973, Rock Bottom can be the foundation for greater things to come. Sometimes it is good for history to repeat.
