When BYU’s late, legendary football coach LaVell Edwards was asked once if he preferred speed or quickness in his wide receivers, he answered: “I’d like to have both, but if they had both, they’d be at the University of Southern California.”
But there was no mention on that particular occasion of defense and focus and pluck and grit and will, none of the stuff that doesn’t completely show up on recruiting evaluations. No mention of Zack Wilson’s ability to run for a 16-yard touchdown, capping a late clutch 52-yard drive. No mention of a wall put up by the Cougars around the USC offense, slowing freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis and those great receivers that LaVell never could have landed.