There was the clunky verbiage. The awkward demeanor. The reliance on principles of modern management. The mixing of scripture with the playbook, the Stripling Warriors with the tackles and tight ends. The spoken-but-silly aim for a national championship. There was Honor, Spirit, Tradition. The insistence on his players lying on the field, way back at the beginning, allowing visions of by-gone triumphs to dance in their heads, stirring their souls and stoking their motivation. There was the band of brothers, the quest for perfection.
There were indications of competence with the Cougars. The man’s teams won 99 games and lost just 43 during his time in Provo.