Sports world reacts to the passing of legendary BYU football coach LaVell Edwards

Former BYU head coach and Hall of Famer LaVell Edwards passed away at the age of 86 on Thursday.

Whether you were a BYU fan or not, it’s hard not to recognize the impact he had on the world of college football.

Edwards coached for 29 seasons and compiled an overall record of 257-103-3 during his time in Provo. He led the Cougars to a nation championship in 1984 and ranks seventh all-time in FBS coaching victories and second behind former Penn State head coach Joe Paterno among those who coached at just one school.

The two-time national coach of the year (1979, 1984), groomed 34 All-Americans and turned BYU into a quarterback factory with the likes of Jim McMahon, Steve Young and Ty Detmer.

His legacy through the coaching tree extends to NFL coaches in Brian Billick, Mike Holmgren, Andy Reid as well as successful college coaches in Kyle Whittingham and Mike Leach.

Minutes after his death, Edwards became the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter as fellow fans, players, and coaches gave tribute to one of the greatest coaches in college football history.

The video below captures the moment Edwards won his final game in a 34-27 victory over Utah. Kalani Sitake, who is now the head coach at BYU, gives his mentor a big hug in what will live on as one of the priceless moments in Cougar history.

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