The Leadership Legacy of Lavell Edwards

What makes a leader unforgettable? For LaVell Edwards, it was not only the wins, championships, or the stadium that now bears his name. It was the way he made people feel seen. From the Miracle Bowl to quiet conversations in his office, LaVell led with trust, humor, humility, and a rare ability to turn young athletes into men of character.

The Leadership Legacy of LaVell Edwards explores the principles that made the legendary BYU football coach one of the most beloved figures in college sports. Drawing from interviews with former players and leaders'Äîincluding Gifford Nielsen, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon, Ty Detmer, and others'Äîthis book looks beyond the playbook to reveal the deeper foundation of LaVell'Äôs influence. His forward-thinking offense helped change football, but his personal philosophy changed lives'Äîon the field, in homes, in communities, and across generations.

Whether you lead a team, a family, a classroom, a congregation, or simply want to become the kind of person others trust and remember, LaVell'Äôs example offers a timeless blueprint. Through stories of courage, compassion, laughter, and love, this book invites readers to discover what true leadership can be: not power over people, but the power to lift them, believe in them, and help them become more than they thought possible.

Mark D. Ogletree is a professor at Brigham Young University, where he teaches classes on marriage and family relationships. He is also a therapist and has been practicing for the past 35 years. Mark has a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University in Human Resource Development, a master's degree from Northern Arizona University in Mental Health Counseling, and a PhD from Utah State University in Family and Human Development.

Mark is the author of numerous books and articles on topics ranging from marriage, family, parenting, mental health, and contemporary Church history. His most recent books include Heaven Is Cheering You On, The Making of a Man: A Guide to Raising Strong, Resilient Sons, Beyond the Honeymoon: 25 Questions and Answers about Marital Intimacy, and So You're in Love, Now What?.

Mark has also presented at workshops and academic conferences both nationally and internationally. He and his wife, Janie, reside in Utah. They host a weekly podcast called Preserving Families, where they share ideas, principles, and practices to help strengthen families. Mark also hosts another podcast called Stand by My Servants, where he discusses with expert scholars the lives and teachings of Apostles and Prophets.

Mark and Janie are the parents of eight children and twenty-nine grandchildren.