BYU Football: The Movie

A tried-and-true game I’ve enjoyed playing over the years has been to take iconic sports teams and cast the key players and coaches as if I were casting a major motion picture.

Things are kinda slow in the sporting world during early-to-mid December, especially with the NBA getting off to a late start. Those who are near and dear to me know it doesn’t take much to entertain this sports fan.

So here we go. BYU Football: The Movie has just been green-lit by the studio suits and it’s our job to cast the main players.

I’ll get things started with three of my own picks, then let you take over.

Who knows, if we do a good job at casting this flick, maybe the execs at Paramount, DreamWorks or Warner Bros. will feel obliged to fund and staff such a well-cast project.

Then again, maybe our efforts will only make it as far as a senior thesis project.

LaVell Edwards

LaVell Edwards is BYU football. Don’t believe me? Check the name on the west side of the Cougars’ home field next time you’re in town.

My first pick to play LaVell the Legend was Gordon Jump, but since he’s no longer with us, it would be hard to cast him.

Next on the list to play the iconic Edwards is the iconic Terry O’Quinn, also known as John Locke of Lost fame.

O’Quinn has a recurring role on the CBS hit TV series Hawaii Five-O, but the show is going into hiatus in a few months, so he should be good to go if BYU Football: The Movie goes into production in mid-spring 2012.

Edwards’ 257-101-3 record in 29 seasons at the helm of BYU football is reason to smile these days, but Edwards was best known for his grim, serious look while he prowled the Cougars’ sidelines.

Locke is no stranger to grim looks, especially because of what Benjamin Linus did to him in Season 6 of Lost.

Steve Young

Steve Young is the pride and joy of BYU football. Don’t believe me? Check the Pro Football Hall of Fame next time you’re in Canton, Ohio.

Not only did Young light the stat sheet up while in Provo, but he went on to a stellar career in the NFL, once Joe Montana moved on.

Will Ferrell built a name for himself on Saturday Night Live and has a long list of hit movies to his name, including Elf, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

Although he is best known for his comedic chops, Ferrell showed he’s got dramatic flair in the 2006 dark dramedy Stranger Than Fiction.

Ferrell—who is a huge sports fan—is the perfect fit to play Young, who also has a comedic and dramatic side.

Ty Detmer

Ty Detmer, BYU’s only Heisman Trophy winner, is another iconic figure in BYU football history. Detmer went on to a career in the NFL from 1992 to 2005, but didn’t have the success he enjoyed in Provo.

Detmer’s performance in Provo from 1988 to 1991, however, was in line with the Cougar greats who passed before him.

Jon Heder is best known for his role in the quirky 2004 comedy Napoleon Dynamite, but has also had sporadic success in other flicks, such as Blades of Glory and The Benchwarmers.

What better way to rejuvenate the career, Jon? The role’s yours if you want it.

So, let's hear it. Who do you think should be cast in BYU Football: The Movie?

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