Cougar Kickoff Countdown: 8 Days

No BYU quarterback has had a more successful career than #8 Steve Young. Young played for BYU from 1980-1983 and although he wanted to play quarterback, the offensive coordinator refused to play a left-handed quarterback. He started to learn how to play defensive back with the help of Tom Holmoe, but would watch and mimic how Jim McMahon would throw the ball. Scovil left for a head coaching job and Ted Tollner took his place. After Tollner saw Young throw, he decided that he wanted Young for his QB.

As a senior, Young was named the consensus All-America quarterback, and won the Davey O'Brien Award and Sammy Baugh Trophy, after he led the nation in passing (3,902 yards) and total offense (4,346 yards). One of his most memorable plays came against Missouri in the 1983 Holiday Bowl. With half a minute left on the clock and on the Missouri 15-yard line, Young handed the ball off to halfback Eddie Stinnett who then ran right, turned, and passed back to Young on the left side of the field. Never mind that Young didn't think it would work; he made the catch and ran it in for the touchdown and the victory.