Last week I had the opportunity to attend an expo where the speakers were none other than former rival head coaches from Lavell Edwards (BYU) and  Ron McBride from my favorite school (University of Utah) came and spoke about their formulas and ideas for success.  Here is a cool photo of Lavell Edwards, Dustin Jorgenson (me) and Ron McBride:

My friends know how cool this really was.  Now I’m a big U of U fan, and the BYU/U of U rivalry is about as heated as a good, old-fashioned school rivalry should be!  Coach Lavell Edwards and Coach Ron McBride were both the head coaches these football teams as they annually participated in what many dubbed ‘The Holy War’ right here in Utah.  It is always a GREAT game–one which I look forward to at the beginning of the football season.

Anyhow, I had the cool opportunity to meet these two gentlemen (Yes, Lavell too!) and listen a bit on their formulas for success.  It was an afternoon well spent and I learned a few things.

Lavell spoke about his team and changing formations weekly.  If they (BYU) didn’t find success in one formation, they would change it until they found something that worked and then they stuck with it.  He also mentioned consistency is the key to enjoying success–just as any football team would on the field.

Being able to execute was also a point both Ron and Lavell mentioned in thier speeches.  They told us that any team can have the best players, the best coaching, the most advanced training facilties and equipment and even when on the field they can have the best possible scenario for success such as weather or the cheering of the home town fans, but if they are not able to execute a play, then the team will not be successful.

…being able to execute a plan in business is just as important.  I have found this time and time again with any of my entreprenuership efforts.  If I can’t excecute the plan, I have no chance of success, sadly enough.

McBride and Edwards also spoke on how to be a team player and how football is a lot like life in many aspects.  I have discovered this too, in my personal and business life.

The fun part of listening to these two great head coaches was of course the plenty of jabs thy took at each other!  I recall the infamous ’34/31′ scores where BYU lost to the University of Utah in a series of close rivalry games when the score ended up 34 to 31 not once–but twice; once in 1993 and the next in 1994 and there were even a series of local commericals that had Lavell tossing and turning while having nightmares that his pant measurements were “34, 31”–and the tailor was McBride!

It was clear these two still have an entertaining rivalry with each other and to be honest with you, I enjoyed the time it took to spend it listening to them and I learned quite a bit from these two coaches that I will never forget…

GO UTES!