▁was ▁built , ▁which ▁included ▁a ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 3 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁head ▁coach ▁Tommy ▁Hud sp eth ▁led ▁the ▁C oug ars ▁to ▁their ▁first ▁conference ▁championship ▁with ▁a ▁record ▁of ▁ 6 – 4 . ▁ ▁La V ell ▁Edwards ▁era ▁( 1 9 7 2 – 2 0 0 0 ) ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁assistant ▁coach ▁La V ell ▁Edwards ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁head ▁coach , ▁succeed ing ▁Hud sp eth . ▁Edwards ▁and ▁his ▁staff ▁installed ▁a ▁drop - back ▁passing ▁game ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁early ▁implementation ▁of ▁the ▁West ▁Coast ▁off ense , ▁resulting ▁in ▁C oug ar ▁P ete ▁Van ▁Val ken burg ▁as ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁leading ▁r ush er ▁for ▁that ▁year . ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁the ▁C oug ars ▁strugg led ▁to ▁a ▁ 5 – 6 ▁finish , ▁but ▁this ▁would ▁be ▁Edwards ' ▁only ▁losing ▁season ▁during ▁his ▁run ▁as ▁BY U ▁coach ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁dec ades . ▁In ▁fact , ▁the ▁C oug ars ▁won ▁the ▁conference ▁championship ▁every ▁year ▁except ▁one ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁including ▁the ▁national ▁championship ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁However , ▁the ▁C oug ars ▁lost ▁their ▁first ▁four ▁bow l ▁games . ▁Their ▁first ▁post - season ▁win ▁came ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁Hol iday ▁Bowl , ▁which ▁has