▁of ▁L atter - day ▁Sain ts . ▁The ▁C oug ars ▁began ▁colleg iate ▁football ▁competition ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁and ▁have ▁won ▁ 2 3 ▁conference ▁champion ships ▁and ▁one ▁national ▁championship ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁The ▁team ▁has ▁competed ▁in ▁several ▁different ▁athlet ic ▁con ferences ▁during ▁its ▁history , ▁but ▁since ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁they ▁have ▁competed ▁as ▁an ▁Independent . ▁The ▁team ▁plays ▁home ▁games ▁at ▁the ▁ 6 3 , 4 7 0 - se at ▁La V ell ▁Edwards ▁Stadium , ▁which ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁legend ary ▁head ▁coach ▁La V ell ▁Edwards . ▁La V ell ▁Edwards ▁won ▁ 1 9 ▁conference ▁champion ships , ▁seven ▁bow l ▁games , ▁and ▁one ▁national ▁championship ▁( 1 9 8 4 ) ▁while ▁co aching ▁at ▁BY U , ▁and ▁is ▁regarded ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁successful ▁coach ▁in ▁BY U ▁program ▁history . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Early ▁history ▁ ▁BY U ▁traces ▁its ▁football ▁roots ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁Benjamin ▁Cl uff ▁became ▁the ▁third ▁principal ▁of ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁Academy ▁( the ▁prec ursor ▁to ▁BY U ) ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁( the ▁school ▁was ▁converted ▁into ▁a ▁university ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 ) ▁and ▁was ▁influenced ▁by ▁his ▁colleg iate ▁studies ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Michigan ▁to ▁bring ▁athlet ic ▁competition ▁to ▁Br igh am ▁Young . ▁The ▁first ▁BY