PROVO — Late last week, BYU officials offered Gary Crowton his dream job — head football coach of the Cougars. By Sunday, Crowton had accepted the offer, and not long after that, his thoughts and his heart gradually drifted from Chicago to Provo.
On Wednesday, the rest of him followed.
That's when a jet plane owned by a BYU booster picked up Crowton after a Chicago Bears practice and brought him to Utah for a news conference to formally announce his hiring.
Crowton had fully intended on finishing the season with the Bears, even after accepting the BYU job. But after discussions this week with coach Dick Jauron, he decided to resign as the team's offensive coordinator in order to replace LaVell Edwards, who had retired after 29 years at the helm, immediately. Crowton broke the news about his resignation to his players after Wednesday's practice.
"I didn't want it to be a distraction," said Crowton, whose offense has struggled amid a disappointing 3-10 campaign. "I told Dick (BYU) was a place I always wanted to coach and that it was a great opportunity. I didn't want to wait another 29 years.
"When I felt like I was going to take this job, it was hard for me to concentrate on the Bears when a lot of times I was thinking about BYU," he continued. "How can you be so excited about one thing that you can't hardly stand it, and so down about another thing? I was at both ends of the spectrum. I was upset about the Bears, trying to figure out how I could get it going better, and so excited about coming here."
As the jet carried him over Squaw Peak on Wednesday, Crowton knew he had made the right decision. He was home.
Crowton had originally planned to return to Chicago early this morning and resume coaching duties with the Bears for the final three games of the season. Instead, he jumped headlong into the BYU job. Upon arriving on campus, Crowton met with school administrators, then with BYU's assistant coaches and players. Later that evening, in the Cougar Room at LaVell Edwards Stadium, President Merrill J. Bateman introduced him as the 13th football coach in school history.
Crowton will remain in Provo for a couple of days to brush up on NCAA recruiting regulations, begin putting together his coaching staff and welcome junior college prospects making official visits to campus this weekend.
Athletic director Val Hale said he talked with Crowton about coach LaVell Edwards' impending retirement last summer during a round of golf. Hale, a former teammate of Crowton's at Orem High School, asked him about his level of interest in the job.
"I told him I didn't want to talk about it until BYU's season was over," Crowton said.
Hale had several discussions with Crowton's agent, Don Yee, about the matter. In mid-November, Hale spoke to Crowton for an hour over the phone. Crowton also talked to BYU advancement vice president Fred Skousen for 15 minutes. The offer was extended Friday and Crowton accepted it Sunday, after a 28-6 loss to Green Bay.
"You have to remember, I knew LaVell was going to retire in January," Hale said. "I've been doing my homework for 18 months, ever since I got this job. And I know Gary very well. It wasn't like I needed a big interview. I've only known him for 28 years."
BYU officials say Crowton was one of 11 candidates for the position. But it was obvious that he was the No. 1 choice for a long time. In fact, he was in BYU's sights for several years, dating back to the tenure of former athletic director Rondo Fehlberg.
"He was the best fit of all the candidates," Hale said. "He was the only candidate we were looking at that had been a successful Division I coach. He's had an exciting offense, something we've had here and want to continue. He's had great success with his athletes on the field and off the field. He has just about everything we want in a coach at BYU."
Over the years, Crowton had applied to be an assistant coach for the Cougars three times. All three times he was passed over. But the man who did not hire him, Edwards, is happy with the naming of Crowton as his successor.
"This guy was a very popular choice right from Day One," Edwards said. "He will do an excellent job."
"Gary scored high on every criterion established by the search committee," President Bateman said. "He is a person of exceptional integrity, one with high standards of personal conduct. His coaching experience at the Division I and NFL levels reflect an innovative genius, and we look forward to exciting football in the years to come."
"I have always dreamed of coaching at BYU," Crowton said. "To be able to follow in the footsteps of a legend like LaVell Edwards is both incredibly humbling and challenging. I pledge to BYU fans that I will devote my energy to continuing BYU's winning football tradition."
It's a happy homecoming not only for Crowton, but also for his wife, Maren, who did not accompany him on this trip to Provo. Crowton was raised in Orem and Maren in Bountiful. In their 15 years of marriage, they have crisscrossed the country, from Illinois to New Hampshire to Boston to Atlanta to Louisiana to Chicago, pursuing his coaching dreams. This move to Utah is not just about football, however.
"My wife has been wonderful with me, traveling all these places," Crowton said. "She's a great woman with a lot of strength. She's excited to get back to see her family. I'm excited that my kids can come back and live in an environment where I grew up. This is an exciting time for me and my family."
E-mail: jcall@desnews.com