Steve Young tips his hat to Tom Holmoe, the ‘right man for the job’
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Steve Young tips his hat to Tom Holmoe, the ‘right man for the job’
BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe visits with former BYU running back Jamaal Williams, left, and former BYU linebacker Fred Warner during a break in a live broadcast on BYUTV during the BYU football media day in the BYU Broadcasting Building in Provo on Tuesday, May 22, 2018. According to BYU legend Steve Young, one thing that made Holmoe such a special AD was his ability to build a partnership with every athlete. | Steve Griffin, Deseret News
Dave McCann·Deseret News
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3 min read
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Steve YoungandTom Holmoecrossed paths as teammates for three seasons atBYU. Young was a rookie quarterback while Holmoe anchored the defense as a skilled veteran. When Young made his first start as a sophomore againstUtah Statein 1981, Holmoe, a junior, had his back in the secondary.
The two Cougar stars have kept a close eye on each other ever since and both enjoyed tutelage by the same legends — LaVell Edwards at BYU and Bill Walsh at San Francisco.
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Holmoe was drafted by the 49ers in 1983 while Young was acquired by San Francisco in a trade with Tampa Bay in 1987. Each have multiple Super Bowl rings from their days in the Bay Area. But for the last 20 years, Young has watched Holmoe shepherd the Cougars' athletic department in a most unique way.
"Tom built a partnership with every athlete. It was always personal," Young told the Deseret News Thursday from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. "He was primarily the athletic director 'to the one.'"
On Wednesday,Holmoe announced his retirement, effective in August. Among his accomplishments include steering BYU's football program out of the Mountain West Conference and through 12 years as an independent, while other sports excluding men's volleyball, competed in the West Coast Conference.
Three years ago, on Sept. 10, 2021, BYU was invited to join the Big 12 in all sports, but men's volleyball, and become a longed-for member of the lucrative Power Four fraternities.
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In December, with Holmoe watching on the sideline, the Cougars capped an 11-2 football season by routing No. 23Coloradoin the Alamo Bowl — a game that garnered the highest television audience (8 million) with the richest payout ($8 million) inprogram history. BYU finished the year ranked No. 13 in the AP Top 25.
There have been plenty of bumps along the way, and with the transfer portal and NIL, today's college game is very different from the one Young and Holmoe suited up for. However, the left-handed quarterback has always believed his right-handed safety was the right man for the job.
"A spirit pervaded the whole (athletic) department that felt fair and kind, demanded excellence and it got the most out of you," Young said. "In the end, for 20 years he developed athletes and Saints. He was the perfect AD for BYU, and I can't thank him enough."
BYU ahletic director Tom Holmoe speaks during a press conference announcing his retirement held at the BYU Broadcast Building on the university's campus in Provo on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts "Y's Guys" atysguys.comand is the author of the children's book "C is for Cougar," available at deseretbook.
