The Ron McBride Foundation welcomed more than 300 guests to “In Their Honor . . . A Night of Impact” on Thursday, June 18, at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium to celebrate five extraordinary individuals and tireless champions for underserved kids.
This year’s honorees, LaVell and Patti Edwards, Frank and Barbara Layden, and Jon Absey, the original Jazz Bear, were recognized for their enduring friendships with Coach Mac and their unwavering support of the Foundation’s mission. Their legacies of service, kindness, and community involvement were celebrated throughout the evening.
David Osmond guided the program with warmth, humor, and heartfelt sincerity. The event also brought together an impressive gathering of community and athletic leaders, including head football coaches Kalani Sitake of BYU and Morgan Scalley of the U. of U., along with members of their coaching staffs. Their presence served as a powerful reminder that supporting young people transcends competition and unites people around a common purpose.
Guests enjoyed a live auction featuring once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including trips to Maui and Key West, and front-row seats to the Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers game at Allegiant Stadium.
In a meaningful tribute to the honorees, each family will identify an afterschool program within their community, ensuring the impact of the evening will be felt where it is needed most.
The 11th Annual “Love You Man” Golf Tournament was another unforgettable celebration of friendship, generosity, and community as supporters gathered on Friday, June 19, at Old Mill Golf Course.
The tournament was a sell-out, attracting 41 foursomes for a day filled with laughter, camaraderie, and a shared commitment to the mission of the Ron McBride Foundation.
To accommodate the sold-out field, the event expanded beyond the fairways by incorporating both the putting green and driving range as activity stops throughout the day. The unique format kept golfers engaged while creating additional opportunities for sponsors and participants to connect.
One of the highlights of the day was the overwhelming support from sponsors and community partners. Every hole was hosted by a sponsor who welcomed golfers with treats, refreshments, games, and thoughtful giveaways, creating a festive atmosphere from the opening tee to the final putt.
The generosity displayed throughout the course reflected the spirit of an event that has become much more than a golf tournament. It has become an annual reunion of people who believe in making a difference in the lives of underserved students.
Award winning singer/songwriter Ella Langley headlined a benefit concert Thursday, May 15, 2025, netting more than $125,000 for the Ron McBride Foundation (RMF). The sold out concert attracted 4,000 to The Complex, 536 West 100 South, Salt Lake City.
Langley’s “You Look Like You Love Me,” which she performed at the CMA Awards with Riley Green, nabbed the 2024 CMA award for Musical Event of the Year. In 2025, she led the nominations (with eight) for the Academy of Country Music Awards, and was recently also nominated for Favorite Female Country Artist by the American Music Awards.
Academy Award-winning singer, song writer and guitarist Ryan Bingham and the Texas Gentlemen headlined a benefit concert on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at The Complex in downtown Salt Lake City. The sold-out concert, in honor of Coach Mac’s 85th Birthday, raised more than $100,000 for the Ron McBride Foundation. It was sponsored by Larry and Annette Marquardt-Kimball, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, The Complex and YESCO Outdoor Media.
SALT LAKE CITY – Calling all Utah football fans, single out your favorite memory over the last 30 years. Samplings include two undefeated seasons, multiple Pac-12 championships, and the accompanying Rose Bowl appearances, and success in major bowl games.
Throw in a few other good times, and the point is, there are many from which to choose. Another one might be in store for the Utes, who rolled Cal Poly 63-9 Saturday to stay unbeaten through two games.
But, as long-time suffering Ute fans can attest to, it wasn’t like this. Before Urban Meyer advanced his meteoric rise through the coaching ranks and Kyle Whittingham engineered the excellent transition into a power conference, another coach did the heavy lifting that paved the way for Utah’s success.
It’s easy to trace the recent success to Ron McBride, who built the foundation more than 30 years ago. For his great work, the 85-year-old former coach was rewarded with his induction into the football Ring of Honor at Rice-Eccles Stadium during halftime of the game.
McBride took over a program in 1990 that was mired in perpetual mediocrity, unable to generate any excitement with recruits or within its fan base. BYU was showered in attention at the time, leaving the Utes as an afterthought.
In the two decades before McBride became the coach, Utah had failed to gain any traction as BYU repeatedly won conference championships with an exciting brand of football. About the best the Utes could do the occasional 6-5 season when 11-game schedules were the norm.
With his folksy nature and ability to recruit better talent, McBride built the Utes into conference contenders in the WAC and Mountain West along with making the Holy War with BYU a competitive rivalry. He essentially set the stage for Meyer’s two-year run that included an unbeaten season and Fiesta Bowl win in 2004 that was followed by Whittingham’s ascension from defensive coordinator to head coach the following season.
Inheriting a program that had only five winning seasons in the previous 16 years and was coming off five consecutive losing seasons in the WAC, McBride coached the Utes to a 7-5 record in his second year. The following season in 1992 Utah made a bowl game (the Copper Bowl) for the first time in 28 years.
The Utes played in six bowl games under McBride, doubling the number of bowl appearances in the previous 97 years. His teams won bowl games against USC, Arizona and Fresno State.
“Coach Mac was responsible for the resurgence of Utah football,” said Whittingham, who joined McBride’s staff as a defensive assistant in 1994.
McBride, who is now age 85, had three stints at Utah, beginning as offensive coordinator from 1977-82 and then as the offensive line coach in 1985-86. In between working as an assistant at Arizona, he returned to Utah as the head coach from 1990-2002.
For his efforts, he will join former wide receiver Roy Jefferson as the second and third inductees into the program’s Ring of Honor in a halftime ceremony Saturday night during Utah’s game against Cal Poly at Rice-Eccles Stadium. They will join former quarterback Alex Smith, who was the first inductee last year.
In what seems impossible to believe, given the current state of the program, McBride changed Utah’s recruiting philosophy by targeting more in-state high school players. This meant going after local LDS talent, embracing the condition that many of those players would leave to serve two-year church missions.
He was considered an excellent recruiter, a fact that contributed significantly toward upgrading the program’s talent. In turn, his players responded in kind to the fierce loyalty he showed them.
“If you had to say what is Coach Mac’s strength, it is recruiting,” Whittingham said. “In college that’s most important aspect of your job, so you can say he was the best at what was most important.”
Inheriting much of McBride’s roster after then-athletic director Chris Hill decided to change coaches, Meyer quickly lifted Utah to a much higher plateau. In two seasons, he guided Utah to consecutive conference championships and an unbeaten season in 2004.
Meyer, who had no previous connection to Utah before taking the job, always intended to parlay his success into a higher-profile job. Sure enough, he left for Florida after two seasons, but Hill then promoted Whittingham, whom Meyer retained after McBride’s dismissal.
The Whittingham promotion restored McBride’s direct connection to the Utah program, having hired him as an assistant in 1992. In his 21st year at the helm, he is Utah’s winningest coach.
“For me personally, he gave me my first opportunity in Division I football,” Whittingham said. “I’m forever grateful for that.”
