pass was essential, other teams didn't know how to defend it yet. He recruited athletes who fit the system, the key of which were QBs who fit the system. The other thing that I think was crucial, is that he has players who were leaders. I have no idea if LaVell had some special way to motivate players, but my hunch is that the great teams he coached had not only self-motivated players, but players who motivated others. The years the teams struggled it was fairly apparent that the players didn't have the same level of self-motivation as the elite teams. The best teams did have elite QBs, but the secret sauce was self-motivation, and the player leaders motivating the rest of the team.

Detmer had average arm strength. Any pass that took above average arm strength were lame ducks, but accurate lame ducks. With him at QB, regardless of score, I never lost faith that a win was out of reach. He didn't have the physical skills one would expect of an elite QB, but he made it up with his understanding of the game, knowing how to read a defense, confidence in himself, and the ability to bring out the best in players around him.