Belichick’s ‘basics’ were good back then and still relevant today — for BYU

Harvey Langi was a wide-eyed rookie sitting in a Patriots team meeting in 2017 waiting to soak up every word from his new head coach. Signed by New England as an undrafted free agent, the chance to sign and play for Bill Belichick following his BYU career was nothing short of a dream come true.
Belichick walked to the front of the room and said something so simple that it caught Langi off guard. The Bingham High grad was expecting a steak, but instead received a bowl of pudding — or so he thought.
“We will win when we keep from losing,” Langi told the “Y’s Guys” podcast this week. “He would say that before every team meeting — ‘We will win when we keep from losing.’”
The coach proceeded to grill the newcomers for hours over the fundamentals and rules of the game. Puzzled by Belichick’s passion for the basics, Langi filled his notebook, but the legend’s logic took a while to sink in.
“I was getting ready to play. I’m doing everything he is telling me,” Langi said. “I’m going through all my notes and then, bam! It hits me. We will win when we keep from losing. Control everything that you can control.”
Belichick’s blueprint for success won six Super Bowls and put him second behind Don Shula for the most victories in NFL history (333).
Now a former linebacker and current BYUtv football analyst, Langi repeats Belichick’s counsel as the key for No. 13 BYU to beat Oklahoma State on Friday night (8:15 p.m. MDT, ESPN). “We will win when we keep from losing,” he said. “No dumb penalties or mistakes. Everyone play your game and we will win.”
The regular season is half over and BYU remains a perfect 6-0. Defensively, the Cougars lead the country in pass efficiency defense. They are No. 15 in scoring defense (16.3) and No. 5 with 10 interceptions (caught by nine different players).
Langi has four midseason defensive MVPs.
“I got to train him a couple of times when he was a defensive end. He was so athletic. I’ve never seen a guy jump, move or twist his hips (like he does). They moved him to tackle. If you watch how he plays, he has the motor to get to the ball and he’s taking on double-teams and is still getting production.”
“Every single time he does anything, he’s juiced. He brings energy. Somehow, someway, each game he makes a big play — a sack, a tackle for loss or a pick-six.”
“I’ve watched that kid put in the blood, sweat, tears, time and sacrifice to get where he’s at. Everyone said he was undersized and not that fast — to see what he’s done in the years that he has been at BYU is amazing.”
“Tanner has had a crazy journey. To see him develop (into the) player that he is (while) moving from different positions and finally getting his opportunity. I remember when he got hurt last year, he said, ‘Man, I felt like I was on the brink of something special.’ Well, guess what kid. It’s here! You are doing your thing.”
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” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.