SI College Football‏@si_ncaafb 1m1 minute ago
Virginia hires BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall as its new head coach:

Heck of a hire for UVA

real interesting hire....

kind of curious if there's anything to infer from it on BYU's side..

I'd guess thinking first off- absolutely no chance of a Big 12 invite. If BYU had a chance, don't think there'd be any chance of him leaving BYU for a lower tier P5 job.

Maybe UVA is not as lower tier as you think.

I think we can surmise what this says about BYUs Big 12 chances.

This is a strong hire by UVA. Much better than I would have expected.

ACC upgraded with head coaches while SEC East is slaving themselves to Saban wannabe status aka as hiring Saban assistants thinking that will give them Saban.

Never saw this curveball coming... This move absolutely crushes any BYU expansion dreams.

(12-04-2015 05:44 PM)rednblackattack Wrote:  SI College Football‏@si_ncaafb 1m1 minute ago
Virginia hires BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall as its new head coach:

Heck of a hire for UVA

I'll always have a fond space in my heart for the guy who rebuilt the program after the Gary Crowton disaster. But he was up front about the fact that he didn't want to stay at BYU for life:

Quote:He's always said he wouldn't be a lifer, like LaVell, and he backed that when he turned down a five-year extension before the 2011 season, opting instead for a three-year deal.

http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id...pe=storyID

So I'm skeptical that this means anything about conferences.

IIRC, Bronco always said his dream job was one of the military academies. So I'm a little surprised to see him jump to UVA.

Impressed.

This really came as a shock to BYU fans. Pretty much nothing about it until a few minutes before the official press release. If anybody knew, they weren't saying anything. Almost completely quiet.

Great hire.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca.../76801394/

Mendenhall, 49, who replaces Mike London, was 99-42 in his 11 seasons as head coach at BYU to rank 12th in total wins among all FBS teams during that time. Mendenhall led the Cougars to two Mountain West championships (2006, '07) and 10 bowl games (6-4). He was the 2006 MWC coach of the year.

“Professionally and personally I seek to embrace the highest standards in college sports, on and off the field, and I love the high standards both academically and athletically at Virginia," Mendenhall said in a statement. "I am excited to not only help provide the continual growth and development of the student athletes academically but also reestablish Virginia as a consistent winner with a fiercely competitive and winning product on the football field.

(12-04-2015 06:15 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  I think we can surmise what this says about BYUs Big 12 chances.

BYU essentially doomed their Big 12 bid by making too many demands. This has nothing to do with it and if some of BYU's issues get solved (i.e. stop being such a prima donna, you're not Notre Dame), they'll be in get back on the Big 12's short list soon.

He was making 2 million at BYU and he's moving to UVA for only 3.2 million.

It sounds like he's fed up with trying to navigate the Independent waters and the crappy non-P5 bowl games.

Could also be that BYU was told this year by the B12 that they've moved on to look at other schools as additions.

Bronco may have been told something else like BYU's administration is in talks to move back to the MWC.

(12-04-2015 05:56 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I'd guess thinking first off- absolutely no chance of a Big 12 invite. If BYU had a chance, don't think there'd be any chance of him leaving BYU for a lower tier P5 job.

He said many times that he didn't think BYU could survive independence and wanted to move into a P5 conference.

The move seems to fit the narrative.

(12-04-2015 05:56 PM)stever20 Wrote:  If BYU had a chance at Big 12 invite, don't think there'd be any chance of him leaving BYU for a lower tier P5 job.

This was my first thought.

No chance at a P5 bid, and BYU's refusal to join the American or MWC makes it virtually impossible for BYU to qualify for a NY6 bowl.

Al Golden?

(12-04-2015 07:31 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  

(12-04-2015 05:56 PM)stever20 Wrote:  If BYU had a chance at Big 12 invite, don't think there'd be any chance of him leaving BYU for a lower tier P5 job.

This was my first thought.

No chance at a P5 bid, and BYU's refusal to join the American or MWC makes it virtually impossible for BYU to qualify for a NY6 bowl.

BYU announced its Independence Sept 1, 2010.

Realignment is ongoing for the first 3 years following the announcement. The idea that BYU could be going somewhere at any time is apparent. That doesn't happen.

CFP debuts in 2014 and the disadvantage of Independence becomes apparent. BYU sees the B12 is screwed and gets on the phone one last time.

With no movement on the impending horizon by the summer, Bronco makes a decision to look for a P5 job after the season is over. A decision known only to him and his household.

This is fantastic. Bronco is a solid coach and could do well in Virginia where he isn't so restricted from a recruiting standpoint- especially at a time when VT is also in flux.

As for BYU? Recruiting tanked post 2011 realignment, but given the two year church missions, BYU's current seniors reflect some of the last remaining pre-realignment recruits. The classes that have to step up are not rich in talent. Pair that with the hardest schedule in school history in 2016, the low pay, the uncertainty related to independence, player motivation questions due to front loaded schedules with no conference titles to play for, and the inherent recruiting limitations at BYU. Who takes that job?

... And first top BYU target commits to Utah.

They need to realize they're not Notre Dame. The AAC was 5-7 deep this year with some of the traditional former C-USA powers down such as UCF and ECU. Houston had a faint chance at a national title had they won out, so BYU should know they can win big in the American, which still has national programs in basketball as well.