Will Bronco stay or will he go…
![[Bronco Mendenhall]](http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/WK-AM838_SPORTS_NS_20080828191320.jpg)
September 22, 2008
If he goes there will be trouble and if he stays there will be….another national championship. (I am not just hoping and wishing, lightning will strike again. Tyrone, will be turning in his coaching carriers grave.) It’s no secret to any BYU fan that Bronco has alluded to leaving after 5 years. I think I’ve heard it more than once out of his mouth. I’ve also heard that he believes he will not be like Lavell and coach at BYU for his entire career. Or would he? I would like to look at the things I know about Coach Mendenhall and how those things could affect his decision to stay or go.
He stays:
- The program is finally functioning the way he likes it. He has invested a lot of time and man power in getting not only the coaches and players to buy into what he is doing, but also the administration. Believe it or not, the administration has a lot to do with a program’s success. Coach Mendenhall has fought for a lot of things in recent years, and the administration is finally seeing that he was right.
- Coach Mendenhall has done a phenomenal job of recruiting the LDS kids to BYU, and he will continue to have success as long as he is the head coach. During the Crowton years we lost a good number of LDS recruits to other programs. Bronco has made BYU a promising choice for players not only wanting a great college experience, but to play for a school where he can succeed academically and make it to the NFL.
- Because of BYU’s success, administration is trying to find a way to keep the current staff there as long as possible. In their attempts, they have initiated a fund that will pay the coaches’ salaries. Bronco is underpaid and BYU knows this, so they’re acquiring help from “well-off” alumni who are invested in the program’s success. These donors will offer funds that will go specifically to decreasing the gap between Bronco’s salary and other large programs in the country. If that’s not a reason to stay, I don’t know what is.
- Last, but certainly not least, is Bronco’s commitment to promoting the Gospel through football excellence. Bronco is a man of simple principles and he believes that he can shed a good light on the Church by excelling at football. The football program at BYU is recognizable aspect of the LDS religion and as we continue to win and gain more national attention, Bronco will become an ambassador of our faith. That is a responsibility that he does not take lightly.
He goes:
- From what I could see when I played for Bronce, he is a very devote husband and father. He loves spending time with his family and would probably hate missing out on his sons’ lives. Coaching can be hard on a family. Sometimes coaching could get in the way of being the man he wants to be for his family.
- Coach lives very modestly. Yeah, he likes to drive his Harley but he doesn’t have fancy things and he doesn’t live in a fancy home. I am sure he’s kept track of his expenses and could leave BYU a wealthy man.
- His resume will look very good after his four or five years at BYU. He will have numerous back-to-back championships as well as 11-13 win seasons. I think I could rattle off a few schools that could benefit from having Bronco come in and run their program. He has also shown the capability to build a program back up after someone tore it down. That is something that only a few coaches in the country can say. And as we all know, there are more than a few torn-down programs out there that need rebuilding.
I am not going to say whether I think he stays or goes because I don’t presume to know what is in Bronco’s head. I am just writing down the things I know about the Coach I was around for 5 years. He is a great leader and if there was one guy that I could have in my corner, it would be Bronco. Throughout my career, I saw Coach Mendenhall change from someone who cared about his players, what I thought was, very little. To someone who takes every possible measure to show he cares about his players. I couldn’t think of another coach on the market that could represent BYU the way he has and yet obtained the level of success he has accomplished. He is a great coach, period.
My husband and I just had this conversation on Sunday. I brought up your point 4 under reasons he might stay. Glad to have some official backup on that.
I do hope he stays, but he’s such an awesome guy I don’t think I’d really be able to hold it against him if he left us. But I hope he stays.
I think Bronco stays until he is done coaching college football. The things that Bronco seems to like the most about coaching BYU just aren’t realistic at other schools (i.e. firesides, and referencing the 2000 stripling warriors) and he would have to deal with even more off the field problems at another program. That being said, I believe he’ll call it quits after 5 more years (tops). Once he has over $1MM sitting in the bank he can do whatever he wants, spending 60 hours a week working won’t be his top priority. He’ll quit so he can spend more time with family and doing things he loves, but then he’ll get called as a mission president and get all the joys and pains that come along with that calling.
NOOOO! NOOOO! Bronco don’t go!
This man recruits character, not stars, and people are starting to see that when you recruit kids who are willing to do anything to get better week in and week out, things go well.
I’m glad he puts his family first, that’s all that matters in the end.
I don’t think he’d leave BYU for another coaching job elsewhere, I would assume he would leave for more time with his family.
Someone start packing on the incentives for this guy!
For the record, he extended his contract with BYU through 2011.
I’m worried that 2011 will be his last year coaching. Hopefully Coach Doman is taking notes!
I think Bronco stays until he is done coaching. When he was interviewed on Rome’s show, he basically stated that because of the caliber of BYU’s players, it it would be hard for him to imagine coaching anywhere else.
Now how long that is, I don’t know. But, I don’t think he would leave BYU for another school or money. He doesn’t seem motivated by money.
Hey Jason have you got an official reference on that?
I believe Bronco has not only developed a team, he has developed a staff.
He will go when he believes he has to get out of the way someone as good as he is or better.
That’s what good leaders do.
Hopefully Coach Mendenhall will not listen to the “siren’s song” of the NFL or any other college program.
The environment of success in a program lies not with one person but with the whole of the circumstances. Countless coaches bolt for more money in the NFL or another college program in a bigger conference, however, rarely do they last in their new environment.
The BCS schools are littered with the bodies of coaches who thought they were different and could successfully make the change.
Joe Paterno, Bobby Bowden, Lavell Edwards, are among the rare few who stayed put and built not just successful football programs, but they turned young men into men, and because of this the young men they recruited played their hearts out for them, and Paterno, Bowden, and Edwards became Hall of Fame legends.
Bronco has the potential to become a Hall of Fame Legend. After he accomplishes that, the Church will recognize Bronco’s real calling which is leadership in the Church. He has the ability to inspire people with his humility.
Thats how to keep Bronco here, convince him they’ll call him on a mission when he quites—
In the last part of your post you stated the following:
“Throughout my career, I saw Coach Mendenhall change from someone who cared about his players, what I thought was, very little. To someone who takes every possible measure to show he cares about his players. ”
Could you elaborate about why you thought that Coach Mendenhall cared little for his players, and how/when that changed…maybe even with some examples??
Thanks! I have greatly enjoyed your posts…please keep them coming!
I do not think that Bronco believes that he would be happier or as successful anywhere else. I have no doubt that he believes in what he is doing. What more could a guy ask for? He is successfully coaching college football, building the kingdom of God, and making money too. However, his family is also very important to him. Also, I would not be surprised if there are other things in life he would like to accomplish outside of football. A good negotiator must always be willing to walk away. His success and willingness to walk away will get him what he wants and he will leverage that into an abundant and rewarding life with several layers of success. Keep in mind whom he is consulting. I love this guy. He will lead and be an example for many people for a long time.
My greatest dream is that Bronco, after he finishes coaching, takes over as Athletic Director for BYU. Then he will hire coaches that share his philosophy, and not only will BYU football continue to be great both on and off the field, but more of BYU’s sports programs will follow suit.
@evpstud: just google “bronco mendenhall 2011″. You’ll find all sorts of stories about it.
Here’s to hoping that your “He goes” #1 and #3 conflict enough to keep him here a few years longer.
I think your #1 reason he might leave is the most likely, which is why it will be hard for him to jump to a “bigger” school where more time will be required. I am seeing a push lately to empower all his assistant coaches to a point that may enable Bronco to satisfy #1. I guess we’ll wait and see.
I heard a soundbite from Bronco yesterday (10/27/2008) on 1280 the Zone’s Monson and Graham show saying that “I’m not a long-term coach.”
Two points:
1). There’s a guy in Silicon Valley named Bill Campbell who was the head coach at Columbia. His win-loss record wasn’t much to speak of, but since he left coaching in 1979 at the age of 38, he’s risen to become the executive guru at Apple, Google and a bunch of other hi-tech companies in Silicon Valley. They call him the “nerd whisperer.” He’s insanely rich and very well respected. [http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/21/technology/reingold_coach.fortune/index.htm]
My point being, that not all football coaches have to keep coaching in order to support their families or find meaning in life. Bronco’s post BYU career could conceivably be off the field of play.
2). It appears that Bronco has his own timetable, and other than broad hints we don’t know what it is. But whatever it is, Tom Holmoe’s first responsibility as athletic director is developing Bronco’s replacement. At least that’s how we’d see it in a corporate setting. Holmoe is like the chairman of the board, and no matter what else a chairman does, he has to have in place a pipeline of talent. And talent has to be groomed. Especially at BYU, it’s better to develop that talent internally, than to look for it externally.
Which leads me to a question: who among the assistant coaches should replace Bronco?
I personally think that Brandon Doman -yes the dominator- has positioned himself to be a likely successor to Bronco as a head coach. But that would only take place if Bronco stays another 3-5 years and allows Doman to develop into an offensive coordinator than head coach.
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