Brainiacs weigh in on BYU's grid success

Bronco Mendenhall could see his team lose Saturday to Eastern Washington. Or crumble before San Diego State and Wyoming on the road, or trip up at home against TCU, CSU or Utah.

But even half that likely won't be the bet.

In the course of three seasons, Mendenhall has reinvented BYU football, discovered what makes it tick, and massaged its soul. Thus, a record nine-game MWC road win streak, an 11-game win streak in the league and undefeated record at home in 2006 and so far in 2007.

How?

Many reasons stand out, including recruiting, coaching and lots of luck. But Mendenhall must also be credited for accepting outside help offered through athletic director Tom Holmoe. He encouraged the coach to engage an organizational expert on leadership in the person of brainiac and former BYU football player Paul Gustavson.

Gustavson coached Mendenhall into finding ways to fix BYU's program, to use its best competitive advantage to do what the school does best.

During BYU's bye week Oct. 4-5, Gustavson invited 15 members of a renowned think tank, the Woodland's Group, to visit with BYU football players, tour the Missionary Training Center, NuSkin International, Genealogy Library and meet with Middle East expert Bonner Ritchie of the Marriott School of Management.

This group of the world's brightest organizational behavior scientists routinely takes field trips to study organizations from the U.S. Supreme Court Justices to IBM, the Cherokee Nation and the governor of Georgia. Its members include experts who have advised Bill Gates and even Desmond Tutu.

After introductions by Holmoe and a welcome from Mendenhall, the group was handed over to senior linebacker Bryan Kehl, corner Kayle Buchanan, center Sete Aulai and linebacker David Nixon.

"They just wanted to see what the organization was like, how we were using our competitive advantage," said Buchanan.

They quizzed the players on what they do and why.

"I had to really stop and think, breaking it down in my own mind, to give them some precise points," said Buchanan. "I touched on how coaches and players are interacting to more effectively disseminate game plans so we don't waste time on the field with interruptions, how we work harder with more quality reps so we're not practicing sloppiness."

Contacted for feedback on their visit, two members of the group sent me reaction via e-mail on Tuesday.

Stew Liff of Los Angeles is the author of "Seeing is Believing" on Visual Management and former chief of Veteran's Benefits Administration's Human Resources Division.

Wrote Liff: "The team has a united bunch of hard-working and dedicated players who see football as a means to an end, not an end in itself.

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