Bronco saddles up — New BYU coach expected to clean up the program

PROVO — Bronco Mendenhall convinced BYU administrators four days ago that he was BYU's answer man, and Monday the university made him the head football coach with a charge to bring the program back to a winning force in the Rockies on the gridiron and off the police blotter.

"It was a difficult but important process for us," senior associate athletic director Tom Holmoe said after introducing Mendenhall as the top Cougar during a press conference Monday afternoon.

BYU's choice had centered on two current coaches, Mendenhall and Lance Reynolds.

Reynolds could be described as a Sir Lancelot, a man of many virtues.

Mendenhall is best described as a Samurai warrior who wields a big shiny sword.

The hire ended six days of intense pressure talks with recently hired Utah coach Kyle Whittingham and then Mendenhall and 22-year veteran assistant head coach Reynolds. At one point last week, Reynolds moved ahead of Mendenhall in the in-house race to replace Gary Crowton.

Over the weekend things changed.

Holmoe said no major event turned it around for Mendenhall.

Mendenhall said he'd had "offers" but refused to elaborate on what he believed became the turning point in the hire. "I just wore them down," he said. "That's what I do."

"It became obvious to us that Mendenhall would be our next head coach when we finished talking to him last Friday," Holmoe said. "That is not to take away from what we saw in our other candidate, coach Lance Reynolds, a loyal long-time employee who is a valuable member of our coaching staff for years."

Reynolds, overlooked once more in a major promotion to coach BYU, said Mendenhall and he were fine. "He has been absolutely fantastic with me. It is the same with President Cecil Samuelson and athletic director Tom Holmoe. I'm disappointed but not bitter. I totally understand what transpired and where they are coming from."

Deseret Morning News graphicBronco Mendenhall timelineRequires Adobe Acrobat.

Samuelson, who was involved in his first major sports hire on Monday, said he is impressed with the 38-year-old Mendenhall. "His motivational skill and emphasis on discipline and character will enhance our program. He has earned the respect of his players, his fellow coaches and the university administration."