Bronco's leadership earning acclaim

"I think you build on the Eddie Kimballs, Chick Atkinsons, Hal Kopps, Tally Stevens, Floyd Millet, Tommy Hudspeth and LaVell. I think he embraced all that instead of letting it get under his skin or fighting it. That's what Gene Stallings did the whole time he was at Alabama.

"Of course, he played for the coach, Paul Bryant, he coached for the coach, and so when it was Bryant, it was. ... I think that's the way Bronco feels about LaVell and I think he kind of buys into that. The thing I'm impressed with is he's got the kids believing, and he's doing it with the right kinds of kids."

Tuckett said he specifically likes how Mendenhall has utilized his one-time rival for the BYU job, assistant head coach Lance Reynolds. "He has tapped into what Reynolds knows, trusted him, used his unique personality and listened."

Mendenhall told reporters a week ago at the conference football meetings he has designs on stabilizing a system that works like that of Edwards, where players come and go but a title tradition continues.

The MWC is different than the one the Cougars dominated in its golden years. There is no doormat UTEP, unless you make a case for UNLV. Colorado State is better. Utah is now an annual contender, a BCS buster.

New Mexico no longer goes 1-10 or 2-9. TCU, the new kid on the block, has brought instant credibility and proved to be a formidable force in recruiting and conference competition at the top.

In many respects, 2006's undisputed MWC title, was a greater achievement than some of those BYU titles of the '70s and '80s after Arizona State and Arizona left the old WAC. Guaranteed wins are tougher to find. Back in the day, players say some BYU opponents had no clue how to defend the pass. Today, the MWC is deploying NFL zone blitzes and coverages.

Titles by Utah in 2004, TCU's championship of 2005 and the 8-0 run by BYU a year ago may carry more weight than given credit for.

So, repeating 11 wins is a tall order.

But don't sell that to Mendenhall.

With that guy, there is no doubt, said Tuckett, quoting a line from a Bing Cosby hit, " 'My name is McNamara and I'm the leader of the band.' "

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E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com