Bronco may not coach for long haul

Bronco Mendenhallleft Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas last month with only the second BYU victory over UCLA in eight tries.

No small feat in the school's track record, regardless of Bruin strengths and weaknesses.

A month earlier Mendenhall won his 25th game in just 35 attempts, becoming the fastest to get to that point in school history. Now he's got 28.

Any way you deal it, Mendenhall's carrying a little Midas touch.

Back in 2004, there were 13 coaches given their first head coaching jobs in Football Subdivision (Division I-A). That rookie class has now filtered through three seasons. Mendenhall has established the best record to date at 28-10.

Utah's Kyle Whittingham ranks second at 23-14, followed by Notre Dame's Charlie Weis and Western Michigan's Bill Cubit. One member of that class, Ed Orgeron at Mississippi, has already been fired. USU's Brent Guy and UNLV's Mike Sanford take up the rear, tied with six wins.

What's it all mean?

Well, Mendenhall was a good hire to replace his good friend Gary Crowton. It also means his name will pop up again when coaching vacancies open. The rumored inclusion of Mendenhall's name in the UCLA opening a month ago is just one example. The throwers of big money haven't come calling.

Yet.

So far, Mendenhall says he's fine where he is currently perched on that campus shelf just off the Wasatch Mountains.

His style, his philosophy, the mantra he likes to preach seemingly fall on eager ears and minds with the Cougars and the school.

But what of the future?

Mendenhall gave an enlightening interview to sports talk radio 1280 KZN's Hans Olson before the Las Vegas Bowl.

Whatever Mendenhall is developing into, and being a head coach appears to fit him like a well-worn saddle, he may not be long for the rigors of working the sidelines.

Mendenhall, at least in Year 3, doesn't see him taking on this vocation like the three senior amigos, the likes of LaVell Edwards, Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden.