I was hesitant to post this because I know I will get some negative responses but I just wanted to let everyone know that Mendenhalls Virginia football team shut out South Carolina today 28-0.
It was their first bowl win since 2005.
Do you think the fans at Virginia are happy to have Mendenhall as their coach?
You see, BYU fans are not that smart as a group and they tend to get impatient and have unrealistic expectations.
Too bad…
Good for Virginia-good for Bronco and company
I am not a Bronco hater. Additionally, he was an excellent defensive coach. He ran a clean program. Those were his good attributes as a FB coach.
He didn’t have much ability in the talent evaluation dept OR he just wouldnt play underclassman no matter how talented they were … I believe it was some of both. As good as he was on defense he was equally poor on offense. His OC was poor and I still don’t think as long as Anae is his OC that Virginia will compete well with top teams nationally. He didn’t believe in independence and I think he really didn’t like having to play P5 teams in the numbers that an Indy schedule required. He would generally pull off the occasional upset every 5 years but more often than upsets … were the lopsided embarrassing losses.
Bronco didn’t believe he could compete against the big boys and his relationaship with Holmoe was strained and so he took the money 
offered by Virginia’s AD. Sitake’s first season at the Y was a better job of coaching and staying competitive in big games than Bronco ever did. But then came season 2 and whatever the reasons … BYU was horrible. The talent was severely lacking and we probably won’t know what part of the disaster was Sitake and his staff OR Broncos lack of recruiting that caused the downturn.
If Sitake improves next years win total to 9 games, including a bowl win … and the following year to 10 or 11 wins … Bronco will get a lot of the blame for leaving the cupboards bare. We will see.
Bronco would probably win 7-9 games a year with the Indy schedule but he just had too many quirks to break through and become a big time program. Our upside was limited by his thinking. BYU now can slide down the FB ladder and get worse or they can break through the ceiling that Bronco couldn’t and become a relevant program nationally. I think there is enough in Sitakes tank to propel BYU football into a better and more respected level than Bronco could have … especially with his conflict with Holmoe.
Back to the South Carolina win. South Carolina isn’t a very good team. Frankly Virginia isn’t either. They had 4 wins over horrible FB teams this year. I would grade Bronco over the next 2 yrs … as I will with Sitake. The next 2 yrs will give us the answers.
I agree the fans get too negative instead of staying positive. I’ve tried to teach you this patience. Just like how sitting around the Marriott Center in -5 degree weather teaches patience. We need to give Sitaki some patience too. Maybe Rose to?
Blah-i won’t argue that Mendenhall expertise definitely on offense wasn’t his forte. He was a good defensive coach, though , who relied on a good OC. Don’t try to downplay what he has done at Virginia. That program was absolutely horrible. And he has guided them to bowl games two out of three years. The thing about Mendenhall was that he got his teams to play for him and if they didn’t put forth the effort-they didn’t play. BYU under Sitake have at times seemed to lack a concerted effort against the lesser teams in the country and ended up losing games they should have won. Mendenhall had good wins against P12 teams in bowl games. I’m not saying he was perfect, but he got his teams motivated to play and Virginia will continue to go to bowl games in the future-something they never got a sniff of in years prior to Bronco
Virginia will be better off with Bronco. If their goal is a bowl game in most years … Bronco is their man! If they want to compete for the top tier bowl games and a top 10 ranking … possible final 4 CFP game … they will be sadly disappointed.
Yes I agree. The programs that have that opportunity are few. BYU will most likely never come close under present affiliations
Even if BYU does join in the P5, we would still be looking in for CFP. Have we seen any of those eleven Pac 12 getting to final 4? Same with B12 where OKlahoma got in twice and same with Ohio State.
All I can do is just watch BYU sports and i’m happy only if we win. Win one of those P5 I’ll be really happy.
You are right, but we are in the same boat as 98% of all college universities. This will be the 4th Clemson vs Alabama CFF
How many programs other than Alabama, Clemson (anyone else tired of this championship matchup yet?) Oklahoma, Ohio State and the occasional fill in team like Notre Dame, etc. will ever get a sniff of a final CFP playoff game?
Nobody, especially Virginia…
haha, posted before reading your comment sundance…
Bronco lost me when he started Riley Nelson. In my book, that is unforgivable.
Yeah, definitely a black mark on his coaching career at BYU.
Ben Olson was promised to start against Utah State. And it was crazy on Bronco part.
Bronco did a good job while he was here. BYU has a different fan base than most schools. It combines sports with a theological flavor, even traditionally a lot more than Notre Dame. I’m almost sure Mendenhall is relieved to just be coaching football at Virginia and earning a better living. BYU needs to be back in a conference, even the MWC if needs be. BYU will never play with the big boys, mostly because the investment is too great, both financially and morally. Sitake should be successful for what the church has in mind, with Zach Wilson at QB and building around him. The basketball program is mired in mediocrity with no end in sight. Everyone should be happy. Really Utah is on a level with Idaho, not California or virtually any other state in the Union. If you aren’t happy with your basketball team, then fire Rose and bring in a Mark Pope that is young and energetic and has recruiting ties in the SE. I know some will be riled up about this post, but sorry it’s the reality. Just look at the last 10 years and look in the future to the next 10 years.
Well, it’s your reality. Not necessarily our reality. I disagree that those who are moral can’t win. That we are at a disadvantage. Perhaps we are actually lacking the faith in God needed.
It’s not my reality-its historical reality. And furthermore I don’t suspect God really cares about football or basketball, just souls living lives worthy of returning to his presence. As for you, maybe you spend too much time living in the 70s and 80s. If you noticed the powers to be have made it nearly impossible for schools like BYU to create what happened during that period. You have a habit of postulating next year when it all comes together and of course it never happens, but maybe that’s your reality-the unreality. Of course history will reveal the truth
Well, he may not care who wins games but he certainly rewards those with faith in him and give him all the glory win or lose. I suspect he is teaching us that as players, coaches and fans we have forgotten this. Instead, we want the heads of our coaches and players. We make snide comments about the Brethren.
I don’t really know about snide remarks about the brethren and I would never attempt to read Heavenly Father’s mind. But as for throwing coaches under the bus-they are paid to do a job and even in your capitalistic mind which you so often throw around-if they aren’t performing up to their expectations do we keep them on as a ward of the state or do we find someone else to raise the level of performance. Do you know anyone satisfied the BYU basketball program in the last five years? If they are-by all means-keep him on till he retires on his own
The thought processes that bother me about this tread are the following:
The thought that BYU can’t recruit good enough athletes to compete with the top 25 teams on a routine basis, so we shouldnt even try. I don’t agree with that at all.
There arent talented LDS coaches who can do what Lavell did in today’s landscape. This line of thinking also permeates the basketball atmosphere. Rose is good enough and we don’t have anyone who is as talented or as smart about basketball as Rose is. I simply totally disagree with that thought process too!
3). I wholeheartedly disagree with the thought that BYU’s coaches or administrators are above being asked tough questions and above being held accountable for poor decisions and poor performance. BYU isn’t the “brethren” and the administration and lifetime employees should not be immune from expectations of achievement by students, players, fans and alumni. If BYU wants to quit asking for donors and boosters and wants to fully fund its programs solely on its own then maybe … but they don’t! If they want to quit offering scholarships out of the coffers of donors and endowments then they can be immune from criticism. When BYU violates NCAA rules and or codes of conduct then it rightfully should be criticized and held accountable.
Coaching positions at BYU are not church callings and they are at will employees. Hired and fired for performance or any other reason that the administration feels is in the best interest of the university.
There are tons of good kids with good grades who are good athletes and will obey the HC at BYU. BYU needs a big push into the market of the Jamal Williams and Ronnie Jones Perry’s of the world. There needs to be a mindset change of a lot of BYU coaches and fans that BYU has a lot to offer and good kids who are great athletes are welcome at BYU. Come join BYU and compete for national championships without cheating and with class!
Sundance, you and a few others continue saying that BYU needs to be back in a conference! BYU is in a conference in all sports except football. Could you explain how you think the football team will be better off in a conference (other than a P5 conf) rather than independent??? Please enlighten me on this complaint of yours and give some evidence that backs up your opinion please.