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Bronco Mendenhall - Former HC at UVA & BYU

Not Sure said:
Out of all the potential choices, Mendenhall reminds me most of the football version of Tad Boyle.
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That's the parallel I drew.

Bottom line is that if I read that wrong then he's a bad choice but if I read it right he's a perfect choice for making CU football respected and relevant on a sustained basis again.
 
The Alabaster Yak said:
This entire discussion almost sounds like a defense of Mike MacIntyre’s recruiting, tbh.
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Was the problem his philosophy or the execution?

I think the biggest criticism of MM on recruiting is that he didn't ratchet up as program success improved. He stagnated in recruiting instead of evolving and capitalizing on success.
 
Buffnik said:
That's the parallel I drew.

Bottom line is that if I read that wrong then he's a bad choice but if I read it right he's a perfect choice for making CU football respected and relevant on a sustained basis again.
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It does beg the question of whether we really need to be looking for the football version of Jeff Bzdelik before we hire the football version of Tad Boyle. I think Tom Herman is the football version of Jeff Bzdelik.
 
Buffnik said:
Was the problem his philosophy or the execution?

I think the biggest criticism of MM on recruiting is that he didn't ratchet up as program success improved. He stagnated in recruiting instead of evolving and capitalizing on success.
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I'm not sure, it took 3 years and Chev being forced on him for his recruiting to see much improvement, so I would say both his philosophy and his execution was bad from the beginning. As it's been noted, his one successful season was because he compiled a team of mostly 4th and 5th year guys, with a handful of them being NFL caliber. That's not really a sustainable strategy, but it's what a recruiting philosophy like this gets you.

If you tell me, BM's recruiting classes are going to live in the RR 5.7 or 247 86+ world for pretty much every recruit, with 2-3 4* kids who fit the character/mold he's looking for, sign me up. It's the philosophy of preferring 3* over 4/5* because they are focused on more than just football that caught my attention in a negative way.
 
HockeyBuff said:
All this talk of getting 4*/5* talent, or maximizing the talent of 3*…… I agree with everything you all are saying.

BUT I just feel like we’re so far from where a quality 3* would even come here. We are the joke of NCAA football (along with CSU!). I’m excited we made a coaching change and I think our next coach will lead us out of this mess. But right now, I feel like CU has so damaged its status as a serious program that we will be lucky to get mid 2* recruits at this point.

let’s go get a coach that can come in and take our 2* talent, make it better and get a few wins. We’ve got the best mascot in Ralphie. Let’s get a coach who can put the right product on the field. And let’s get the admin who will finally help make him a success instead of tying a hand behind his back on academics, etc.

whatever Bronco’s system, I think he could do it. So could Grimes and a few other name. Really there are a lot of quality people on the lists we see. Personally, I hope it’s Bronco.
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This is not true. It only takes an AD who is willing to put human resources into recruiting operations AND a Head Football Coach who leads an operation that prioritizes getting great players. We were on that path as recently as the 2020 class. With the portal and the right leadership, things can change rapidly.
 
The Alabaster Yak said:
I'm not sure, it took 3 years and Chev being forced on him for his recruiting to see much improvement, so I would say both his philosophy and his execution was bad from the beginning. As it's been noted, his one successful season was because he compiled a team of mostly 4th and 5th year guys, with a handful of them being NFL caliber. That's not really a sustainable strategy, but it's what a recruiting philosophy like this gets you.

If you tell me, BM's recruiting classes are going to live in the RR 5.7 or 247 86+ world for pretty much every recruit, with 2-3 4* kids who fit the character/mold he's looking for, sign me up. It's the philosophy of preferring 3* over 4/5* because they are focused on more than just football that caught my attention in a negative way.
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As far as recruiting, that second paragraph is probably an attainable goal for CU, but might be hard to get past that without a large NIL. I think that is more than fair with the right coach.
 
HockeyBuff said:
All this talk of getting 4*/5* talent, or maximizing the talent of 3*…… I agree with everything you all are saying.

BUT I just feel like we’re so far from where a quality 3* would even come here. We are the joke of NCAA football (along with CSU!). I’m excited we made a coaching change and I think our next coach will lead us out of this mess. But right now, I feel like CU has so damaged its status as a serious program that we will be lucky to get mid 2* recruits at this point.

let’s go get a coach that can come in and take our 2* talent, make it better and get a few wins. We’ve got the best mascot in Ralphie. Let’s get a coach who can put the right product on the field. And let’s get the admin who will finally help make him a success instead of tying a hand behind his back on academics, etc.

whatever Bronco’s system, I think he could do it. So could Grimes and a few other name. Really there are a lot of quality people on the lists we see. Personally, I hope it’s Bronco.
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CU's current class, led by Karl Dorrell, has 7 recruits who fall into what I mentioned as that 5.7 RR or 86+ 247 rating and a couple more that are slightly below that whom I believe are solid recruits for CU. This was done by a HC who didn't have a clue about recruiting, a fairly average to below average P5 staff, coming off a 4-8 record last year.

End of the day, CU is still a P5 program and the school is a large, well known institution that is attractive for young people. A competent staff with an average amount of resources can recruit to this program.
 
Regardless of rating, I want identity.

For instance, if our emphasis is size at CB then I can understand taking that lower rated recruit who is 6'2" with a 7' wingspan and a 40" vertical even if he's barely running under a 4.6 forty.

Or if it's speed, I can understand that 5'10" ILB who ran a sub 11 in the 100M during spring meets.

But don't give me undersized and sub-athlete because he's a "football player" and team leader for a great HS team. Those were the Hawkins and MacIntyre specials who filled half their classes and killed any semblance of depth and made it so we couldn't impose our will upon a game.
 
The old “recruiter” versus “talent developer” debate.

I’m ok with Mendenhall, think he would be an excellent hire for a program in free fall, but I’ve always favored the relentless recruiter as the better hire.

However, NIL and the portal may alter that. I’m worried that CU is so far down the ****ter that we end up in the farm team catch 22. It actually might be smarter to go with a guy like Mendenhall based on these very significant changes to the college football landscape.
 
On the transfer portal, it's not just about who you bring in. I'd argue that KD brought in some good additions from the portal this year. The bigger issue is who you lose. Bronco has a superlative track record on player retention.
 
Buffnik said:
On the transfer portal, it's not just about who you bring in. I'd argue that KD brought in some good additions from the portal this year. The bigger issue is who you lose. Bronco has a superlative track record on player retention.
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And that retention has a direct correlation to an assessment and selection process which emphasizes targeting players with the talent to play at this level but also keying in on fit with program identity.
 
Not Sure said:
The next coach is going to need to scour the transfer portal to upgrade the talent level here anyway. Recruiting 3* high school guys and supplementing them with 4* transfers will get you to 7-8 wins per year if you’re halfway competent.
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The next coach will not be able to scour the transfer portal to upgrade the talent level due to the constraints that PD refuses to relax. This is why I made that post stating that I don't think it will really matter who we get until that's fixed.
 
Bread said:
The next coach will not be able to scour the transfer portal to upgrade the talent level due to the constraints that PD refuses to relax. This is why I made that post stating that I don't think it will really matter who we get until that's fixed.
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The President is getting bombarded with this, so he is aware and you’ve got to hope a plan is being put in place in the next few years
 
Bread said:
The next coach will not be able to scour the transfer portal to upgrade the talent level due to the constraints that PD refuses to relax. This is why I made that post stating that I don't think it will really matter who we get until that's fixed.
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Meh. I believe PD will be marginalized during this entire process. Maybe that’s simply wishful thinking, but if we do hire Mendenhall, he will have the leverage to insist on concessions on transfer rules. PD will be cut out of the discussion.
 
Not Sure said:
Meh. I believe PD will be marginalized during this entire process. Maybe that’s simply wishful thinking, but if we do hire Mendenhall, he will have the leverage to insist on concessions on transfer rules. PD will be cut out of the discussion.
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PD is only cut out of the discussion if Saliman says so. RG cannot dictate that seeing as PD is his boss so any concession or change to current way of things at CU will need to be run by PD. This entire hope that these rules will be relaxed hinges on Saliman actually making a move on this or directing PD to make that change. I'm just in prove it to me mode I can't keep getting my hopes up that the terrible two of PD and RG will actually figure it out or at least stop ****ting down their leg at every important moment.
 
Bread said:
The next coach will not be able to scour the transfer portal to upgrade the talent level due to the constraints that PD refuses to relax. This is why I made that post stating that I don't think it will really matter who we get until that's fixed.
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This type of thing is why Bronco is my #1 (unless my Chris Petersen wet dream happens).

He would be able to get grad transfers (it's the seniors we're going to be light on in 2023 anyway).

I also think he'd minimize attrition, which a program with our self-imposed limitations absolutely can't absorb.
 
Duff Man said:
One very positive thing about the Mendenhall recruiting is there would be a renewed focus on Poly recruiting.
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And Colorado. There isn't enough talent to fill the roster, obviously, but we need to be getting studs like Andrew Gentry.You remember who we lost him to, right?

Bronco being Mormon would play really well here. That staff he had at UVA stayed mostly together for years. Robert Anae has worked for Bronco for all but 3 of the last 15+ years, for example. I've got him #2 to Herman, but I'd be thrilled if he got the job.
 
What are the odds that Robert Anae would reunite with Mendenhall? For me to be really excited about Mendenhall, Anae would need to come with him
 
SINKRATZ said:
He’s a 63 year old Hawaiian living in Syracuse, NY. I would say odds are pretty good if Bronco wanted him.
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He was at Arizona under Stoops for two years and Syracuse right now. Outside of that, he's been with Bronco since he got the BYU gig.
 
SINKRATZ said:
I’m aware, just pointing out who the f**k lives in Syracuse if they have options? Particularly someone from Hawaii who may be more comfortable…anywhere but Syracuse. He may jump on any opportunity to GTFO.
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True, but gotta make that worth the while for him.
 
Creebuzz said:
For those that have a 247 subscription, here are comments from UVA fans:

247sports.com

Bronco Mendenhall talks college football job openings amid reported interest from Arizona State, Colorado

Bronco Mendenhall talks college football job openings amid reported interest from Arizona State, Colorado
247sports.com 247sports.com
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Sounds to me that they feel like they got jilted and haven't gotten over it. Plus a lot of speculation that there may be things Bronco's not saying and that he mostly wanted to move on from UVA. Then there's a belief that he left them in a bad spot with his assistants following him out the door and mediocre recruiting. A little bit of thinking he belongs in the west.

About what I expected.
 
Buffnik said:
Sounds to me that they feel like they got jilted and haven't gotten over it. Plus a lot of speculation that there may be things Bronco's not saying and that he mostly wanted to move on from UVA. Then there's a belief that he left them in a bad spot with his assistants following him out the door and mediocre recruiting. A little bit of thinking he belongs in the west.

About what I expected.
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I agree that you have to filter out some things when a coach leaves. Overall, I’m not sure the fan base comments does anything more than confirm a lot of what we already know. That is, Mendenhall is a solid football coach, he left the program better than he found it, and he is quirky. The potential negatives regarding his W-L ceiling and recruiting chops remain. The other stuff about telling recruits to go elsewhere and similar garbage is just sour grapes. I pay no mind to that.
 
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