Bronco Mendenhall

[hawkwing]

Bronco is the type of coach that if we were better people we would want to have, but because we're not, we don't.

[Ygridiron4ever]

Doesn't Einstein have a great quote about stupidity and doing the same thing over but expecting different results?

Its one of my favorites, and has been in my signature here for a couple years (see below). Bronco was actually my inspiration when I added it.

[frdbtr]

Thank you Bronco for bringing BYU out of some of it's darkest days. Good luck to you Bronco in your new challenge. I hope you succeed at Virginia. I know he will never read this but unlike some fans, I am grateful for what Bronco did here. He deserves nothing but the greatest respect from BYU fans. He gave us his all and we should all appreciate it.

[Jarhead]

Some of these posts do seem a bit petty. It was probably about the right time for a change when Bronco left, but at the same time he has done so much for our program. I'll always be rooting for him to succeed. I enjoyed the article.

[HoosierCougar]

Thank you Bronco for bringing BYU out of some of it's darkest days. Good luck to you Bronco in your new challenge. I hope you succeed at Virginia. I know he will never read this but unlike some fans, I am grateful for what Bronco did here. He deserves nothing but the greatest respect from BYU fans. He gave us his all and we should all appreciate it.

You know, a lot of my SLC neighbors only remember Utah football having great success. When reminded of the multiple decades of dominance by BYU they are incredulous. I wonder if we're far enough removed from the Crowton days that few Cougar fans recall just how dark those days were.

Multiple consecutive losing seasons isn't something we've seen since pre-LaVell.

[SpiffCoug]

Is two decades considered multiple decades? I guess by definition, but let's be honest. The current state of the BYU-Utah rivalry is much closer to the overall trends of the rivalry. Consider:

In the modern football era, which began in 1955 with facemasks being mandated and the hard shell helmets, BYU went 4-13 (.235) against Utah.

Then in 1972, BYU hired Lavell Edwards and the Cougars dominated the Utes for the next 21 seasons going 19-2 (.905).

But then in 1993, Ron McBride changed the series and began the return to the previous state. Since then, the Cougars are 7-17 (.292).

Overall in the last 62 games, it appears fairly even with the Utes holding a 32-30 (.516) lead in the series. But that hides the dominance the Utes have had in the series and I haven't even mentioned the pre-1955 series where BYU won just ONE game between 1922-1954 and managed to tie four others.

[Gunk]

Utes have our number. It's getting old.

Bronco is a great guy, and he was exactly what BYU needed at the time. No question. He did his best at BYU, for which I am grateful too.

That said, let's not pretend he was perfect, set him on some pedestal, and then guilt-trip any fan that doesn't do likewise. He made mistakes. And not only did he make mistakes, he made the same mistakes over and over. His best seasons as a coach were with another coach's recruits.

[frdbtr]

No one has said he is perfect. Anyone that feels shame for lobbing cheap shots at him now that he is gone should feel guilty.

[Gunk]

I have no shame.

[HoosierCougar]

Is two decades considered multiple decades? I guess by definition, but let's be honest. The current state of the BYU-Utah rivalry is much closer to the overall trends of the rivalry. Consider:

In the modern football era, which began in 1955 with facemasks being mandated and the hard shell helmets, BYU went 4-13 (.235) against Utah.

Then in 1972, BYU hired Lavell Edwards and the Cougars dominated the Utes for the next 21 seasons going 19-2 (.905).

But then in 1993, Ron McBride changed the series and began the return to the previous state. Since then, the Cougars are 7-17 (.292).

Overall in the last 62 games, it appears fairly even with the Utes holding a 32-30 (.516) lead in the series. But that hides the dominance the Utes have had in the series and I haven't even mentioned the pre-1955 series where BYU won just ONE game between 1922-1954 and managed to tie four others.

This kind of makes my point. Few Cougar fans remember pre 1972... Few Ute fans remember pre 2001. Yes, recency matters.

Also, the Crowton years were deeply dark.