Bronco Mendenhall is in line for a return to coaching with New Mexico targeting the former Virginia and BYU coach for its opening, according to ESPN. Mendenhall, 57, has been out of the profession the past two seasons after resigning following his sixth year leading the Cavaliers.
New Mexico moved on from ex-coach Danny Gonzales after he posted an 11-32 record in four seasons on the job. Landing a candidate of Mendenhall’s caliber would mark a strong hire for the Lobos, who have been to just two bowls in the last 15 seasons.
Mendenhall is 135-81 in 17 seasons as a head coach. He led BYU to 11 straight bowl appearances from 2005-2015 before taking the Virginia job after the 2015 season. After a 2-10 start, he guided the Cavaliers to three bowl appearances and two more .500 seasons. Mendenhall did not rule out a return to coaching when he resigned in 2021, but sounded like a man who needed a break.
“I’ve been a head coach for 17 years in a row. I was an assistant 11 before then, and I was a graduate assistant two years before then,” Mendenhall said at the time. “That’s 31 years straight of football. My wife and I will have been married 25 years in March. All we’ve known together is the rhythm of a football season.”
A return at New Mexico would make sense for Mendenhall, who was on staff there from 1998-2002 as defensive coordinator before taking the defensive coordinator job at BYU. The Utah native played defensive back at Snow College and Oregon State before entering coaching.
If hired, Mendenhall will be part of a Mountain West makeover as five head coaching jobs in the league are changing hands. San Diego State hired Colorado offensive coordinator and former Kent State coach Sean Lewis. Boise State promoted defensive coordinator and interim head coach Spencer Danielson to replace Andy Avalos. UTEP hired Austin Peay coach Scotty Walden to replace Dana Dimel. Nevada hired Texas co-defensive coordinator Jeff Choate to replace Ken Wilson.
Some fresh blood could be a good thing for the league after the regular season ended with no Mountain West squads ranked in the AP Top 25 poll or College Football Playoff Rankings.
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