Mendenhall's experiment

[MikeWaters]

Bronco has embarked on this experiment of conducting a "lite" football program.

The players practice less. The coaches coach less.

The coaches go home at a reasonable hour to have dinner with their family. No, they don't come back into the office, they stay home. Bronco has done away with the workaholic life style, and said, "We can win, doing less than everyone else."

This may actually not be working.

Combine this with the statement that Bronco made about not seeing himself as a coach long term. I think Bronco doesn't like the grind, doesn't like the sacrifices, and is frustrated that everyone doesn't see the world like him. If the fans could be like him, the fans would be perfect. If the players could be like him, the players would be perfect. Thus, failure is due to not meeting his standards.

The curious case of Bronco Mendenhall. What happens next? We're reasonably happy with the results. But we note a program that suddenly seems to not have top-level talent, that is getting pasted when it counts.

Here's the kicker: are we going to take some chances, recruiting players who are not stripling warriors? That is, players who are not LDS, but who say the right things, who seem like decent kids, but we know in our heart of hearts, represent a risk of getting kicked out of school.

I think the Board of Trustees and AD are perfectly happy to win 8-9 games a year as long as BYU is not in the news for crime and vice. That is something we need to come to terms with.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Bronco has embarked on this experiment of conducting a "lite" football program.

The players practice less. The coaches coach less.

The coaches go home at a reasonable hour to have dinner with their family. No, they don't come back into the office, they stay home. Bronco has done away with the workaholic life style, and said, "We can win, doing less than everyone else."

This may actually not be working.

Combine this with the statement that Bronco made about not seeing himself as a coach long term. I think Bronco doesn't like the grind, doesn't like the sacrifices, and is frustrated that everyone doesn't see the world like him. If the fans could be like him, the fans would be perfect. If the players could be like him, the players would be perfect. Thus, failure is due to not meeting his standards.

The curious case of Bronco Mendenhall. What happens next? We're reasonably happy with the results. But we note a program that suddenly seems to not have top-level talent, that is getting pasted when it counts.

Here's the kicker: are we going to take some chances, recruiting players who are not stripling warriors? That is, players who are not LDS, but who say the right things, who seem like decent kids, but we know in our heart of hearts, represent a risk of getting kicked out of school.

I think the Board of Trustees and AD are perfectly happy to win 8-9 games a year as long as BYU is not in the news for crime and vice. That is something we need to come to terms with.

If the Administration and coaching staff are okay with a lite investment, it will flow both ways. Trouble is, eventually that leads to mediocrity.

[MikeWaters]

If I am top-drawer LDS recruit, I don't know if I want to go to BYU. With the exception of QB.

Btw, how many OL have we put in the NFL since Roger French left?

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

If I am top-drawer LDS recruit, I don't know if I want to go to BYU. With the exception of QB.

Btw, how many OL have we put in the NFL since Roger French left?

Where's Indy when you need him?

Something is amiss, but I am no longer close enough to pretend to claim to know.

What slippery slope I see, is the lethargy taking over because Utah and TCU start dominating us, the admins being satisfied with eight win seasons and the fanbase becoming apathetic, sending us down into UNLV type mediocrity.

[BYUsportsguy]

Originally Posted by Archaea

sending us down into UNLV type mediocrity.

Let's keep the blasphemy down a little.

BYU will never fall as hard as UNLV but I can see the admin being satisfied with winning seasons every year and going to some "weak sauce" bowl every year. There were all those years where BYU didn't even go to a bowl and they don't want those any more.