December 4, 2015
Virginia hires Mendenahll
Brad Franklin
CavsCorner.com Publisher
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In the end, UVa looked west again and got its man. On Friday evening, the Cavaliers officially announced that BYU's
Bronco Mendenhall would be the new head coach in Charlottesville.
After 11 bowl games in as many years at BYU, Bronco Mendenhall is headed to Charlottesville as UVa's next head coach.
In a release, director of athletics Craig Littlepage point to Mendenhall's overall record of 99-42 in his 11 seasons as the head coach in Provo, 12th best in total wins among all FBS teams during that time.
According to the school, Virginia has agreed to a five-year contract with the 49-year old that will pay him $3.2 million annually.
Before he arrived at BYU, the Cougars were a combined 14-21 in the previous three years. Since then, they have gone to a bowl game in each of his 11 seasons and are one of only 11 programs to do so.
In short, it's exactly what Cavalier fans wanted with this hire.
"Bronco Mendenhall's teams have consistently won at a high level and he's demonstrated the ability to create a strategic vision to build a program and then implement his plan to be successful," Littlepage said in the release. "His emphasis on the overall development of student athletes and a commitment to academic achievement is in line with our goals of Uncompromised Excellence. We're excited to begin a new era of Virginia football and support Bronco and his staff."
"I wish to express my appreciation to President Teresa Sullivan, Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage and Executive Associate Athletics
Director Jon Oliver for their belief and trust in me to lead and guide the football program at the University of Virginia," Mendenhall added. "Professionally and personally I seek to embrace the highest standards in college sports, on and off the field, and I love the high standards both academically and athletically at Virginia. I am excited to not only help provide the continual growth and development of the student athletes academically but also reestablish Virginia as a consistent winner with a fiercely competitive and winning product on the football field.
"BYU has played the pivotal role in my professional and personal life," Mendenhall added, "and I will be forever indebted to the outstanding young men and exceptional people I have had the opportunity to work with at BYU. My success at BYU was possible because these great people chose the phenomenal, unique and faith-based experience available at BYU."
As a player, Mendenhall spent two years at Snow College in Utah before finishing at Oregon State as a linebacker and safety. He started his coaching career with the Beavers as a graduate assistant before returning to Snow College and later Northern Arizona and became the youngest defensive coordinator in the Pac-10 at OSU. He also coached at Louisiana Tech and New Mexico prior to arriving in Provo as the defensive coordinator in 2003 and ultimately being named the head coach two years later.
Mendenhall will be officially announced at a 10 a.m. press conference on Monday in Charlottesville.
