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PROVO — During his tenure as a head coach, Bronco Mendenhall has seemed to despise the seedier aspects of recruiting, the side that forces grown men to use tactics that would embarrass the most unscrupulous salesman.
Yet, Mendenhall sounded much like a salesman recently, pitching the merits of BYU football to apparent uninterested buyers. In this case, what some may see as hypocrisy is completely understandable and acceptable.
Speaking to a reporter for the American-Statesman in Austin, Texas, Mendenhall went on the offensive, selling all that is right with his program. Mendenhall’s desperate plea, voiced to an unsuspecting writer whose initial purpose was to preview one of Texas’ opponents this season, was designed to draw the attention of the Big 12 university presidents and athletic administrators.
“We would love to be in the Big 12,” Mendenhall told Brian Davis. “I would love to be a member of that conference. I think that would make a lot of sense. In fact, if that was your headline, that would be great.”
There you go, at least we know the coach’s opinion on BYU remaining as an independent. For four years, we’ve heard about all the freedom being an independent brought BYU. The exposure, the new frontiers — maybe they were merely convenient lines at the time.
The college football world has changed dramatically since that fateful summer of 2010, when BYU went independent weeks after Utah scored a pot of gold in the form of Pac-10 expansion. The advent of the upcoming football playoff may unjustly regulate the Cougars to second-class status, thereby forcing them to practically beg for inclusion.
We would love to be in the Big 12. I would love to be a member of that conference. I think that would make a lot of sense. In fact, if that was your headline, that would be great.
–Bronco Mendenhall
No wonder, according to the American-Statesman, after previewing his team during the telephone conversation, Mendenhall launched into a 20-minute sales power-point presentation on BYU’s attractiveness.
As if standing at the pulpit, Mendenhall’s crusade included:
- “We have a chip on our shoulder. I could have given you that instead of the longer answer. I’m just wondering who fights for us an independent?”
- “Between myself and my basketball coaches, there’s no two featured programs that have won more games. Our attendance is high enough. And our winning percentage is high enough.”
- “We have the entire Salt Lake City and Utah market as well as a worldwide following because of the church. There’d be a ton to offer the Big 12, because it’s a money-generated world right now. You’re talking about an amazing kind of brand.”
Now that Mendenhall basically has acknowledged BYU has no long-term future as an independent, the university has to go all-out to get in a conference. Short of agreeing to Sunday competition, which we know will never happen, the school and its church leaders must do everything possible to join the Big 12.
“They have all the things the other Big 12 members want,” said Davis of the American-Statesman.
Although the Sunday-play issue can be avoided, BYU needs to take it out of the equation. The best option is to go football only, keeping all the other sports intact in their respective conferences.
For what BYU basketball has accomplished through the years, the West Coast Conference is good enough. Beyond that, nobody really cares, anyway.
The football-only option would reduce travel concerns for the Big 12, which has expanded to include West Virginia. Five flights to Provo over any 10-year period is reasonable for all Big 12 programs.
BYU also must confront another sticky issue, one that school officials don’t like to admit. Either through perception or reality, many other athletic administrators believe it’s difficult to deal with BYU. Rather than complain it is misunderstood or under attack, BYU needs to play the good neighbor.
With all 10 members of the Big 12 netting $22 million apiece this year, the conference understandably is reluctant to split the money among more schools. To combat the problem, BYU should offer a creative financing package, meaning it will take less money as a football-only member.
Through no fault of its own, these are tenuous times for BYU football. The program deserves the opportunity to compete at the highest level.
