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PROVO — It's been an emotional week around the BYU football offices.
After head coach Bronco Mendenhall announced he was leaving to take the same position at the University of Virginia, the Cougars tried to focus on playing archrival Utah in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl Dec. 19.
It hasn't been easy, though. Players are concerned about finishing off Mendenhall's tenure in Provo with his 100th win, and the chance to do so against Utah seems scripted — like some twist of fate or destiny or whatever cruel phrase a sports fan might use.
Despite all the emotions, though, the team needed to settle down and prepare for a football game.
In the words of Mendenhall, it needed a sense of normalcy.
"I think everyone needs this game," Mendenhall said during a formal press conference with Las Vegas Bowl executive director John Saccenti Wednesday. "It was a relief to get back to practice and for us to play the same roles we've been playing and fall into what we are used to. The last little while is not what we are used to.
"We all crave consistency. I think it felt good for everyone to get back to work."
Senior wide receiver Mitch Mathews agreed with his outgoing head coach. The Cougars (9-3) need the Las Vegas Bowl now more than ever.
"This week has been something new for all of us," Mathews said. "A coaching change is never easy. But when we showed up to practice today, it was encouraging for all of us to see how much poise, how much focus and how excited we were to play and get this last win for Coach Mendenhall."
On campus, the Cougars hosted Utah State in a men's basketball contest — but there seemed to be less excitement over an in-state rival visiting the Marriott Center as the shroud of a coaching turnover hung over Provo. All the while, BYU's opponent has been busy on the Hill preparing and practicing for next week's game.
BYU responded to Saccenti's invitation to play in the bowl game a week ago, nearly five days before the Utes were confirmed as the opponent. The game sold out within 24 hours of the announced matchup, but before the ticket sales were eaten up, Saccenti made a phone call.
Saccenti had to know if Mendenhall would be coming to Southern Nevada. His bowl had hosted teams with interim head coaches before, but BYU helped build the Las Vegas Bowl brand like no other team, elevating it from a niche regional bowl game to a national brand that has sold out each of the six trips the Cougars have made to Sam Boyd Stadium in Whitney, Nevada.
"We were very relieved," Saccenti said when BYU confirmed Mendenhall had one more game. "I think you should be proud of this guy. It's not very often that coaches have that much character and commitment to see it through and finish it out. I applaud Coach Mendenhall, and everyone should really appreciate this guy."
Defensive end Bronson Kaufusi is also a part of Mendenhall's final senior class at BYU. He, too, admitted the preceding week has been emotional for every player, coach and administrator around the program.
Rumors and speculation of the new coach arise, and Mathews said even the players wonder at times who is going to succeed Mendenhall. On Wednesday evening, after Mathews, Kaufusi, Mendenhall and Saccenti had stepped down from the podium in the BYU Broadcasting Building, offensive coordinator Robert Anae announced he would follow Mendenhall and becoming a "Wahoo." Along with him, offensive line coach Garrett Tujague, quarterbacks coach Jason Beck and running backs coach Mark Atuaia — all BYU alumni — were heading to the mid-Atlantic region.
Receivers coach Guy Holliday remains the only offensive coach without an open invitation to join the Cavaliers' staff under Mendenhall. Several defensive coaches, such as secondary coach Nick Howell, special teams coordinator Kelly Poppinga and strength and conditioning coach Frank Wintrich could join the new Virginia staff, but nothing is official from that camp as of Thursday morning.
Somehow, none of that seemed to matter as the Cougars opened practices for one final game, Kaufusi said.
Coaching Carousel
BYU's Anae to follow Mendenhall to Virginia
BYU offensive coordinator Robert Anae will join departing head coach Bronco Mendenhall in the same position at the University of Virginia, the longtime BYU assistant announced Wednesday. Anae met with his players Wednesday and told them the news, and confirmed that he has also asked offensive line coach Garrett Tujague, running backs coach Mark Atuaia and quarterbacks coach Jason Beck to join him on the new staff in Charlottesville, Virginia."The team wants to win," the former Timpview standout said. "We're having ups and downs, but that's all part of college football. But when you step on that field, everything just leaves. You're with your teammates and trying to execute at a high level, and you want to do your best."
The Cougars have seen how a team can rally around its departing head coach. Missouri did that to them a month ago after former coach Gary Pinkel's cancer diagnosis and retirement announcement.
The scene at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, after the Tigers had defeated BYU 20-16 was ethereal, surreal and a tribute to a coach who amassed 191 career wins — the 15th-most in FBS history.
"Right after we had our first meeting with coach Mendenhall, the sense that I got from the team was 'What a perfect time to rally together and give this guy his 100th win,'" Mathews said. "It was a real emotion and a perfect opportunity to get guys together and teach how important this really is."
