The University athletics department announced Friday evening BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall will become the 40th head coach in program history after reaching a five-year, $16.25 million agreement.
“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 said. “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.”
Mendenhall spent the previous 11 seasons at BYU and has compiled a 99-42 record in that time. Those 99 victories count as the 12th most among FBS coaches during that span.
“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.
Mendenhall inherited a BYU team that had posted a 14-21 record in the three years prior to his hire. The Cougars have made a bowl game in each of the 11 seasons under Mendenhall and have six bowl victories. Only Florida State, with seven, has more bowl wins during that time.
BYU has matched players’ on-field success in the classroom. The Cougars have the seventh-most Academic All-American selections in the past decade and lead the nation in National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society selections. The Society recognizes players who make significant contributions on the field while completing their eligibility with a 3.2 GPA or higher.
“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,” Littlepage said.
BYU has already accepted an invitation to the Las Vegas Bowl late December. Mendenhall will be on the sidelines for the Cougars.
“I am excited to not only help provide the continual growth and development of the student athletes academically but also re-establish Virginia as a consistent winner with a fiercely competitive and winning product on the football field,” Mendenhall said.
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