Bronco Mendenhall Named Utah State Head Football Coach
Former New Mexico, Virginia and BYU head coach to lead Aggies into next chapter
LOGAN, Utah (Dec. 6, 2024) — Utah State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Diana Sabau announced today the hiring of Bronco Mendenhall as the Aggies' 31st head football coach. He will sign a six-year contract.
A press conference to formally introduce Mendenhall will be held on Monday, Dec. 9, at 10 a.m., on the third floor of the West Stadium Center at Maverik Stadium. The press conference is open to the public and media, and free parking will be available in the lots just west of the Maverik Stadium.
If you can't attend the press conference in person, it will stream be streamed live at
www.utahstateaggies.com/watch
"Bronco is one of the most experienced coaches in college football. His leadership, proven track record, and deep understanding of the game make him the ideal choice to elevate our program," Sabau said. "Bronco's success goes far beyond football. He has a deep connection and care for growing young men. His student-athletes are proven leaders. He has consistently built programs that emphasize character, discipline, and excellence in every aspect of their lives."
Mendenhall returns to Utah after serving as the head coach of the University of New Mexico the past year. In total, the Alpine, Utah, native has 18 years of head coaching experience, including a six-year stint at the University of Virginia and 11 seasons at Brigham Young University.
"Athletics is an important part of the Utah State University experience, and the success of our football program is at the forefront," said Utah State University President Elizabeth R. Cantwell. "The impact that a championship-level football program can have on the profile of the university, the student-body experience, with our alumni and in the Cache Valley community, is immeasurable. Bronco Mendenhall is absolutely right for this moment at USU and he will help propel us into a great future."
Mendenhall has 140-88 career record as a head coach, including taking Virginia to its first Orange Bowl in 2019. More than 60 of Mendenhall's former players have signed contracts to play in the NFL.
"My passion is developing young people and transforming football programs to reach their full potential," Mendenhall said. "Utah State provides a great opportunity to do both and allows a family focus that is essential to me and Holly. We look forward to adding to Utah State's rich tradition and striving for football excellence."
Mendenhall's move allows him to be closer to his 93-year-old mother, Lenore Mendenhall, who lives in Alpine.
He was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year in 2006 and was nominated by the Football Writers Association of America as one of the nine finalists for the illustrious Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.
During BYU's six-year tenure as a member of the Mountain West under Mendenhall, the team won two conference championships. He led the Cougars to a bowl game appearance in each of his 11 seasons as head coach and during that time, BYU was one of only 11 programs in all of the FBS to go to a bowl in all 11 years. Under Mendenhall, BYU tied for seventh among all FBS programs for the most Academic All-American awardees.
After leaving Provo, Mendenhall was hired as the head coach at Virginia in 2016. Taking over a struggling program that had not posted a winning record in five seasons, Mendenhall led a strong turnaround. The team made bowl games in three consecutive years beginning in 2017, and won the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division in 2019 with a 6-2 mark, playing Clemson for the ACC title.
Virginia was bowl eligible in his final five seasons, the longest streak in school history since 1996-2000.
After a two-year hiatus from coaching, Mendenhall returned to the Mountain West, taking over as head coach of New Mexico. In his lone season, the Lobos went 5-7, with two players being named first-team all-MW, and nine overall receiving all-conference honors. New Mexico ranked fourth in the FBS in total yards, averaging 484.2 per game.
A Utah local, Mendenhall graduated from American Fork High School. He began his collegiate playing career at Snow College, where he was an All-American and team captain during the team's NJCAA National Championship season in 1985. From there, he played safety for Oregon State University, where he served as captain his senior season and later as a graduate assistant on the football staff. He would later coach as an assistant at Snow College, Northern Arizona, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico, and BYU.
Mendenhall and his wife, Holly, have three sons Cutter, Breaker and Raeder.
