BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall will resume his former job as the Cougars' defensive coordinator after firing assistant Jaime Hill on Saturday.
The midseason firing of Hill is unique, especially at BYU and specifically for Mendenhall, who is very loyal to his staff and never criticizes — at least not in public — their decisions, play calls or game plans.
But when news of Hill's firing broke on Saturday, the immediate reaction around these parts was surprise. Then, with uncanny uniformity came the question: "What about the offense, any changes there?"
After all, as horrible as BYU is statistically on defense, including ranking last in the nation in rush defense, the Cougars are equally dismal in nearly every NCAA offensive category they've put on a spreadsheet.
In every conversation I've had since the Hill news, every person from every walk of life has asked the same question. It's been 100 percent.
The inquiring group includes former and current football coaches, folks who are both smarter than me and some guys who are less informed than myself; educators, scientists, carpenters, computer programmers, the unemployed, the retired, people in public relations, administration, CEO's, farmers, carpenters and retail salesmen. The group has included housewives and former athletic directors, plus former and current NFL players.
In a chorus, they've asked, "What about offensive changes?"
The answer to that is it is either top-secret; a subtle, quiet in-house shift; or the challenges on offense will receive absolutely no personality change-up at all.
On Monday, I asked Mendenhall if he anticipated any changes with his offensive staff. He explained that, after the season, he'd review the performance of every staff member, like he always does, and if changes are needed, he'd make them.
I posed the question a little differently in a follow-up.
If he didn't subtract any more bodies from his staff, would assignments change or remain the same. Mendenhall explained how he'd switch graduate assistants around, that grad assistant Shaun Nua would move from offense to defense, Nick Howell would take over the secondary and Kelly Poppinga, a former Cougar linebacker familiar with Mendenhall's style, would be elevated to full-time status and work with the outside linebackers.
Mendenhall also explained that Kelly Bills would be elevated from offensive intern to a graduate assistant with the offense, and Jason Walker, a defensive intern, would become an intern with the offense.
He also explained that the director of football operations, Duane Busby, in whom he has great trust, and his secretary, Carey Hoki, would be thrown more responsibility to cover for him as he spends more time as defensive coordinator.
This would leave one to believe BYU's offense — which ranks 94th in rushing, 80th in passing, 96th in total offense, 114th out of 120 teams in scoring and 118th in pass efficiency — will have no changes from a personnel or assignment standpoint from among the professional full-time staff.
And if this is so, then BYU's young offense — glaringly weak as far as its toughness, execution, consistency, confidence, drops and questionable play calls — will improve over the next two months by simply working harder while receiving aid from a defense that will have Mendenhall's personal stamp upon it.
I admit, this doesn't add up.
Perhaps Mendenhall knows something about the offense that isn't obvious to onlookers from all walks of life, who understand and accept the youthfulness of QB Jake Heaps and the giant void left behind by last year's stars — Dennis Pitta, Max Hall and Harvey Unga — but cringe at seeing slow-developing stretch handoffs and sweeps on fourth downs that fail, game plans that don't challenge defenses, and a predictability that borders on absurd.
Hill is gone, Mendenhall explained, because he himself can step in and offer a different perspective and soul.
Offensive coordinator Robert Anae is fortunate Mendenhall's background isn't as an offensive coach and his soul-seeking adventure isn't on that side of the ball.
At 1-4, common sense would say that everything should be on the block for a change of direction. It may be that midseason, a Mendenhall-for-Hill change is easier to execute and less of a gamble.
Or maybe, just perhaps, intern Jason Walker is a Bill Walsh kind of wizard.
e-mail: dharmon@desnews.com