PROVO — The difference was nothing short of amazing.
Through the first five games of the 2010 season, BYU’s defense yielded 419.8 yards per game and was ranked 101st in the nation in total defense. The final eight games saw the Cougars give up a paltry 266.7 yards and vault up to 24th in the nation in total defense.
The difference came about when head coach Bronco Mendenhall took over the defensive coordinator responsibilities as well. While most fans may not have anticipated such a dramatic change, those that knew Mendenhall best were fully expecting it.

Take, for example, Bryan Kehl, who played for Mendenhall for three seasons. Although he’s several years removed from the BYU football program, Kehl still follows them as ardently as any fan.
“They needed more Bronco Mendenhall,” he said. “I knew the second — and I mean the very second —that he took over that things were going to get a lot better. People were complaining about the change, but having played for Bronco, I know that anything — and I mean anything — that he’s directly in charge of will see nothing but success.”
So what is it that Mendenhall does? Is it the schemes, the game-calling, great speeches that motivate players?
“I really wish that I could tell you, but I really couldn’t put in into words,” said Kehl. “I mean it’s just his presence. You could put him in charge of anything; you could put him in charge of the worst women’s rec soccer team you could find, a sport that I doubt Bronco knows much about, and I promise you that the team would start winning by him just being there. It’s just what he does. He inspires greatness.”
According to Mendenhall, little if anything changed with the basic schemes and concepts after he took over the defensive reins last season, but something was different. A team doesn’t go from a 101st-ranked defense to the 24th-ranked defense nationally without some dramatic changes.
“The difference was with the relationships with players,” said Mendenhall. “There was very little (difference) between me and Coach (Jaime) Hill in regards to philosophy and structure. The difference is personality and perspective more than anything.”
Kehl agreed.
“That’s exactly it. That’s what I’ve been trying to explain about him,” Kehl said. “It’s incredible to me how exactly he does it, and playing for him for three years, I honestly can’t tell you exactly how he does it. We all know that Bronco isn’t exactly a social butterfly. He doesn’t like to give big speeches; that’s not his style. He just gets you to the point where you’re willing to do anything for him.”
The good news for the Cougar defense is that Mendenhall doesn’t plan on letting go of the defensive coordinator reins anytime soon. During media day, he made mention that he learned from his experience that the daily interaction with the players is something he won’t sacrifice again.
“I’d do anything for Coach Mendenhall. Anything,” said senior defensive lineman Romney Fuga. “You know that by him being there, coaching you every day, that he’s going to get the most out of you. I couldn’t be more excited about him being our defensive coordinator, and I’m very glad that he plans to keep being it for a while.”
When Kehl was at BYU from 2005-07, the defense certainly benefited from its daily interaction with Mendenhall. Kehl, Cameron Jensen, Kelly Poppinga and Aaron Wagner comprised one of the better linebacker groups ever seen at BYU.
Kehl sees a lot of similarities between the group of linebackers he played with and the set of linebackers that will be playing this year.
“They’re awesome, and I really do feel they have the potential to be better than we were as a group,” he said. “Kyle Van Noy, that kid is going to be a great player one of the best. Jordan Pendleton, Brandon Ogletree, Jameson Frazier, and all of them, they’re very impressive as a group.”
The ace in the hole that this year’s crop will have is Mendenhall.
“My biggest regret by far was not being able to play for Bronco for all four years that I was at BYU,” said Kehl. “All this great stuff that the program has coming up with going independent, sure, I would have liked to have been part of that. That would have been cool. The biggest thing, the one thing that I’m most jealous about with all these players, is that they’ll get to play four years with Bronco Mendenhall.
“Playing for Bronco is the one thing I miss most about BYU, and it isn’t even close. I hope these guys understand what kind of opportunities they have going forward, and when talking to them, and being around them, I think that they do.”
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