It’s too early still.
It has only been 62 days — as of Wednesday — since Bronco Mendenhall was named the head coach of Utah State’s football program.
During that time, Mendenhall and his staff have operated in a somewhat crazed, albeit understandable manner, traversing the state and country in search of players to bring to Utah State. Players needed to fill preexisting holes on the Aggies’ roster, plus those holes created by the 20-plus defections from Utah State into the transfer portal during the winter.
Mendenhall and his wife Holly are currently living in an Airbnb above a garage in Logan. Most of Mendenhall’s coaching staff hasn’t made their way — with family — to Logan yet. And some won’t do so until later this year, closer to the summer, with kids currently in school.
The latest chapter of Utah State football is still very much in its infancy, so on Wednesday, on the traditional National Signing Day, Mendenhall couldn’t really speak all that definitively as to the state of his team. To what the Aggies will look like when they take the field at Maverik Stadium on Aug. 30 against UTEP.
“I know everyone will want to know how we are going to be and to project,” Mendenhall said. “What I will say at this point — our needs have been addressed based on our evaluation to this point. That sounds short of promising, which it is."
Mostly, Mendenhall noted that he is, “excited about the grit, the determination, the toughness and the competitive spirit of this team.”
What Mendenhall could speak to was the incoming group of Aggies.
Utah State announced 36 signees Wednesday, a group made up of 12 players out of high school, 17 four-year transfers and seven junior college transfers.
Eleven of the signees are from Utah and seven followed Mendenhall from New Mexico to Utah State.
It is a defense-heavy class — slightly — with 19 signees coming on that side of the ball, 14 on offense and an athlete (Gage Yardley) whose future position has yet to be determined.
Seventeen of the players in the class were — at one point in their football careers — rated a three-star prospect by 247 Sports. And over 60% the class are enrolled at Utah State for the spring semester.
Utah State signed seven wide receivers, four defensive linemen, four inside linebackers, four cornerbacks, four safeties, three running backs, three outside linebackers, three offensive linemen, two specialists, an athlete and a quarterback.
“I think we did really well,” Mendenhall said. “I like the players we’ve added, I like the needs we’ve addressed. I like the roster we have.”
“We’ve addressed those needs as best we could and I think we did really well,” he added. “... With still probably a handful of needs remaining. We haven’t perfectly addressed our needs, but the majority we have. Maybe four or five spots remaining that we still might have to address, post-spring, barring anymore attrition from our program.”
It is a transfer — four-year or juco — heavy class out of necessity. In an ideal world — Mendenhall hopes — Utah State will sign classes much more heavily skewed toward high school prospects.
“The immediacy of roster replacement is really the first need,” Mendenhall said. “We are signing 36 players. There were classes in past experiences as a head coach where there might be 15 (signees). And so the numbers, the sheer volume is unlike anything college football has experienced.
“There is an immediacy to assess your current roster and replace those needs with upperclassman if possible so you can function at the highest level for the next season. It matters. The outcomes do matter in Year 1, even if it is a new coach at a new place. It generates momentum, generates trajectory, builds hope and builds faith. And there is optimism that comes with that.”
There is high school talent in the class too, though. Most of which is primarily from Utah, as Mendenhall prefers.
“You have to have an eye on the foundational elements of your program,” he said. “And making sure that you are building and the succession planning is solid. And that is really through high school players and high school players you’ve known that are the ideal fits for your program.”
On the whole, Mendenhall believes Utah State addressed its immediate needs, which is to say that Aggies brought in starter-level talent at positions where it was needed.
What’s left, he believes, is to add depth. And those additions will likely come during the spring transfer window.
“Greater than, not equal to,” Mendenhall said, describing his approach to recruiting. Meaning any further additions, ideally, will be capable of starting for Utah State next season, even if they don’t.
High school standouts
Mendenhall expressed genuine excitement about many of the high school prospects that signed with Utah State.
Included in that group are Crimson Cliffs High receiver Malakai Alofipo, Bear River High linebacker Tydon Jones, and Beaver High athlete Gage Yardley from Utah, as well as receivers Kaleb Mitchell (First Baptist Academy, Texas) and Ty Olsen (Lincoln High, California).
The three wideouts, Mendenhall said, are notable additions for different reasons.
Regarding Mitchell: “Kaleb at 6-foot-6 and he might be taller than that. But gosh, his range. His catch radius. And his speed. What a giant target and effective player that he is.”
Regarding Olsen: “Ty, the simple volume of production. If you watch his highlight film but substantiate it with the numbers. Facts are friends. The amount of production is unheard of in a high school career.
Regarding Alofipo: “And really cool in terms of Malakai. ... Sub-11 (100-meter dash). He is so fast. So active. And so productive.”
Mendenhall summed it up, noting, “You put those three receivers together, I’m really encouraged. Coach (Kevin) McGiven and our offensive staff adding those three young wideouts. It is going to be really powerful.”
Yardley may have received the most praise from Mendenhall, though, who compared him to former BYU standout Jordan Pendleton.
“We love Gage, just like we love Tydon Jones from Bear River. Different player, but man is (Yardley) physical. He’s a great athlete. He is so productive. He can play multiple spots. You see him run the ball, you see him catch the ball, you see him tackle, you see him intercept. And so he plays safety. To me, the size of the school (Richfield) is not relevant.
“Gosh, I’ve evaluated so many players and those skills show up regardless of size of school or competition. When you have smaller school players, the more dominant they are, the more accurate you are. Gage takes over a game, you can’t watch the game without saying after maybe three plays, ‘Who’s that?’ So he’s currently a big safety and he reminds me a lot (of Jordan Pendelton) ... Man what a good player he was for us. Gage is similar.”
New Mexico transfers
Seven now-former Lobos followed Mendenhall from Albuquerque to Logan. And though he was quick to note that the players who followed him won’t be given preferential treatment, Mendenhall acknowledged having a level of comfort with them.
“These are players we know,” he said. “I’ve seen them every single day and they’ve seen me every single day. And they wanted to come. That mitigates risk for everyone. They have a chance to be fulfilled and have a great experience with someone they trust and vice versa.”
The group includes:
- Bobby Arnold, safety
- Noah Avinger, safety
- Antoineo Harris, defensive lineman
- Hyrum Hatch, long snapper
- Javen Jacobs, running back
- D’Angelo Mayes, cornerback
- Bryson Taylor, cornerback
“You’ll see some secondary players on there, including a team captain — Noah Avinger," Mendenhall said. “There are secondary players who are proven, seasoned and experienced. There is a defensive lineman in AJ Harris. Proven, seasoned and experienced. And you’ll see Javen Jacobs, really a productive player for us.”
Mendenhall noted that Jacobs broke his collarbone in the game against Utah State last season, and Mendenhall believes if Jacobs doesn’t suffer that injury that New Mexico would’ve made it to a bowl game last season.
“Really productive as a running back/slot (receiver)/returner,” Mendenhall said.
Mendenhall made sure to emphasize that none of the aforementioned players have been promised a starting job at Utah State. But he also noted that each of the former Lobos have his trust and were brought to Logan for a reason.
“Those are players that I know and trust,” Mendenhall said. “They are not guaranteed a thing in terms of starting or what their role will be, other than an opportunity. They came for the opportunity. I brought them for the opportunity and that was enough for us both to say this was a good fit.”
