After the 2024 season, New Mexico suffered quite the exodus from Albuquerque.
Its starting quarterback, Devon Dampier, and offensive coordinator, Jason Beck, joined Kyle Whittingham and the Utes in Salt Lake City.
Bronco Mendenhall left after one year with the Lobos and brought along coaches and six players. Included in the trip to Logan were defensive coordinator Nick Howell, running back Javen Jacobs and cornerbacks Noah Avinger and Bryson Taylor.
New Lobos head coach Jason Eck has helped New Mexico after it lost a significant portion of the team. The Lobos currently hold the same season record as the Aggies: 4-3. Utah State has the advantage in the Mountain West standings with a 2-1 record, while New Mexico sits 1-2.
On Saturday, Utah State will face New Mexico for the first time since snatching Mendenhall. The Aggies’ trip to Albuquerque could be the most hostile environment they’ll experience this season.
“The first guiding principle in our program is family first, last and always. I never imagined I would have a chance at this stage in my coaching career to be back in my home state with all three of my boys, two of which are here at school. A chance to see my mom and my three brothers, and to be home. So, that is the answer. There isn’t any more to it than that, no matter what other narratives there might be.”
— Utah State coach Bronco Mendenhall on leaving New Mexico for USU
Despite the eyes on Mendenhall’s return to New Mexico, he kept most of his comments to his team and their win over San Jose State last week. He was adamant that both teams are vastly different from last year, and he expects a tough battle.
“Again, this is a completely different team at Utah State and New Mexico’s team is completely different,” Mendenhall said. “The coaches are different. There certainly could be people in the community and others that have issue with me only being there a year, but really preparation and execution win the day.”
Mendenhall went on to say that it’s not the potential hostility he’s thinking about, it’s the real connections he’s made throughout his coaching career. He mentioned texts and pictures he recieved from players he coached at New Mexico before it played its season opener at Michigan.
“I don’t follow the teams (I coached) as much, but I follow the people,” he said. “The relationships are really what’s lasting. Some of the players that I coached at New Mexico, they sent pictures when New Mexico went to play Michigan.”
“I got a text also this week with maybe 30 or 40 players gathered prior to the Virginia game,” he continued. “I’m seeing Kyle Van Noy and Jamaal Williams on BYU sidelines with John Beck, all guys that played for me. The game was going on, but that really wasn’t what I was focused on. It’s just the people, and that’s the best part of college athletics.”
Mendenhall was asked again about his motivation to move from New Mexico to Utah State and maintained his reasoning was focused on his family and returning to Utah.
“The first guiding principle in our program is family first, last and always,” he said. “I never imagined I would have a chance at this stage in my coaching career to be back in my home state with all three of my boys, two of which are here at school. A chance to see my mom and my three brothers, and to be home. So, that is the answer. There isn’t any more to it than that, no matter what other narratives there might be.”
Other returnees to New Mexico
Jacobs and Taylor are also returning and were made available to the media in this week’s football presser. Similar to their coach, they kept it respectful and said they were focusing on the game and are excited to see familiar faces.
“I know a good amount of players that are still there and administration and people that have helped me with my academics there,” Jacobs said. “So, if I do get to see them after the game, I would love to say hello and still give them my respect, because they were key people in my life when I was there last year. It’ll be exciting to see them after, for sure.”
Taylor also answered the following when asked what he’s looking forward to in the return and why he decided to transfer to Utah State this year.
“I definitely have some teammates and some advisors and teachers there that I would like to see after the game. I was there for three years and they definitely played a big part of my life. I definitely consider some of the people still there family.
“Your second part of the question, I trust them, the coaching staff. Bronco Mendenhall and his entire staff, they’ve been a big part of my life. They changed my life and I trust them. They decided to make a move and I wanted to join.”
