Why does the Utes song sound like the Mikey Mouse club?

Bronco is the example a coach should be. He is recruiting all the LDS kids that we used to say "if we could just get the LDS kids that go to the PAC 10 we would be a national power" We are and we will be. Why has the rivaly heated up with the U? because the BYU fan base is fully invested. I love it. it is rated the 4th best rivalry in college football, tied with Mich. Ohio St. Can you believe that!!!! I love it.

I'm impressed with how willing Bronco is to admit mistakes. He admits his mistakes and corrects them. It has been reported that in the football program he identifies an area of inconsistency or poor performance, breaks down the problem, identifies a fix, and rebuilds with honesty and consistency.

This is why I think he succeeds.

This article explores Bronco's image. I think he succeeds because he does not focus on image, he focuses on execution and honesty.

There are several comments regarding Bronco's ability to motivate. Clearly that is important in athletics and life. But, again, he succeeds not through clever slogans and images, he motivates through execution and example and honesty and openness.

Finally, the article and none of the commenters have mentioned Bronco's willingness to display emotion. It has been reported that Bronco frequently displays emotion during firesides and speeches. Again, he succeeds because he is honest about who he is and what he does.

Who is Urban Meyer?

Sad, sad, sad. Some members won't be happy until they call an apostle to coach BYU's football team. My son goes to church and all anyone can say to one of the nicest boys around is that he needs to get his hair cut. My wife's father was a sex offender and abandoned his five children all under the age of 12. As the oldest boy is getting married in the SLC temple after serving an honorable mission the sealer approaches the young men who are acting as witnesses, one is his RM younger brother and his RM cousin(whose father also abandoned) and scoulds them in front of everyone about the length of their sideburns. I was just pleased as can be that those boys were where they were. Can someone bring some sanity back into the church, please?! It has gone from,"i teach them correct principles and they govern themselves" to "we teach them tiny minutia and shame them into compliance" Please stop the madness! From someone whose fourth great grandfather was killed at hauns mill and love's the church

It was predictable many BYU fans, especially those in their 20's and 30's, would adopt the mantra "It's great Bronco maintains his independence and individuality--a surfer/Harley-rider, not another boring Mormon!" Had Bronco gotten a tattoo their reaction would probably be somewhat similar. I suspect, however, that the majority of BYU fans, less vocal ones born before about 1962 who send the most money and children to BYU and are always concerned about subtle influences affecting their offspring, are a little uneasy about the cultural image conveyed by a coach heavily clad in black leather riding a Harley. Like it or not, that's inconsistent with Bronco's spiritual "Helaman-and-his-warriors" image. Activities and manners of dress are symbols, intentionally or not. Bronco's getup and ride are often associated with mostly negative things, unfortunately--Hells Angels, drugs, booze, tattoos, loose women and morals, bar fights, and a general rejection of traditional family lifetstyles and values. Bronco has led the football program well, but BYU's highest-paid and highest-profile employee shouldn't receive automatic acceptance of all he does merely because it's hip and he twice went 11-2. And truthfully, this new hobby invites attention, not privacy.

They are both good coaches, they are just different. If you want to argue about originality talk about Vanilla Ice. Bronco is not Urban, and neither is Whittingham. They both coach good football teams that do a good job of winning and entertaining fans.

The only reason I can think Utah fans care about this article is that it emphasizes the fact that Bronco is a solid football coach and BYU wins games now. They no longer have Crowton to thank for messing up the situation and gifting the Utes football games anymore. Time will tell who has the better season, but not necessarily who is the better coach.

You are wrong so many times, I don't know where to start.

First of all, BronKo didn't change the helmets back to their original state, they are still AGGIE BLUE.

Second, Crowton didn't change the uniforms, it happened while Lavell was still the coach.

Third, Unga didn't commit in BronKo's second year, he committed the first February after BronKo and Kyle took over.

Fourth, Kyle never revoked a scholarship offer, Unga did however switch his oral commitment from Utah to BYU. As was reported in the Tribune, Unga called Kyle just before signing day and lied to him by saying he was going to BYU instead of Utah just to see what his reaction would be. Unga said he didn't like Kyle's reaction so he signed with BYU.

Finally, in '05 Kyle did use B. Johnson the right way. Unfortunately he was injured and had to sit out a year only to get injured again. For almost the entire '07 season, the coaches had to limit what he could do to protect his shoulder which eventually required surgery.

Long-term, Kyle will be the better coach. I guarantee it.

Bronco change the helmet BACK to the original BYU helmet. If that wonderful Crowton wouldn't have changed it in the first place... It never would have happened.

"BronKo is trying to imitate Urban M-E-Y-E-R's success by copying his motivational tactics." What is BRONCO(must be that U of U education you get on spelling someones names incorrectly) doing to copy Urban??? The only thing is "Fully Invested". If Urban really did it, I don't know?

By the way... Urban isn't the only one who uses motivational techniques on players. Urban didn't invent it.

Kyle is working with some great talent that Urban brought in. He's not using B. Johnson the way B. Johnson is supposed to be used for. Urban had a purpose for him and Kyle isn't using him right.

His talent isn't ave. like you say. Utah has done some amazing things against OOC games. He just can't coach them against MWC teams. That there is the coaches delima.

By the way... Harvey Unga(RB) came on during Bronco's second year AND he came on thanks to Kyle not fulfilling Urban's promise on giving him a scholarship. He's not Crowton's leftovers... Just one of Kyle's common mistakes as a H.C.

Now that Bronco has his hog, someone should donate a rodeo horse.

I am proud that we have a Bronco Mendanhall directing the force that be the BYU Cougars. I am grateful for the past two seasons especially. I am even more greatful for the season that he will be entertaining us with starting in just 55 days or so. I believe that next season will be just as good or better. I believe that Bronco Mendahall will give us 4 straight undefeated seasons in the MWC. I believe that he will first get us, this season a BCS Bowl, possibly the Fiesta Bowl and possibly vs a team like Oklahoma, if not Oklahoma.

I believe that if our coach was anyone except Bronco Mendahall, we should all be worried sick that some University like Florida, Washington, Arizona, Stanford or other BCS School would be waving big bucks and so tempting that even the most loyal coach would take the new contract and run.But with our Bronco, on his hog, and possibly and new rodeo horse that someone might donate, I don't think we will need to worry. I think that Bronco likes his ride at BYU.

RE: Copycat

"Bronco's been getting by with Lavell and Gary's leftovers." Good point. In the latter case he's gotten something out of nothing. This Cougar fan isn't shaking in his shoes wondering what Bronco's own recruits are going to do. I expect the Cougs to be better in the upcoming seasons. The only unpredictable in my book is injury. Maybe you'd better be hoping for that because nothing else will slow down the Cougars under Bronco. He's exceeded all expectations, excepting his own, and is an excellent coach. You can always hope a BCS team will snatch him up, but he appears to love your hated Provo. Go COUGS!!

Why are you guys so jealous? I love the predictions of doom that you continue to have. We hear it every year. Then after the year is over you start over again with the forecast of doom for next year. The fact that you guys hate Bronco is a compliment to his success.

As a Ute fan, I have tried repeatedly to post a reply to some of the questions and comments you have made about the whole BronKo/Kyle/Urban deal. Unfortunately, the D-News employs a bunch of BYU fans to read through these comments to make sure that nothing too negative about BYU gets posted.

Even though I have followed every single rule in regards to posting, they continue to be censored.

Having said all that, just know this: Whittingham is a good coach. Why else have the win totals gone up each year since his first? I will admit BronKo is a better than average coach, but he has had to deal with very little adversity so far, and don't throw the 'Walk-on DBs' at me. Being a walk-on nowadays is more a matter of a team not having enough scholarships for everyone, not because the kids weren't talented enough to play D1 football.

We will see how good he is when he loses Hall or Unga for a couple of games or more. So far things have gone almost perfectly in Provo but they won't stay like that forever. BronKo will finally start to see some adversity this year.

I agree with Blue Chelan - Bronco gets more out of his guys than any coach in any sport that I've ever seen. BYU has MWC-level talent for the most part. But they've been heads and shoulders above the rest of the conference because Bronco gets max effort and commitment out of his guys.

One other thing - I've never seen a coach that is able to take it "one game at a time" the way Bronco does with the Cougars. It's a cliche for everybody else, but it appears to be the secret to winning for BYU.

He may coach at BYU for the next 20 years and follow LaVell Edwards into the NCAA Hall of Fame. He's that good, and that committed.

Let's see here . . . Urban M-E-Y-E-R changed the Utes helmets, BronKo changed byU's helmets . . . .

. . . . Urban M-E-Y-E-R always talked about being 'Fully Invested', BronKo had T-shirts made with 'Fully Invested' printed on them . . . .

BronKo is trying to imitate Urban M-E-Y-E-R's success by copying his motivational tactics.

Before any of you byU fans go and give BronKo all of the credit for these past two seasons, keep in mind he has largely been using Gary's and Lavell's leftovers. Kyle W-H-I-T-T-I-N-G-H-A-M has been relying on Urban M-E-Y-E-R's leftovers, most of whom have turned out to be very average.

As was proven with all of the Freshman and Sophomores that played last season due to all of the injuries, W-H-I-T-T-I-N-G-H-A-M has raised the level of recruiting significantly over that of his predecessors. Believe it or not, KW has been coaching his players 'up' the last three seasons. Most coaches, including BronKo, would have finished with far worse records these last three years given the talent KW inherited and the circumstances he has had to overcome.

Utah will be the better team for many years to come. Mark my words.

I don't think anyone has really posted an answer to this.

Is Bronco Bronco?

What does this mean?

And dude that has been posting Bronco spelled "BronKo" -- What, are you way more intelligent than the rest of us, or just a Ute Fan Moron acting stupid?

Bronco has done well in every way. I do believe, however, that he will suffer in the coming season if he buys into the hype about what the Cougars are projected to accomplish. Expectations are too high. He should downplay all of the hype about this team, now.

The challenges of the coming season are enormous.
concentrate on them. Pride goeth before a fall.

What kind of coach plays gives one of the best quarterbacks in college football 10+ seconds to throw a pass with no rush. What kind of coach lets a 4-18 play get completed against his defense?

I'm SO glad BYU has Bronco and not kyle. whew...

<<What kind of head coach lets his team run the ball from their own five yard line just seconds from half-time?>>

By the way, it was not Mendenhalls call, and um... they won.

Who wrote that article about Kyle being a better coach than Urban, are you not smart enough to spell their last names? It is Urban M-E-Y-E-R and Kyle W-H-I-T-T-I-N-G-H-A-M, but of course after reading your comments it was obvious you weren't very bright. It's also the offensive coordinator, Robert Anae, who calls the offensive plays, not BronCo, but then, you might not know what an offensive coordinator is. And to say Bronco is copying Meyer, I really see no similarities. Meyer, if you haven't noticed, likes to use running quarterbacks(Alex Smith, Tim Tebow), more a spread option offense. If you hadn't noticed, BYU doesn't run a spread option offense. If you say Mendenhall is trying to copy Meyer by making it to a BCS game...uh, duh. Whittingham has little choice but to separate himself from Meyer, it's called "job security". It's best if people don't expect him to be as good as Meyer.

Bronco makes Lavell seem like a stand-up comedian.

Bronco has raised the bar. I love him and his wife!

I love BYU and its principles.

And lest we mention that the Hog hopefully is fuel efficient, at least more than a four wheeler?

I do neuropsych testing and I have tested many, many patients with traumatic brain injury, that were injured while riding motorcycles. The sad stat, in a majority of the cases, is that it wasn't the motorcycle riders fault. Automobile drivers just don't see motorcycles and that makes them very dangerous.

I thought this article was about a BYU coach, not someone up north?!?

Bronco's image is what it is. He's himself. What we all perceive him to be is less important than what he really is. The truth is - He's changing young men's lives for the better AND winning football games.

I can't complain with that.

I hope that was therapeutic for you. It was for me. I'm still laughing.

But then again, maybe you're right, maybe Bronco is just a "decent" coach. Let's see ... two 11-2 seasons in a row, no league losses in the last two years, two consecutive wins over the U, Top 15 preseason ranking this year in all the polls, and great recruits pouring in ... yep, I'm happy with BYU's decent coach.

I'm willing to bet Coach Mendenhall doesn't care what anybody outside of his team and the BYU organization thinks of him...he's going to do things the way he thinks they should be done, and if others like it or not, he won't even notice. And I don't think he worries about projecting any type of image...other than his role as a coach, teacher and mentor to his players.

I don't think he was suggesting anything when he wrote that he rides a harley. He was just throwing that out there, telling us another thing Bronco likes to do. I don't think there is supposed to be tons of speculation on it. Riding a motercycle doesn't define who you are.

Anyways Bronco is sweet and I think he is doing a great job. And wow we have a guy who takes his religion as serious as his football. Its awesome.

He watched what Urban did during 03 and 04 and has been trying to imitate him ever since he got the BYU job. When the team hits hard times, and they will, he will be exposed as a coach with very few answers.

Kyle has done everything he could to seperate himself from Urban, and while it has been tough to get his players to buy in these last few years, it is starting to payoff. He will be a better coach in the long run than Urban was in the short run.

Kyle was a great linebacker in college, he was a great defensive coordinator, and now he is going to be a great head coach for many years to come.

BronKo was a decent defensive back in college, he was a decent defensive coordinator, and now he is going to be a decent head coach for many years to come.

What kind of head coach lets his team run the ball from their own five yard line just seconds from half-time?

This season BYU fans will all see why Kyle was BYU's first choice.

An article about Bronco riding a Harley. What a great, exciting peice of Jounalism. I've read some great articles in my day but this will be hard to top. Wow! Also, it would be nice if Mendenall could develop a personality.

Winning Football is roughly 80% Emotion. Bronco brings out the emotion in others. If he can compete with his players in sprints and endurance things it pushes them beyond what they would normally do on their own. When he gets older he will learn to wait until they are worn out from sprints and practice,then step up and beat them at the end of tough practice sessions and they will still shake their heads and wonder how in the world he can still do it Ha. Many will realize later in life just how he continued to challenge them at his age.By the time he no longer can pesonally compete with them, the love and respect will carry through and continue to motivate as he coaches the later generation into his retirement.So, as the saying goes, Bronco, just do it, to the utter ammasement of all your critics.Go Cougs !!!!

I AGREE ...BRONCO IS BRONCO.....AND I THINK THAT NOW THAT HE IS IN HIWS 4TH YEAR WE ARE GOING TO SEE HIS OWN RECRUITS STAND UP AND PERFORM.....IT COULD GET SCARRY GOOD BECAUSE HE IS NO PHONY AND HIS PLAYERS NOW IT....HE BELIEVES IN THEM AND THEY BELIEVE IN HIM...I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY PLAYERS ON THE SAME PAGE AND THAT IS NOT EASY....I HAVE BEEN A COUGAR FAN FOR SOME 46 YEARS AND THIS IS REALLY SPECIAL....."QUEST"....GO COUGS!!!!

I have to say that I'm surprised...not by the fact the Bronco Mendenhall rides a Harley, but some of the reactions here.

First of all, so what? I know riding a Harley used to reserved for the heavily rebellious crowd...but have you guys been paying attention for the past 15-20 years. Lots of guys ride motorcycles...guys with lots of different "images" so it's doesn't mean what it used to mean anyway.

Next, to the commenter above who says that if you didn't ride a motorcycle in your 20s, then you shouldn't do it later in life (Mendenhall is in his early 40s, not his 50s by the way). That's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

To that guy, and others like him, why don't you try to stop winning the award for the most boring guy on the planet?

I think Bronco is a fantastic coach and I love his "image." His surfing and Harley-riding hobbies make it even better. We church members need to be A LOT more comfortable with the idea that not everything in life can only be done in one way. Life isn't that simple...nor should it be boring.

One of the main reasons high-profile people like Bronco guard their privacy is so the public doesn't get into silly moral debates about every aspect of their lives. Maybe a little more discretion is in order for future articles.

I love that Bronco's riding a Harley, it's a great hobby for him and it sounds like he really enjoys it. Good for him for not feeling like he has to conform to a certain image. I like that he's not afraid to be himself. It would kill me if he go into an accident though! I think that Bronco is much too wise to do anything stupid on the bike.

Simply because there is a big religious subculture in Utah, this is a big deal. I guarantee there are other big name coaches in college football that do less in the community, for their school, and for their religion that ride motorcycles, or do even more questionable stuff and its not even a story. Bronco Mendenhall should be commended for what he has done with his team and not straying from his high moral paths. A fresh change.

I agreee some what with SJ Bobkins. However, I'm sure that he's been riding with his brothers before, and he probably didn't have the time or money to buy a hog when he was in his 20's. I'm a little uncomfortable with it (i.e. Ben Roethlisberger). It's not the riders being crazy as much as it is other people on the road not noticing you.

I like anything that gets the Utes riled up and Bronco does a great job at that. Keep up the work.

The Harley or the best indicator of the onset of a second childhood. Approaching my mid 50's I think I'll forgo the HD, hair transplants, Viagara, low rise pants, red convertibles, 30 years younger blonds, the toys played with by insecure aging men who can't deal with the fact.
Best advice- Act like you've been there before.
If you didn't ride a Harley when you were 20, you really don't need one when your 40-50.

Bronco's image is just fine. He is who he is. And that is what I like about him.

Let him age for 20 years in the position and he will look a lot like Edwards--stalking the sidelines with a perpetual frown on his face while the team churns down field like a machine.

Bronco is the right man in the place at the right time.

Oh, and as a side note, I really hate the new Utah licens plates with the word Utah in white with the red background... grrr... makes my blueblood biol down here in Las Vegas.

I have been very impressed with Broncho's leadership of young men since his arrival at the Y. I was particulary impressed as I heard the stories of the "Iron Man" contest that he conducts each year, and his leadership in usually winning the three events competing with young men nearly half his age. This is true leadership.

And now comes the "but". But, I have to question not only his leadership, but his judgement and sanity buy riding his Fat Boy to and from working with some 100 impressionable, testosterone storming, hit loving, risk taking young men.

I can tell you by many sad experiences of being an ER doctor for 30 years that street riding motorcycles is a manifestation of poor judgement, if not insanity. There will be nothing lovely, virtuous or of good report in scraping one of his own idolizing players of the street sometime in years to come.

The image is fine with me...

It is funny though, that coaches are able to be paid major money and take all kinds of perks, yet the players even take a donut from somebody and they are breaking the rules.

There seems to be a double standard in college football. Lots and lots and lots of money at the expense of free labor. (And don't say they get an education out of the deal, because most of them don't... They may get free tuition, but they simply don't get an education.)

Bronco is Bronco. He's no clone, no copy-cat. He does what he believes in and does what he thinks is important to get the job done. I wouldn't do some of the things he's done or is doing. So what. I couldn't win 1 football game. Bronco is doing it his way. For better or worse. So far it is better and during worse he'll still do it his way. But one of his ways is to look at the situation and problem and come up with solutions after seeking good counsel, research and contemplation.

Bronco is Bronco. 22-4 in two years isn't bad.

I don't even think Bronco thinks about his image. Ir's probably not anything in his vocabulary. He just is who he is.

Goes to show that Bronco is neither the robot nor the stuffy Mormon that some think.