Mendenhall: Leaving New Mexico after one year wasn’t on his ‘radar’

Dec. 9—Bronco Mendenhall said leaving New Mexico for Utah State after one year wasn’t on his “radar” during his introductory press conference Monday in Logan, Utah.

Mendenhall was formally announced as the Aggies’ 31st head football coach on Friday. The 58-year-old Utah native led UNM to a 5-7 season in his first, and only, year with the program after signing a five-year, $6 million contract in May.

Mendenhall said the decision to leave UNM after one season was difficult, citing proximity to family with the opportunity to keep coaching as the primary reason for his departure. His three sons, Cutter, Breaker and Raeder, all live in Provo, Utah — home of BYU’s main campus — and 93-year-old mother, Lenore, lives in Alpine, Utah.

“To say there was another reason, there wasn’t,” he said. “Our chance to continue to do this with our family so close, man, that’s — who gets to do that? It’s just awesome. And that happens to be here in Logan and Utah State, with this rich tradition, the recent successes, past successes and the trajectory in the future?

“Gosh, that just made a lot of sense. I still feel for the kids there — in this world of (the) transfer portal and how it works, they might be more prepared now than in past eras (for when a coach leaves). (It’s) still difficult. And I think any coach that leaves a program that doesn’t feel that way probably hasn’t coached them hard enough.”

Describing himself as “probably the hardest coach to contact in-season,” Mendenhall said he was committed to UNM entirely through the end of the regular season on Nov. 30. In a press conference last Tuesday, he said he had not been in contact with or interviewed by Utah State.

Two days later, Mendenhall interviewed for the job in Logan. The Journal and other outlets reported his expected hiring on Thursday night before it was…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/mendenhall-leaving-mexico-one-wasnt-040200767.html

Author : Albuquerque Journal, N.M.

Publish date : 2024-12-10 04:02:00

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