ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — University of New Mexico associate head football coach/defensive coordinator Bronco Mendenhall announced this afternoon that he has accepted an offer from Brigham Young University to become the school’s new defensive coordinator next season. Mendenhall will complete his fifth and final year at New Mexico by coaching the Lobo defense in the SEGA Sports Las Vegas Bowl game versus UCLA on Dec. 25.
“My family and I are very grateful to Rudy Davalos and Rocky Long for the opportunities we’ve had at UNM,” said Mendenhall. “We will miss the association with the players, coaching staff, athletics department personnel and the Lobo fans. It was a great five years.”
Mendenhall, 36, helped the Lobos finish second in the Mountain West Conference and 43rd in the nation in total defense this season, allowing an average of 345.5 yards per game. UNM improved 36 places, from 79th to 43rd, in the nation in total defense over its last four games when opponents averaged just 248 yards per game.
New Mexico’s defense was one of the only eight teams in NCAA Division I-A to rank in the top-20 in total defense in both 2001 and 2000. Last year’s squad ranked 18th nationally, allowing 310.8 yards a game, while the 2002 team was No. 17, yielding just 309.4 yards.