Five years ago, BYU was looking to hire both these guys

Five years after BYU's Bronco Mendenhall and Utah's Kyle Whittingham became head coaches a few days apart, it is time to declare a winner: Tom Holmoe, BYU's athletic director.

He tried to hire both coaches, making two good choices.

It will remain one of the most unlikely developments in the rivalry's history, how the football programs had coincidental coaching vacancies and targeted Whittingham, Holmoe's former BYU teammate and an 11-year Utah assistant.

"Pretty unique," Holmoe can say now, knowing the mutually happy ending.

"It's fair to say that both schools have found something pretty special," added Holmoe, who then was an associate athletic director, overseeing football during a transition period.

As the coaches prepare for their fifth meeting Saturday in Provo, they claim the combined achievements of three Mountain West Conference titles, a Bowl Championship Series victory and two rewritten contracts, while winning more than three-fourths of their games.

Another league championship is unlikely for either -- Texas Christian would have to lose to New Mexico to fall into a first-place tie -- but Mendenhall and Whittingham have extended their success this season with 9-2 records and Top 25 rankings going into the rivalry game, followed by bowl games.

Whittingham's Sugar Bowl win trumps Mendenhall's two MWC titles. Otherwise, their performances are remarkably even, with Mendenhall's 47-15 overall record giving

"They've really done a great job, both of them," said former BYU coach LaVell Edwards. "They're different people ... but they've got a plan in mind and they stick to it."

They have varying job descriptions, besides having stepped into contrasting situations.

Whittingham had to follow Urban Meyer, who moved to Florida after leading Utah to an unbeaten season in 2004. As of early in the '07 season, Whittingham's record was 16-13, amid grumblings about him and his staff.

Since then, he's 30-3.

"To watch how the program has progressed ... has been awesome," said Ute offensive lineman Zane Beadles, a team member for all five of Whittingham's seasons. "He's a guy that never gets too low, never gets too high. He's just steady, and I think the team really takes that to heart and really takes over that persona as well."

Mendenhall replaced Gary Crowton, who resigned after three straight losing seasons. With BYU on the verge of a fourth straight 10-win season, Mendenhall's only perceived failure is not having taken his team to a BCS game.

Yet, like Whittingham, he seems more comfortable than ever.

"He's definitely changed as a head coach -- changed a lot, actually," said tight end Andrew George, a fifth-year senior. "He's just not as serious off the field, especially around us, joking with us a lot more."

Mendenhall dropped his first two conference games in 2005. After changing his offense's approach to include more running, he's 33-4 in MWC play since then. Whittingham made a major personnel decision this year, having freshman Jordan Wynn become the No. 1 quarterback in the eighth game.

Both programs have successfully emphasized good behavior by the players, but Mendenhall's mission is directed even more toward off-field issues at a church-owned school.

"I thought it was a football coaching position when I began," he said. "I've realized [football's] a part of it, but I'm not sure if I'd be brave enough to say what percentage."

On Saturday, football will be the focus for both sides. And two coaches who always will be linked together have to admire what the other is doing.

"I think their teams execute well, I think they play hard, and I think that it is very similar to what has happened down here," Mendenhall said, applauding Utah's consistency.

"They've won a bunch of games and it seems very, very similar to what coach Edwards had going back in the '80s and '90s," Whittingham said.

kkragthorpe@sltrib.com

Lya Wodraska and Jay Drew contributed to this story.