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A lot has happened since BYU's football team defeated the Cal Bears 42-35 on Nov. 28 to conclude its regular season with an 8-4 record.

It has all been off-the-field stuff, obviously, but for the first time since then coach Bronco Mendenhall met with reporters on Friday at the football offices lobby. And we had a lot of questions for him after the Cougars practiced for the second time in preparation for the Dec. 22 Miami Beach Bowl against Memphis. The first practice was Thursday, but Robert Anae ran it because Bronco was in Miami at a press conference.

Mendenhall's report on what he found:

"So after a long travel day to Miami yesterday, really excited for the game. Fantastic venue. The press conference was at Marlins Park, and man, it is a really nice field, retractable roof. Hotel is unbelievable, the beach is right across the street. The weather was amazing. And a really good opponent that has a lot of momentum. Six straight wins is what Memphis has going into the game, and a coach that has a lot of postseason accolades and is doing a lot of things at Memphis that the program hasn't done, when you start looking at their history.

So, really good matchup at a really good site. The bowl game is looking to do things first class. I left Miami really excited for our team, our players and the game. I expressed that to them in our team meeting this morning. We had a good practice today, and so another day of practice tomorrow."

Mendenhall was asked about the challenges of preparing for a bowl during finals week, his thoughts on the Big 12 getting snubbed in the CFP, reports that several players are leaving the program, the departure of Zach Nyborg to Oregon State, Gary Andersen taking the Oregon State job, his own interest in the OSU job, why he celebrated so much after the Cal win, and much more.

The interview went for more than 15 minutes. Here's a partial transcript:

On the challenges of having finals next week:

"Yeah, not ideal. We have gone through this I think almost every year. I know the five years in Vegas we had finals issues, and so the players really don't get a full week for finals. They have to have their finals done by Wednesday morning. So they really have a possibility in some cases teachers are letting them take finals tomorrow. But they have two days to handle their finals, which is not ideal. And especially with the type of academic school BYU is — hard, and that puts a lot of load on our guys. We are managing it the best we can, but really there is no good alternative there."

On what he made of Big 12 not getting into CFP:

"To be honest, I was hopeful that domino would fall, to generate dialogue. That if the Big 12 did not get a team into the playoff that the thought of, and maybe one of the reasons being, there wasn't a championship game. I was hoping that would be brought to light. With that, there is a lot of different reactions. I think the initial reaction was, you gotta have a championship game. When then there was a breath taken and a step back, then it was, well, somebody is going to be left out every year. It just happened to be us this year. And that's OK. I am not sure it is realistic, but it is OK. The next one is there is a petition format, that even if they don't have enough teams for a championship game, they can have one any way, and ask for that, which is a unique solution. I am not sure how I would feel if I were any of the other four leagues about that. Lastly, there is the idea of expanding the playoff to eight.

And by the way, most of the head coaches, we were polled maybe with three weeks left, or two weeks left in the season, most of the head coaches favor at least eight, and so that would be a way for the Big 12 teams to keep their money, without adding any other teams, and divided it amongst [themselves] and then having all the Big 5 teams get in, and then everybody is happy. So I am sure they are pushing for either one of the latter two options, would be my guess."

On whether BYU has contacted Big 12:

"You could ask Tom, in terms of the administration's standpoint. I have made it really clear: I think BYU is a fantastic fit, and deserving and would add a lot to the Big 12. And I think it is an awesome thing. In the meantime, we will play coast to coast, and anyone that will play us, basically anywhere.

But the administration I am sure is prepared and doing everything they can."

On his reaction to the coaching change at Oregon State, his alma mater:

"I know both coaches, so really interesting. I think my first reaction, knowing Mike [Riley] really well, he always believed Oregon State would be his last job and was really happy in Corvallis, and that was the type of town he would prefer to be in, kind of understated and kind of hometownish. He called Corvallis a five-minute town, rode his bike to work, and he and his wife really did a nice job building Oregon State's program. I think my initial reaction was like everyone else's, 'oh really.' But he will be successful anywhere.

"I can't speculate really on Gary, or any other coaching moves. There is just always more to a program, or what appears, than just when you see the brand that is presented maybe to the world on ESPN or GameDay. Clearly there are some things coaches really like, and some things where maybe they don't like. And really that reflects the moves. But really, at this time of year, anything is fair game, it seems like."

On whether anything can be done to keep coaches from leaving before bowl games:

"There is, and I actually proposed it as a member of the board. It was kind of just not even acknowledged. My simple thought it, similar to the NFL, is there is a time and a place for moves, and I don't think it is before a team has finished their season or bowl game. I don't think a head coach should be able to be contacted until his team is finished playing. And if they wanted to make that balanced, then wait until he last game is over, and part of the penalty of maybe hiring the wrong coach is it just hurt you in recruiting a little bit, but you have to assume that for a year. But the thought that then head coaches that have worked so hard with their players, and then get an upgrade and leave their players, I don't know a head coach that hasn't expressed frustration over one of his guys that wants a release or a transfer at some point. It seems like a double standard to me, and I think we are setting a poor example to leave a program before the final game."

On whether he had any interest in the Oregon State job:

"I think that the speculation, I think I was asked about that maybe more than anything else this season, just in a short amount of time, because it is my alma mater. And I think when you have a successful program, like we have, there is interest almost every year. I will probably just leave it at that. I am flattered that that continues to happen. I am just looking forward to coaching our team."

On how hard it is as a coach to weigh other opportunities when you are supposed to be coaching your team:

"It is really difficult for me, personally. I read a great book, and it talked about men not being very good multi-taskers, and women actually are very good multi-taskers. …. And so the idea of then focusing on preparing for an opponent, while then entertaining the thought of something else, and then putting enough work into that where you actually think about what are the schools for the kids, what does their recruiting class look like, where are they getting guys from, what are the salary pools, what is their APR? You have to go far enough to frame it, and in the meantime I am supposed to be able to multitask and say, OK, this is what they run on third down. And so I don't like it and I am not very good at it. I am much better with just closure and moving forward, and so I usually explain things pretty bluntly when I am asked about interest or vice-versa, so it can get to that point quicker."

On WR Dylan Collie and DB Dallin Leavitt leaving:

"Dylan Collie, man, that was a long time ago. So Dylan Collie, even before he came back from his mission, his dad contacted me and asked for a release. And so that was granted. That was a long time ago, before the season, I think. So he was still on his mission."

"Dallin Leavitt has asked for his release, and I have granted it. He has played his last game as a Cougar, and man I hope he finds a really good place that he can have a role that he likes and that he's happy."

On whether there were any stipulations for their release:

"No stipulations — nope. Any school that they want to go to. In general, there are plenty of coaches that want to hold a grudge about all that. BYU is a unique place. I want players here that love, and want to be here. And so if it is not that, then really I am not sure I should be the one to restrict where they might be able to go, or how."

On Brayden Kearsley's transfer desires and whether they are similar:

"Brayden Kearsley, he has some academic work to do before I would consider a release for him. And so he will be here at least one more semester. And most of the time, the way I do frame releases, without stipulations, once they qualify, is I would love for them to be in great standing academically before they leave. And there are two ways to look at that. There is an NCAA minimum threshold, and then there is a standard that our program won't lose an APR point if a player leaves. And I think that kinda part of just teaching maturity is that leaving is one thing knowing that teams have recruited around that spot and there is a depth issue. The other thing is, I don't think it is right for a player to leave and then the program to be penalized a point for maybe poor academic performance. So in most cases, I give them a great chance, and then ask them to then stay long enough to make sure their grades are exactly what they need to be.

Then as far as I am concerned, they leave on great terms and can go where they would like."

On whether there are any other players leaving:

"Not that I know of. Oh, so Trent Trammell will graduate it looks like this semester, and his intention is to do what Jordan Leslie and Keanu and some of those guys did, is after he graduates find another place for his senior year."

On whether Craig Bills play in bowl game:

"No, I don't. Craig is what originally had, for the majority of the time, concussions symptoms. Really, what we found is that is stemming from ….. some neck injury. So after the head has cleared, what we realized, is that the diagnosis has moved down a little bit. We are not anticipating him playing in the bowl game."

On director of football ops Zac Nyborg leaving:

"Nope [no bowl game]. Yesterday was his last day, so I was gone unfortunately. The players did a nice job of acknowledging him. Zac did a nice job for us when he was here, so I am sure both he and Gary will, because they have a long history together. So it is a great fit for those guys to be back together. I spoke to him on the phone and I wished him well."

On getting a strength coach to replace Jay Omer:

"There is progress, but nothing to announce. My guess now that we are this deep into bowl preparations, I was hoping to have it done prior to, but that is not going to happen. Our intent is to have that done before the offseason program starts, which is right when school begins in January-ish, whatever that date is. So that will be happening through Christmas break. We will have a great list of candidates, and I am really excited about the possibilities. Timing, though, isn't as fast as I was hoping."

On CB Jordan Johnson getting another year:

"Not sure yet. Not sure. Too many variables compliance-wise, academic-wise and all that to even speculate."

On the celebration after Cal game being posted on the internet and on the screens at the lobby outside his office:

"Holy cow. Who put that up? And what parts of it? That was the only one this season that was like that."

On why such a big celebration:

"A lot went into it, and I am talking the entire season. Yeah, there was a culminative effect of not only this season, but a lot of work. I dunno, it just came out in that game, and maybe the nature of how that game ended as well. Pulling for these guys and our staff, and through the adversity that we had. Eight wins, to me, is significant. And nine is even more. And for this team to be able to accomplish that, and continue winning and the way we have been able to win at BYU, I think maybe all of that kind of game to a head.

Man, I can't believe that is up there. I feel like I am only partially dressed right now."