This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Provo

By beating Washington in the season opener, Bronco Mendenhall posted his 50th victory as BYU's football coach.

Four weeks later, he's stuck there.

The extremes of his career — from conference championships and bowl wins to the current four-game losing streak and a staff shake-up — illustrate two things:

Mendenhall knows what he's doing.

Just as clearly, he's still trying to figure it out.

It all makes his explanation for what's happening in his sixth season equally impressive and distressing. He may have some answers, but he also may be implementing them too late.

Much of what Mendenhall said in Monday's news conference, discussing the dismissal of defensive coordinator Jaime Hill, reflected honesty. Having him describe an underachieving team, a group whose "heart and soul" he's failing to capture, was refreshing. So was his citing this as "a pivotal time in our program."

The immediate question becomes whether this season can be saved. Beyond that, there's the whole issue of how quickly BYU can regroup to make itself relevant in the move to independence. I'll say this: A midseason firing suggests BYU wants to win as much as anybody else, which is basically a good trait.

After winning 43 games in four seasons and directing a program that the school's administration and ownership admire, Mendenhall did not suddenly lose his mind. Yet he has mismanaged this 2010 team, mostly stemming from his August choices to split the quarterbacking job and take himself completely out of the defensive coaching.

An unfortunate injury to Riley Nelson solved one situation, making Jake Heaps the full-time quarterback. The other issue required Mendenhall's actually making a decision, firing Hill and taking over the job himself.

Call it fixing a case of good intentions and bad results. This is not the first season Hill called the defensive schemes, but Mendenhall distanced himself too much.

"Certainly, you look back and say it was a mistake," Mendenhall said.

Mendenhall tried to empower Hill, amid the demands and expectations of his own position that go far beyond football. Much less, for example, is asked of Utah coach Kyle Whittingham away from the football complex. Yet Whittingham is the model of using his expertise. He's not the defensive coordinator, but he's heavily involved.

Mendenhall initially was his own coordinator, but backed off more and more. And now BYU is 120th (last) in the country in rushing defense and 101st in total defense.

Worse, the Cougars appeared to lack motivation and inspiration in Friday's 31-16 loss at Utah State. Defensive end Vic So'oto spoke of "a bad job as seniors" in helping young players become "game-ready" and "BYU-ready." Offensive tackle Matt Reynolds, the son of an assistant coach, said coaching is "not being absorbed fast enough."

But all of that is the responsibility of Mendenhall and his staff, and he knows it. He's doing something about it.

"I was not having enough influence," he said.

By personally getting more involved, showing the players he's "fiercely committed," Mendenhall expects to "make a real difference in our program."

Aside from the "philosophical differences" Mendenhall cited, Hill was a victim of working for a coach with a defensive background. Mendenhall obviously would not have fired Robert Anae and taken over the country's No. 96-ranked offense, but he could do so with the defense.

The players contend they're not that far away. "You go back and look at the film, it's one or two plays that change the entire game," So'oto said. "Someone catches a ball, someone makes a tackle, someone fills a gap, our record is different."

Instead, it is 1-4. He never seemed to make this point so strongly during those 11-win seasons, but Mendenhall still says he will not judge his team exclusively by wins and losses.

"Everyone else will," he said, "and I understand that; it's OK."

kkragthorpe@sltrib.com Twitter: @tribkurt —

Saturday's game

P San Diego State (3-1) at BYU (1-4), 4 p.m. TV • The Mtn.