This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Provo
Nobody can say for sure how all this will work out until the BYU Cougars meet defenses from the Southeastern Conference, the Big 12 and the Pac-12 in the first three games of the season, or even beyond that.
For now, everything suggests the shrewdest, craziest call of Bronco Mendenhall's coaching career turned out quite well.
Having told all five of his offensive staff members to pursue other jobs during the holiday break after a New Mexico Bowl victory against Texas-El Paso, Mendenhall, either by design or by accident, came out of the process with a dynamic, reorganized group.
Apparently, they all guessed right — those who were supposed to leave and those who were supposed to stay.
"That's probably an oversimplified way to say it," Mendenhall said.
Regardless, the result was that offensive coordinator Robert Anae resigned after six seasons (he later took a job at Arizona) and receivers coach Patrick Higgins moved to Purdue. Canadian Football League star Ben Cahoon replaced Higgins, and Joe DuPaix came from Navy to coach the running backs.
Of the holdovers, offensive line coach Mark Weber kept the same responsibilities, quarterbacks coach Brandon Doman was promoted to offensive coordinator and longtime assistant Lance Reynolds moved from running backs to tight ends.
"The idea is, I believe the program is capable of still more than has been accomplished the past six years, and I would like to see visible signs of that — not every other year or every third year," Mendenhall said. "It just felt like we kind of plateaued with the existing leadership."
Or plummeted, as BYU ranked 73rd in total offense during a 7-6 season. The Cougars actually recovered in the second half of the season, partly because the schedule eased. In the six losses, BYU averaged 12.0 points and 265.8 yards, compared with 38.2 points and 452.7 yards in the seven wins.
Even though this September's schedule of Mississippi, Texas, Utah and Central Florida is challenging, the Cougars should be way ahead of where they were early last season. With quarterback Jake Heaps, running back Joshua Quezada and receiver Cody Hoffman having improved throughout their freshman years and senior tackle Matt Reynolds anchoring an experienced line, BYU is positioned for a big year, offensively.
Promising to bring back the aggressive "BYU offense of old," Doman cites several coaches with ties to those days who have helped him devise the scheme. Norm Chow is not among them — for obvious reasons now that he's working at Utah. Clearly, though, Chow's influence will be in evidence on both sides when BYU and Utah meet Sept. 17 in Provo.
Doman, 34, has never called plays in a game, but he has all the makings of a bright, progressive coordinator and works well with the other coaches. He laughed when asked about the uncertainty of December, saying the way it all turned out is "pretty remarkable. … I couldn't be more pleased with who's on the staff and surrounding the players, and having the opportunity to be the coordinator."
Doman's offensive staff is "a very cohesive, unified group," he said. "The best part about it is, we understand our strengths and our weaknesses."
They've also played a role in a makeover of the head coach. Confirming an impression from interviews that he's less programmed and almost playful at times, Mendenhall said he's having "the most fun I've had."
2011 spring football tour
Today • BYU
Previously • Utah, Utah State
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BYU Cougars
The vibe • With no issues at quarterback this spring, BYU's entire operation seems more settled.
Can't wait 'til • Sept. 10. The game at Texas was already scheduled before BYU made its move to independence, but it still represents a new era of intersectional games.
Unresolved issues • How much will BYU's defense miss safety Andrew Rich's consistency and leadership? Can the offense improve against top-tier defenses? Will fans keep filling LaVell Edwards Stadium for games against unattractive opponents in October and November if the Cougars start slowly?