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Provo • Bronco Mendenhall is taking BYU offensive coordinator Robert Anae with him to Virginia.
BYU receiver Mitch Mathews said Wednesday night that Anae told the offensive players "in a heartfelt way" in a meeting earlier Wednesday that he has accepted a position as the offensive coordinator at Virginia.
"It was very, very short," Mathews said. "He didn't say very much about the logistics, or as to why. He just told us he was leaving."
Anae will take quarterbacks coach Jason Beck, running backs coach Mark Atuaia and offensive line coach Garett Tujague with him to Virginia, having hired the three coaches and receivers coach Guy Holliday when he became BYU's offensive coordinator in 2012 for the second time.
Mathews said Holliday also met with the receivers on Wednesday, but did not discuss his future.
The receivers coach noted via Twitter that he has recently closed on a home in South Jordan and would like to remain at BYU if the school will have him.
Obviously, that will be the decision of the new head coach, who BYU has yet to hire, and the new offensive coordinator.
"Coach Anae just wanted to be up front with us and let us know that he is all-in for this game, and that is 100 percent where his focus is, with this game, and then he talked about the rivalry [with Utah] and how big that is and how he wants to finish strong."
Vegas Bowl welcomes Cougars
John Saccenti, executive director of the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl, appeared at a news conference with coach Bronco Mendenhall on Wednesday night at the BYU Broadcast Building and officially welcomed the Cougars to the game.
"In truth, absence makes the heart grow fonder," Saccenti said, noting how both sides needed a break after the Cougars appeared in the game five times from 2005 to 2009, but not since.
Saccenti went out of his way to thank Mendenhall for sticking around to coach the bowl game.
"When we found out he was still coaching in the game, we were very relieved," Saccenti said.
Canada could play
Mathews said that BYU's first practice preparing for the Utes on Wednesday including a new face on the offensive side of the ball: running back Squally Canada.
The transfer from Washington State is expected to be eligible to play in the game because he will have spent an entire year sitting out.
"He looked good out there," Mathews said.
Briefly
Saccenti said the winner of the game will be able to brag about having more Las Vegas Bowl wins than any other team. Both teams have three victories in the bowl. … Saccenti said he has seen reports that bowl officials could add more seats to Sam Boyd Stadium, but "I don't see how it is possible to add more seats there."
Twitter: @drewjay