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Provo • BYU football coach Bronco Mendenhall smiled a little broader, laughed a little more and had a bouncier spring in his step on Friday morning as the Cougars wrapped up the third week of 2015 spring camp.
Mendenhall's positivity wasn't just because oft-injured senior quarterback Taysom Hill"threw the ball really, really, really well today," or because some 325 high school coaches from nine states were on hand for a clinic and to watch the workout.
The program received some "great news" on Thursday when ESPN.com reported that the Southeastern Conference (SEC) will count all independents (BYU, Army, Notre Dame) toward its mandate that beginning in 2016 SEC schools must play at least one nonconference game a season against a team from a Power 5 conference, Mendenhall said.
"To now have the recognition by every major conference that BYU is a P5 team, a P5-caliber team, and wants to schedule [BYU], that's great news for everybody," he said.
However, the SEC's blessing, which comes on the heels of a similar declaration from the ACC, doesn't change the coach's desire that BYU get into a P5 conference ASAP.
"I think the advantage [of being independent] is scheduling," Mendenhall said." The disadvantage is revenue. And so the television contract, in relation to being a member of one of those conferences, is still not the same. This [announcement] doesn't change it as far as I'm concerned. It makes it nice to be recognized, and it is nice to have that acknowledgement, but as far as I'm concerned, I would still like to head in that direction [of joining a P5 conference]."
Holmoe's take on nod
BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe, who is in Pittsburgh fulfilling his duties as a member of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Selection Committee, released the following statement on Friday:
"The SEC's decision, along with the previous announcement from the ACC, is exciting news for Cougar Nation. It won't change our approach to scheduling because we are already playing as many P5 schools as possible; however, it might help our efforts in the future. BYU has a proven football tradition of excellence, as demonstrated by our No. 5 national ranking in total wins over the past 40 years. Although we are independent in football, we believe we are a Power-5 caliber program and are grateful to the SEC and ACC for their willingness to consider us as such for football scheduling."
Series dates set
BYU and Mississippi State confirmed on Friday an ESPN report that they have agreed to a two-game football series. The first game is set for Oct. 15, 2016 in Provo and the second game will be played at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., on Oct. 14, 2017.
The series is tied 1-1, with MSU having won 44-28 in Provo in 2000 and BYU having won 41-38 in 2001 in Starkville.
"To be able to play them in October, starting in Provo, and a home-and-home with a great SEC team, man, if I am saying what is the model, and what am I hoping for? That would be it," Mendenhall said."It is great to be able to get the caliber of team like that to play home and home," Mendenhall said.
Twitter: @drewjay —
Developments through three weeks of BYU spring camp:
• Coach Bronco Mendenhall said QB Taysom Hill "threw the ball really, really, really well" on Friday as the Cougars practice in front of hundreds of high school coaches
• Mendenhall and athletic director Tom Holmoe said the SEC counting BYU as a P5 nonconference opponent is exciting news for the program
• A home-and-home series with Mississippi State (2016 in Provo, 2017 in Starkville) was confirmed on Friday. For more updates from BYU's spring camp, including Mendenhall's thoughts on which players are performing well and why some players are missing camp, go to the BYU sports blog at http://www.sltrib.com/blogs/byusports.