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Provo • Naval Academy athletic director Chet Gladchuk said early Saturday that coach Ken Niumatalolo's interest in the vacant BYU position created an "unnecessary distraction" before the team's biggest game of the year, a 21-17 victory over Army.
If that was a distraction, imagine how BYU's players must feel.
The Cougars will also face their biggest rival, Utah, on Saturday in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl (1:30 p.m. MST, ABC) at Sam Boyd Stadium. Although Bronco Mendenhall will coach in the game before turning his attention full-time to his new job at Virginia, distraction and uncertainty has been a way in life in Provo the past 10 days.
Whatever the case, the program's future could drastically change on Monday.
As his agent, Evan Beard, told the Capital Gazette of Annapolis, Md., on Thursday, Niumatalolo will visit BYU on Monday. The coach confirmed that on ESPN's "College GameDay" show Saturday morning, saying that the BYU opening "is just different for me. My faith is everything to me. That is the only reason that I felt like I need to listen to what they have to offer."
Beard told The Tribune on Sunday that "nothing has changed" in his client's mind since the win over Army and Gladchuk's comments. Beard would not confirm whether Niumatalolo has been offered the job or not.
However, it is almost certain that Niumatalolo has been told the job is his if he wants it, because schools simply do not bring an established head coach to town — and allow that visit to be announced by that coach's agent — for a mere interview.
Obviously, there are several other issues in play, namely Niumatalolo's salary at BYU, how much BYU can afford to pay his assistant coaches, and whether he will run the triple-option offense if he wants to, that will have to be discussed. But it would not be a surprise if he leaves Provo on Monday night or Tuesday morning with the job.
If so, there will be one less distraction in a month that's been full of them.
As was reported by The Salt Lake Tribune on Thursday, Virginia announced Saturday that Mendenhall will take six of his assistants with him to Charlottesville: offensive coordinator Robert Anae, quarterbacks coach Jason Beck, running backs coach Mark Atuaia, offensive line coach Garett Tujague, secondary coach Nick Howell and special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach Kelly Poppinga.
Strength coach Frank Wintrich is probably out the door as well, although nothing has been announced in that regard. Obviously, the new coach will determine who stays among Wintrich, receivers coach Guy Holliday, defensive line coach Steve Kaufusi and inside linebackers coach Paul Tidwell.
Mendenhall, the departing coaches and the men whose futures are still in limbo ran practices all last week in Provo. Players said Thursday the intensity and focus was still high, but the overall tone of the workouts was a tad less serious. Tight end Remington Peck called them "more loose" and "more fun" and "how postseason should be."
All the players agreed, however, that the uncertainty makes this a less-than-ideal time to face the No. 20 Utes, especially considering Utah has won the last four meetings, one a blowout and the other three one-score games.
Receiver Mitch Mathews said playing Utah "has helped silence the drama, or concern, over who is going to be the next coach." But he did acknowledge that there's been "talk and speculation" in the locker room regarding the new coach, and that hasn't helped with the bowl focus.
"Everybody on this team wanted to play Utah," Mathews said. "… The fact that it is Utah, we are extra-focused for them. … This is the best option [other than a New Year's Six bowl], to play them. Great venue, the Las Vegas Bowl, so close, and sold out. You couldn't ask for a better situation without going to a bigger bowl."
The only drawback is the coaching situation, and it is significant, senior Terenn Houk said Thursday.
"I mean, starting with that Nebraska game and that catch by Mitch [Mathews], you just knew that this season was going to be something special, and I can't think of a better way to end than play Utah in a bowl game with a chance to get 10 wins, Bronco's 100th win," said Houk. "We didn't think that we would ever play them this year, and then all of a sudden it is reality. So, it is a cool feeling."
Mathews and Peck are the only Cougars who have ever defeated the Utes, back in 2009, although neither pass-catcher played in the 26-23 overtime win that year. Seniors such as Houk and defensive tackle Graham Rowley are 0-2 against their rival, the 20-13 loss in Provo in 2013 and the 24-21 loss in Salt Lake City in 2012.
"With everything that is going on, and having a lot of things out of our control, this is the only thing where we can control the outcome," Houk said. "So I think all that frustration and maybe those emotions that we don't know how to feel, we put all that into studying film and into working harder on the practice field. That way, once it is just us against Utah, hopefully we can just release all that."
Twitter: @drewjay