Bronco Mendenhall Quotations

What's interesting is they're running the quarterback, running him effectively and running him often. Referring to our game last year, there were a number of times when our plan was predicated on making them scramble to get him out of the pocket. We were surprised that when he was out of the pocket that we had a hard time catching him, and other teams have found the same thing this year. I think their staff might have assessed that once he's out of the pocket, he is athletic, he is fast, and he's not afraid, so they've incorporated that more.

The only time you see me look at the sheet is if things aren't going well and I'm looking for anything. Mostly it is by feel by that point, and it is intuitive.

On my headset, our coaches told us it was a fumble. But I trust the replay system. They reviewed it and made the call,

If we play the run effectively we have an excellent chance to win the game, ... There's a demoralizing effect when you can't stop the run. When you know your opponent is going to run and you make your best call to stop it and they still get four or five yards, it has an effect on the defense in terms of physical play and losing those one-on-one battles.

Basically, he wasn't quite ready for the college experience, is the best way to explain it, ... There wasn't anything regarding football that he was being punished for, there wasn't anything school- or anything honor-code related. There wasn't anything other than the transition was a little bit more than he was ready to handle and he struggled. He just wasn't quite ready. I like him and I want what's best for him and his family. I'll support him any way that I can.

I give TCU credit, they made the plays to win.

He was confident with the football. He certainly wasn't afraid of contact; wasn't looking to run out of bounds. He was looking to gain positive yards. In fact, at the end of plays you see him tackled and then reaching the ball forward just to make a statement: One more yard.

He was confident with the football, ... He certainly wasn't afraid of contact; wasn't looking to run out of bounds. He was looking to gain positive yards. In fact, at the end of plays you see him tackled and then reaching the ball forward just to make a statement: One more yard.

With most teams I've had to guard against complacency with two weeks between games,

He was poised and gained confidence. I'm proud to be his coach.

I thought our offense moved the ball consistently from beginning to end. They overcame adversity in critical situations and the leadership of our quarterback and the resolve of the offense was exceptional.

I think we're three deep at linebacker. You might see nine different guys out there. I like the idea of fresh infantry. If you're high pressure like we are it can allow you to enforce your will on the other team. We have experience and we have athleticism, and we have a blend of both.

I think they (BYU players) want to win and they're willing. I also think we have a lot of work to do. It's amazing when you work against yourself, which is what we did today, the effort it takes to overcome that is different than when you're playing well.

I see it expressing leadership, saying something he believes, ... He says what he thinks. I'm glad he's confident and I like him being himself.

Players play how they're coached, ... Somehow I've got to get a way to get across to them differently to protect the football.

You also do a self-analysis of your own team in the first two games, and it is important to correct things with your own squad that need fixing.

Webb had over 250 yards against us with three passes over the top, so we made a concerted effort last year to make sure we had him contained. I believe he had three or four catches for not nearly the yardage, but that was after the fact of being exposed to what kind of an athlete he is. He shows that week in and week out.

Those three plays in the game are the negative plays,

Offenses may come up with a 20- or 25-play script to start a game. They add specific formations to see a defense react to it and use a specific motion to see what you are ready for. Really, those first 20 or 25 scripted plays may not have anything to do with down and distance. So, it is more reactive in a sense on offense, to see what the reaction will be.

There was more balance in plays that were made on both sides,

It was important for us just to get back in the bowl business, but now I think we want more. I still see this as the beginning of the road, and not the end of anything in our development.

TCU is going to come here and play hard regardless of what he said in a newspaper article,

It never crossed my mind. I've been asked that, through fans, e-mails and other things. John is, I think, getting better and better each week. San Diego State did a nice job of giving him a little bit different looks than what our first opponents have done. I expect him to be better from this point on.

They deserved to win and they outperformed us in every aspect of the game today,

They know we have a lot of improvement to make. Our goals are eight weeks down the road at the end of conference play. I've been happy with our practices,

I had to be out front as the head coach in the beginning, to set the agenda and expectations of the program, ... But then the players have the free agency to buy into it and take it upon themselves, referring back to the coaches when they need to. But there is a transfer of power, of leadership, that happens on a football team and it's day to day, where the players hold to the standard that has been established.

His body hasn't changed a lot from when he left here.