As UVa searches for his successor, Mendenhall seeks some normalcy

These are unique times at the McCue Center.

The Virginia football team has one more game to play this season. The Hoos learned on Sunday afternoon that it will be played on December 29th at historic Fenway Park in Boston, against 8-4 SMU in the inaugural Fenway Bowl.

But what comes after that postseason appearance is still a mystery. Bronco Mendenhall announced on Thursday that following the bowl game, he will step down after six seasons as UVa’s head coach. As the search for his successor looms over the program, the entire team will attempt to approach these next few weeks as business as usual—when it’s anything but.

“The principle is, or the belief is, I want the University of Virginia to grow and progress and advance from here forward,” Mendenhall told reporters during a Sunday evening virtual session to discuss the bowl announcement. “I don't want it to flatten; I don't want it to go down. I want it to advance.”

The Fenway Bowl is UVa’s fourth postseason trip in Mendenhall’s six seasons, his 15th total when including the 11 he led BYU to in 11 seasons as the Cougars’ coach. Bronco has never seen the baseball stadium’s famed Green Monster in person—or ever even been to Boston—and had told athletic director Carla Williams that, if given a choice among Virginia’s postseason bowl options, his preference would be to head to New England.

The bowl destination is likely the least of Williams’ concerns right now. She’d been forced to jump on board the coaching carousel this week following Bronco’s sudden decision to step away and refocus on his family. It’s the highest-profile opening in the UVa athletic department since Williams, who has not yet spoken publicly since the impending change was announced, was hired as AD in 2017.

As expected, the rumor mill has been working overtime all weekend. Penn State co-defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter, a Hall-of-Fame safety for the Hoos, and Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott have have had multiple conversations with UVa. Elliott is also connected to the Duke job; Poindexter a candidate for Penn State's defensive coordinator opening. On the periphery, other names continue to circulate, including Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning and Marshall head coach Charles Huff.

With that speculation circling around the program, coaches and players at UVa have attempted to find a semblance of normal. With final exams scheduled to start later this week, players have turned their attention to academics. Some have also begun contemplating their own futures.

Since the regular season ended, more than a half-dozen players have popped up in the transfer portal. Quarterback Ira Armstead and cornerback-turned-receiver Jaylon Baker both entered prior to Mendenhall’s decision to step away. Since Thursday’s announcement, first-year quarterback Jacob Rodriguez and offensive lineman Joe Bissinger—who both appeared in all 12 games this season—plus reserve defensive lineman Jordan Redmond and defensive back Joe White have also submitted their names.

On Monday, three long-time starters at Virginia—offensive linemen Bobby Haskins and Olu Oluwatimi and outside linebacker Noah Taylor—entered the portal as grad transfers.

Virginia’s normal protocol had been if a player entered the portal, he would finish his academic requirements at the school but no longer be part of the football team. That’s not the case under the current circumstances. With the uncertainty beyond the bowl game, Mendenhall said players in the portal can still practice with the team and will be available to play against SMU.

"They're anxious to meet their new staff and new coaches as soon as possible so they can choose,” Bronco explained, “because it's very difficult to walk away from the University of Virginia, and the education and experience here. So many are hopeful to stay. But they also have to be ready in case, for whatever reason, that might not fit at this particular time.”

UVa has not yet had a player opt out of the bowl game, Mendenhall added. He has spent most of his time on his ranch near Crozet since making his decision to step away. A few players, including ‘football player’ Keytaon Thompson and center Olu Oluwatimi, have saddled up with the head coach for some sincere conversations.

One discussion Mendenhall has not had yet has regarded the future of quarterback Brennan Armstrong. In the midst of his record-setting regular season, Armstrong emerged as a potential NFL Draft prospect this fall. Armstrong and a few teammates have submitted the necessary evaluation paperwork, Bronco said, but those reports have not come back. Those reports either indicate if a player is a likely first- or second-round pick, or is recommended to return to school.

“Surely, that’ll happen not only with him but with others,” Bronco said, “and most of that will be in relation to what his report from the NFL comes back saying.”

It’s also a unique time for the coaches on Mendenhall’s staff. This should be a pivotal recruiting window for the coaching staff, and some assistants are still out on the road. But others have remained in Charlottesville, focusing on analysis and self-scouting coming off the Cavaliers’ 6-6 regular season. Preparation for the SMU matchup likely won’t begin in earnest until the week before Christmas, once players are finished with exams.

In his time at UVa, Mendenhall has stressed the importance of those additional postseason practices that come with preparing for a bowl. The staff had previously used many of those extra sessions to get more work for younger, more inexperienced players further down the depth chart. But with a coaching change comes the possibility of scheme changes, rendering player development somewhat of a moot point this December. Instead, once the Hoos get back to work, the focus will be on the matchup with the Mustangs.

This is a situation Mendenhall has found himself in before. After he took the UVa job six years ago, he remained at BYU through the Cougars’ Las Vegas Bowl appearance against arch-rival Utah. That 35-28 loss was disastrous at the outset—they spotted Utah a 35-0 first-quarter lead after turning the ball over on each of their first five possessions—before the Cougars regained their composure and nearly rallied.

Emotions were difficult to manage that day, Mendenhall admitted on Sunday. It’s an experience that he hopes to learn from as he prepares for his final appearance on the UVa sideline.

“The focus on execution and consistency and any sense of normalcy I can add will be my responsibility,” Bronco said, “and at a higher level of managing the external environment and the internal environment than I did then.”

Normalcy. There will be little of that at the McCue Center over these next few weeks.

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