Reider's Block Ep. 6 - w/Coach Bronco Mendenhall

[Music] all right welcome back to episode six of riders block hosted by Yours Truly Sean Ryder Journal staff writer today we are joined by a very special guest uh New Mexico head football coach Bronco menal Branco thanks for coming on today glad to be here well just want to dive right into it I mean you've been the head coach here for just over 6 months I believe uh you've already had some good accomplish good accomplishments so far I think a 3.22 highest ever program GPA was announced yesterday but I I mean just kind of a broad question I mean how have the last six months or so been for you yeah that is a broad question um transformational I would say but that's uh by intent so transforming the program that's our intent transforming young people helping them become right more and better versions of themselves um indicators happening along the way at least some that are areas uh relatively related to football but our program again is comprehensive um on the field certainly matters and those results are essential but really every part of the program matters to me and growth and progress and development has to happen in every part of the program which is I think while the job is so fulfilling and exhausting and um necessary all at the same time so you mentioned the the grade point average anytime there's a first ever not first sense first senses are very powerful and they also are meaningful and so it might be first since and the longer the year span the better first Evers are different that means since the Inception of an institution or the Inception of keeping record or something like that it's never happened before or never been as good as and so the significance of a grade point average from December till now that's never happened before um I think is a good indicator of an approach not specific to academics um but relative to relative to every part of the program and so while certain areas will grow at different um rates yeah uh numbers matter to me facts matter percentages matter and outcomes matter and so I love super high expectations I call them extreme expectations and I love um Fierce accountability and that's part of our culture academ or uh the accountability part the discipline part the effort part and really what I've learned over this will be my 18th year being a head coach is when accountability um is married with discipline and then kind of brought to life through effort in relation to yeah extreme expectations results usually follow I'd love to guarantee the result um I'm stopping short of that um but the record says more often than not um there is strong results and pretty amazing young people and as we continue to talk just the academic part um it's it's really not a surprise to myself and my staff usually academic success has come not only at BYU and usually better than what it was at the University of Virginia which is an amazing institution better than what it was my job and why I was hired was to move every part of this program forward make it better than what it was and my job is conditional on that and it's play it plays out in front of everyone to see um which is just how uh the nature of College athletics and being a head football coach works you did just mention you know the idea of fulfillment and exhaustion kind of taken over sometimes uh in that 6month period I mean does it feel like it's been 6 months at all it does it feel longer or maybe even shorter in some way it feels significantly longer most of the time uh but then yeah when reflecting really short we've only been here since but feels like and that's kind of how a lot of our staff conversations start we've only been here since but feels like but I think that happens when there's a lot to do and I think most people are happiest right when they're stretched both their mind and their body and something they volunteer for that's difficult and worthwhile and a lot of the reasons why I'm here is this job is difficult and worthwhile and there's a lot of work that has to be done and it's worth doing and so that's yeah I'm fulfilled by that spring practice was kind of the first taste that we saw of a lot of that work and stuff like that with a little more time to digest I mean last time I talked to you I believe was literally right after spring practice concluded I mean what kind of were your final Impressions and thoughts of what you guys got done in that spring period yeah really just a starting point um installation offensively and defensively in terms of scheme application of culture Personnel assessment H man lots of teaching and lots lots of expectation management and really uh assessing and then re architecting where the program is from where the reference points showed they are and showed where we are in relation to the tasks that we have ahead and so every day was feedback and with feedback we learn and then we apply and then we compete and we execute and then we do it again and so the feedback loop is always going and so spring gave us the beginning of the feedback loop which then helped us frame and architect this next time period which is June and July which is the equivalent of a second off season uh similar to January February marchish prior to Spring practice so it's a second off season it's smaller in terms of its window urgency is increased if that's possible um with the addition of basically um a significant number of new players with less time to on board them and get them ready for uh what the players that arrive in December have had a chance to do I spoke with uh offensive coordinator Jason Beck last week and he mentioned that kind of the focus at least for the offense the way he's kind of approaching it in terms of uh this kind of you know summer period is making the things that you guys are already good at making them great in some ways how is what is your overall approach to you know June and July heading into fall camp and whatnot there's a lot and so what Jason was talking about is just simply from the book good to Great many of us when we think about becoming great we target what we're not good at and then we work really hard to see if we can transform that into being great that's actually a flawed model uh the way to become good go to uh from Good to Great is take what you're already good at and and then accelerate that spend a disproportionate amount of time on that to make good to great now that only works if right you don't have any fatal flaws that means things that are so poor in your program or so poor in your coaching or so poor in your execution that it's below industry standard that means that it gets in the way of even being good so we have to assess and look at anything that's significantly below industry standard make sure that's moved to at least where we can function and function as others do and then all the rest of the attention is from as Jason mentioned good to great so applying that now in the offseason yeah continued work on scheme Improvement continued work on strength and conditioning continued work on Dynamic movements continued work on culture development a special focus on our first four opponents onboarding um what's been added as 60 new players since we've arrived 17 new scholarship players since the end of spring practice um with a weak Zero game game which is less time to do it in so we have lots going on kind of flipping things uh to the process of putting together a roster I mean first off just kind of the lead you know you guys had a not insign insignificant number of guys kind of uh leave you know right after the season and throughout Spring ball and all that but to my knowledge I don't think you had anybody leave directly after spring practice was any of that surprising to you I know it was transitional period but in the modern atmosphere of college football I mean did that surprise you at all we were hopeful that that would happen and surprise would be probably be too strong of word um we anticipated a possibility but we really didn't think that it would happen and and so I'll I'll frame that to our listeners really for the group of five level football team the the time that causes probably most anxiety other than the season for head coaches is when spring practice is done it's the second portal period and most of the time what used to be called Power five or autonomous 4 now whatever the word is using for teams that have a lot of money um whatever word that is those teams usually assess their roster after Spring and most of the time they're not looking for starters but they're looking for critical backups where do they look um including tampering um they look at the group of five schools good players from group of five schools that then they then can buy offering two three four or five times the amount if they are making any any nil money and they do that after spring practice the challenge then is for a group of five team who do you replace someone with after spring practice and what pool do you draw from prior to the season to do that effectively and so to your point uh 17 players in our program from after my arrival um through spring practice had chosen to leave the program um however when spring practice was over from players that we were counting on that we valued that we needed that we wanted and that we had penciled in in significant spots not a single one left uh there's a underlying endorsement there of direction there's an underlying endorsement of confidence uh of support but also belief that not only what we're doing will work that they feel actually lucky and grateful to be part of it and they're anxious to have the role that they had carved out to that point that doesn't guarantee anything for anybody other than um I would say a beautiful start and anytime a coach at the group of five level can hold on to their roster through spring and through the period that we just did you have to count that as a victory and which we did I think one guy in particular that had uh you know even before you came in had certainly carved out a role in the program's future uh Devon dampier I mean I think it was wasn't even through the first week of uh spring practice I mean I think it literally was the second practice we asked you and he said yeah right now I mean Devon's our quarterback at the moment I mean how big is it in some ways to you know kind of have a guy a young guy that you're coming in with this program and you know he is you don't have to go through an elongated you know quarterback battle or quarterback competition in some ways even though competition is often a good thing yeah I think it can be a good thing a quarterback um it's challenging to manage that knowing that one of the keys to success and Improvement is repetition quality repetition and deliberate practice anytime deliberate practice repetitions are split usually Improvement is slowed U we happened to have a quarterback returning in Devon dampier uh but at most points through call through our spring practice he was our only quarterback with injuries and that means he got every repetition he was clearly our number one prior to injury uh why was I impressed with where he's starting from what his capabilities are and many coaches it it's a pretty um consistent adage that you'll hear when you have a quarterback you have a chance there's a disproportionate value to quarterback at Brigham Young University when we had taes Hill you've got a great chance no matter who we played including University of Texas who whoever you think is significant in college football when you have a great quarterback you have a chance if he can run and throw you have even a better chance when he's an experienced and great decision maker Andy can run and throw you have even a better chance and the team knows that the same at the University of Virginia in the jump we took from 2 and 10 to the Orange Bowl Bryce Perkins um there's a lot of other factors that would say yes we improved our program at the University of Virginia and at BYU if you really said what was the most significant factor it's quarterback play and I really like what I've seen from Devon so far we've added two junior college players at quarterback I really like both of them and we get both Justin holiday and Isaiah Chavez back healthy our quarterback position is deep it's competitive um and we'll have to sort really through not who number one is necessarily but our sucession planning and what the roles for others might be and so that's a different challenge than naming a starter running back in particular uh I mean you guys and we've talked about a lot throughout the spring you guys added Eli Sanders from Iowa State Javon Jacobs from Arizona State and then most recently nari Rogers from Campbell but you also pulled Andrew Henry out of the transfer portal as well as along with I think chrisan Ellis was another withdrawal and I think um I think tavien was L Taven comes was another withdrawal so two guys in the secondary there I mean and you talk about kind of the hold and stuff like that how how big it was it to get some of those guys returned out of the portal as well well I I think there there's a word that we use or a phrase that we use in our program and it's not original to us it's real recognizes real I I don't share anything really with you or any of my players that's not real and so I simply presented an opportunity with their realistic idea of what this is going to look like what it's going to require which I I presented how difficult and challenging the program is but the opportunities that lie ahead and what their role in the transformation could be and they chose to either stay or come and that's an amazing thing in addition to the players you mentioned um soulj May uh miav mayave is coming also from Brigham Young University and so yeah there's uh the depth the versatility and while they're all listed possibly at running back yeah that won't describe what they do and so they could be lined up at multiple positions will be used in multiple ways in different combinations sometimes two three or four on the field at the same time doing different things and Bill bellich right had a really cool saying the more you can do the more you can do and I've kind of added another part to that um the more you can do the more you can do and the more you can do the more valuable you are and so when we have players that can catch the ball can run the ball um can return kicks all of a sudden those guys become and our program becomes more versatile and deeper and so besides the quarterback position anytime we're talking ball handlers you're talking outcome the team culture has to be great the physicality has to be on point the competitive Spirit and the execution and the consistency all those things I'm not dimin diminishing any of those but when the players that touch the ball are capable skilled driven um and talented that increases our chances to be clear soulj is playing running back that's the plan right now that's a great running back is is yeah we'll just put ish on the and you might just call it that position and we'll just see I'm not quite sure yet I think you guys at Virginia on the depth charts you would sometimes just list football guy football player football player yeah I would put him in that category Kon Thompson for uh UVA was that player and so we like football players because they play football and they do about anything you want them to do so he's in that category but so some of those other guys are as well that you mentioned so we can expect a a football player or two on the depth chart come uh come August it's possible we might Rebrand it here at UNM or you might just see football player I don't know what we'll call it um but you'll know the intent I want to ask you about a couple more football players you guys did recently add you announced 13 official transfers last week um I think seven on the defensive side of the ball if I'm correct I man I I I don't know I'll Trust your I'll take your word for it I I do believe yes uh my notes here are saying eight transfers in the defense side of the ball three linebackers four DBS three that have played time spent time at corner uh one that spent time at safety and then at one defensive lineman I know linebacker had been a uh kind of a position that you side in the spring is a place where you guys at the very least just needed more numbers at um but what was I mean your kind of overall Approach at least maybe if you want to portion the defensive side of the ball out you know in this spring portal period to just to kind of fill things in yeah I think you've addressed it um our numbers reflect our needs and our needs reflect our assessment on what we saw in the spring and so when we see we act and I think we act effectively efficiently and usually successfully and so we added in relation to deficiencies that we saw depth needs that we assessed or quite frankly um maybe ability that had to be enhanced so any of those needs were in relation to of those three things that had to happen and had to happen immediately for this program and this current team to have the success and the best chance for Success that we're all hopeful for I want to ask you about those three linebackers Tyreek Austin cave a West Virginia transfer by way of Miami Randolph kapai I believe I'm pronouncing that correctly a uh transfer from Nebraska and Nico bowler um a transfer from Diablo Valley Community College what do those guys bring to the table in that room in particular yeah not in any particular order numbers not uh numbers most um probably importantly we need a depth we need a numbers that's not only to play defense but it's to play special teams those body types that can run hit and Tackle yeah it's hard to play defense or cover a kicks without those body types and so we looked hard for players that could do that um I feel really good about each of those three and that's as good as you can feel on tape until they arrive and now they've been through they're finishing their second week of workouts those are non-con workouts that are strength and conditioning oriented only um but you can still assess did what I see on film in terms of movement is that real and were we accurate i' would say yes on all three in terms of Personality hard with the amount of time that you have after spring to really get to know and so we ask really pointed questions we we're very uh diligent and and deep in terms of our inquiry that doesn't mean you certainly know that there's a great fit or connection between coach player um player and culture and how they will assimilate and so there's always some trepidation as they arrive man we really like who these kids are in addition to what we've seen and how they're training and that just makes everyone feel good because the players are assessing that as well wait do I fit here is what I was told true is the need what I was told and can I really play and play here in the role that was presented and those answers for everyone there's no reason not to present that ever truthfully which we always do um man and when the fit is accurate and right everyone's happier and that's what's happening and I I'll kind of divert a little bit too I mean we had talked about you know scheduling Spring ball and stuff like that I know you don't like spring break kind of interrupting or you know dividing spring practice in some ways but you also said that you liked kind of the fact that there was an overlap between spring practice and the portal opening up because it kind of had a hold on some of the guys to at least you know stay within the program and finish things out um doing it one more in this kind of era I mean do you do you still like the late spring ball model are you still going to go with it I don't know yet um I really like the design for year one or season one and how we approached it I liked un uh eight weeks of uninterrupted training which again um helped get us to the late start spring practice ice was at or excuse me spring break was at the end of that eight weeks which then gave us one more week after spring break before we started spring practice to re acclimate them after the break to what spring practice was going to look like really challenging when the portal opened to be practicing at the same time there was a lot that we had to manage we had suspected that that might provide a stronger hold on our existing players ultimately that was a non-issue and really wasn't something that I think any of us really acknowledged even though it was an intentional design it was really an overreaction I think hard to know because I didn't know my team well at that point what we gained from that um I think was the best preparation we could be in the best preparation we could have received physically and mentally prior to Spring practice so we maximized our spring practice by waiting as long to do it and then uh I also learned that uh I think it really helped drive and keep the culture but also the daily Rhythm consistent through academics through study hall through practice longer and so from the time we trained in the offseason part before spring practice it just kept that consistency and Rhythm um to where we were performing at a high level in all areas again including academics which we talked about which I think really added a sense of clarity for our team as to what this is going to be like for the fall because basically we did it for a longer period of time now going to next year and trying to predict really hard to say I I will have learned so much more about our team I will have learned so much more about UNM um now that I'm back and quite frankly could spring practice move up it depends on maybe the physical Readiness that I've assessed our team it might be done before Spring practice right and then there's might be a more focused emphasis on our personnel and recruiting based Bas on what changes have happened in the portal from now till then which who knows what will happen so I I reserve the right to be flexible I love to be nimble um and be able to adjust rapidly to change and then have a great plan so I could see the same model happening based on what I've seen by the time we get there could I also see it moving up I could see it moving up but that's based on the feedback I will have had between now when we're talking and then so um I probably have three models maybe a fourth that I'm contemplating so they're ready and outlined and then which one our team fits it just then becomes plug and play on the Note going back to some of the additions and stuff like that throughout spring it's not you know with the exception of maybe quarterback and running back it's not like you committed to oh these are the guys at linebacker these are the guys on the defensive line all that but maybe the secondary kind of was maybe the most non committal too strong of a word but it felt like there's more things in the air in terms of just how that was playing out with both the safeties and the corners to another degree I know Noah Avenger had stepped up pretty well in that room and all that but you did add 4 DBS javante Royal corner from pit cam Watts corner from Texas Tech ishmail Bine uh DB from TCU by way of Mizu and Dom Tatum a safety from wazu who has some Mountain West experience played Four Seasons I believe at Utah State um I mean it's kind of similar to the linebacker question but how do those guys kind of address I don't want to say the needs but help you fill out kind of the secondary as a I wouldn't step away from the the the word need uh there's four basically Corners slash I would say Corner specifically with one safety in Tatum um yeah need was assessed in the secondary and so we realized after spring we're not deep enough um we're not experienced enough we're not healthy enough and when you consider what the league might look like with the new coaches that are coming the volume of balls that might be in the air and us having enough competition to compete effectively not only within a a position room right to drive the uh behavior and performance that we want but also to possibly have nickel to possibly have dime but also to possibly just drive um the culture of the starting five to perform at the level necessary that had to be addressed and so numbers were part of that now who the numbers were that was also essential so we've had history with a number of those players um three of the four existing relationships with which man relationships mitigate risk when you know how they play when you know who they are and when trust is established because of existing relationships man that really helps and so in this case yeah it worked out really well for us and them which now is US them and us is now us and so they're in their second week of acclamation the altitude certainly is a wakeup call for them our work capacity city as a team and the diligence and difficulty of the program is also a wakeup call which they were told um but I think they're fulfilled and I think they see an opportunity which is what they were also presented with what were some of those previously existing relationships were they from former recruitments or how did that play out yeah former recruitment at UVA so when we were at the University of Virginia and again these are older players now right that means they've were recruited University of Virginia and then went to maybe one power five school not UVA but they remembered their relationship with us in recruiting and they remembered the approach and they like that we also remembered them with the thought that if they ever choose to leave or if they're ever not playing as much as we think they are we'll be ready if and so we were ready with um javante Royal from pit we recruited him out of UVA we would be ready with or for ishmail if he happen to ever choose after his second power five program um ready if Dom um from man an existing a player that I had coached at Brigham Young University who's their Corners coach jaro Guilford this is relative of his so someone that I coached his relative um that's less than one step removed and that matters to me in terms of trust so those are the kind of relationships when you inherit a program that mitigate risk that accelerate opportunity for everyone and most likely attract and so um I don't think it's a unique story but I think man it's an effective story you guys added two offensive linemen younger offensive linemen compared to some of the offensive linemen you added in the fall excuse me in the uh over the winter in early spring uh who were for the most part a lot of older guys uh those new additions tev Shaw lean Owens Shaw from Houston Owens from T Lane um I mean it was a little not surprising but interesting in the sense that you know you guys had to replace a ton of guys in the offensive line room that and that's kind of a really hard position to do that um but like what did those guys kind of stand out to you guys in terms of hey we we just need a little bit more depth here we like these guys in terms of that or both as you already mentioned at the offensive front wow did we have we had basically the entire two deep to to replace that's just sometimes you have different challenges when you take over a program in different positions so um that we addressed that and addressed it well from what I saw in the spring when you address immediate needs usually that means means um immediate availability and that usually means upper classman and so knowing that the to deep right you'd love as much experience as possible and as much competition as possible usually that will occur with upper classmap if if that's a word what became clear to us is the succession planning is also an issue with offensive front play and it'd be nice to have an ER parent or an understudy on the way to becoming and we were thin in terms of that we were talking top heavy and we still are defensive line wise and so sometimes when you inherit a program and through the portal um rarely but sometimes you make uh decisions on a one-year player man don't want to do that very much but sometimes it's necessary two years man that's gosh that's still tough um I would love three years or more but urgency sometimes requires two sometimes one and so we did that the offensive front other positions we felt good enough that our needs were met offensively by the end of the selection and assessment period where it then became best available players that we think could add value and the two that you just mentioned became best available players that could add value much like the draft board and now we have youth we have capability and we have some spacing that will should allow some for some consistency kind of moving on and looking a little bit towards the uh season a little more you did mention the first four games and kind of looking at that more and you also mentioned that obviously the kind of turnover in terms of head coaches in the Mountain West I think you're one of six new head coaches in the Mountain West I don't know the last time that's actually happened um and I have not looked it up yet but you guys open up with a week zero kickoff against Montana State um there is kind of tiers to FCS scheduling and the like you know there's some that you know every game is a challenge but some maybe don't present that big of a challenge Montana state is not that Montana state is one of the best programs in FCS very very good I think they I mean they almost had North Dakota state in the playoffs last year it was very good team how are you kind of approaching that game in particular just how you said they're a very good team um most of the opponents in my preparation are nameless and faceless I just look at capacity what label is attached to them in terms of tier is really irrelevant to me Montana State reminds me a lot of what James Madison was when I was out in Virginia as an FCS program uh play off team a capable team a team that was the top or in the top maybe four per year consistently and while there's very little difference between the top FCS programs and most uh group of five programs depth is usually the main issue not capacity and so Mount uh Montana State they know how to win they're very successful they're coached really well they're a playoff team annually um and usually disappointed if they're not playing for the FCS Championship and so it's a program that knows how to win um and I think they're very capable so um challenging but great opener in terms of a test and yeah I I like challenges and I like tests you follow that up with uh a trip to Arizona and then a buy and then a trip to Auburn as well Arizona first year under Brent Brennan uh long time San Diego well not maybe not long time but San Diego State head coach and then Hugh freze second year at Auburn um and that's kind of being your true P5 autonomous 4 whatever You' like to call it draw this year what tell tell us about those teams yeah capable uh Arizona I think is very talented um so I I haven't run across uh coach Brenan much from his time at San Jose to now going to Arizona certainly he's qualified for the job did a really nice job at San Jose State has a great reputation and now really good players and resources and so I think they selected well in in choosing him again I'm not so caught up in what league or what place or what name it's just a talented football team that's really well coached with um recent success but also a change in leadership and so we'll look at their staff we'll look at their players we'll look at their culture we'll look at their execution and uh we will have played one game they will have not played one so there'll be some uncertainty on our part knowing what they're going to do schematically um they'll have a little bit more knowledge on us cuz they will have seen us play um but we will have played one and they haven't played one and so um that usually I like the idea to think of that it's I usually know more about my team than they'll know about their team this isn't specific to Arizona this is anyone that hasn't played yet and it's another road game and so we would have the equivalent this year most of the time at the group of five level in terms of scheduling you normally think about an FCS opponent right you normally think about a rival game which in our case right NMSU you normally think about another team that's group of five that might be 5050 I mean it's a great matchup and could go either way and then usually think about one game that would typically in the industry be called a buy game where you're it would be an upset if you win most likely the team you're going to go play is offering you money to go play there um in this case in this year we have two games that would qualify for that and so following up Arizona um buys are interesting uh and I've never had a season where we've had two Buys in a season this year we have three which is a a really unique Rhythm uh also never had a season where there's only been five home games um and seven on the road normally so I'm it's at least been six and six so none of those things are anything other you acknowledge them plan for them and move forward so with three by games and being a first year head coach at this program there's a great chance to assess reflect and adjust three different times based on each each data point we're getting with about a four game sample size right the first one comes after two and then you play a little bit and get to reassess then you play so I think there are some advantages even though is less than ideal but unique but in this circumstance at UNM this season under the transition I don't think you'd have to to stretch far to say it could work to our advantage and so it just happens on the front end where one of those buys happens pretty quickly MH uh after the after Auburn you know fres stay at home and then go down to cruus you got NMSU I don't think I've asked you anything about you know your kind of Recollections from when you're here previously with the uh New Mexico New Mexico State rivalry obviously you've been a part of two fantastic rivalries BYU and Utah and then Virginia Virginia Tech um I mean what do you kind of remember about being a part of the Mexico State rivalry and how do you kind of value the Rivalry in some ways it's been a long time uh what I know regardless and I'm not going to diminish New Mexico New Mexico State nor am I going to diminish BYU Utah or UVA Virginia Tech each school has a really unique game that has disproportionate value mostly to the residents of that state um it will still count as a win or a loss sometimes though to a an existing Community or state they care most if that game is won more than anything else that happens That season more than postseason more than a conference Championship it has to be the state championship or it has to be whatever the name of that game is once you understand that well and put it in context right then you have a great chance to understand but does that mean now you're going to try harder does that mean now you're going to prepare differently it just means that there are other things that come with that game in terms of emotion in terms of other people's interest in that game in terms of comments that might you might receive all week long or after right so the game has more value that has to be acknowledged to so many people and so literally uh the way the game is played the way it's prepared for has to reflect what's at stake and when it does um it's great to have winds in those games and when it doesn't those are long years waiting until you have another chance to win that game and so but that's the same really for the rest of the season as well however locally right which is where we all live it has disproportionate value and I think it has to be prepared for and acknowledged as such from there you get into the the meat of the conference schedule Air Force at home at Utah State at Colorado State Wyoming at home at San Diego State and then a home finale in the seven the 7 plus one uh uh Mountain West Pack 12 or Pack 2 kind of alliance against uh Washington State uh is there any thoughts on how that plays out on a week- toe basis for you guys yeah I think the simple thing just to acknowledge bluntly is um I think we'll be an underdog in every game and I think there's been plenty of and I'm not a social media or print media or follower of most of that my guess would be if you looked right now is New Mexico favorite at any of those games my guess would be probably not so challenging uh schedule but a great schedule week after week after week after week so um I like what it presents I like the opportunities that are ahead I like the the parody that exists in the Mountain West Conference and I like our chances and so yeah one at a time against each opponent for what they are not anything else just for what they are and we'll do our very best but it's a challenging but great schedule and I know you don't pay attention to this aspect in particular but I mean from what I've seen there there is a legitimate palpable optimism from the fan base there is a sense of renewal there and on the outside you know Vegas they set the odds in mid uh miday or so and they have you guys bottom of the conference one you know over under one and a half wins yeah I mean and so there's almost uh there's a disconnect between the kind of hopeful reality and the projected reality in that ways I mean how do you it's not for you to sort through you're just coaching the team and figuring that out and the results will be what they are but I mean how do you view that kind of number one and a half at that point it's just entertainment uh for anyone that pays any attention uh at the University of Virginia we went from 2 and 10 to the Orange Bowl in four years um that's pretty fast postseason year two shutting out an opponent in a bowl game year three and then winning our division by year four most would say man that's going to take four years or some would say holy smokes you did it in four years um time frames are are what they are now most would like that sooner rather than later starting year one uh so Vegas chose what they think year one will look like I think the optimism that's palpable and the belief that's becoming and the the sense of excitement is for not only what this year will be but what this is going to be and sooner rather than later and the track record basically shows that how could it not be um if you're looking at coach and staff and history if you're looking at New Mexico history you could say well I'm going to argue the other way it's going to play out in front of all of us and I like our chances I really do um and I like our team I want to ask you just kind of wrapping up a little bit about kind of two big picture items currently right now uh I believe it was three maybe three and a half weeks ago um the NCAA and its power conferences they came to a settlement in the house versus NCAA case agreed to 2.8 billion in Damages to former College athletes and 22% of the average power five school's revenues this settlement kind of also opens the doors for uh you know no more scholarship caps and the like and uh it seems potentially troubling for some G5 schools and sub lower tier d1s and the like I mean as a head coach I mean how do you kind of look at this and how do you even start to prepare for that potential reality if it does go through yeah I'm a big picture thinker and I I I love analyzing landscape and being ready for pivot and adjustment and then leveraging that and differentiating and and capitalizing and so uh right your assessment which is pretty common right now to say there'll be no scholarship limits and Etc I actually think it's going to go the other way really so I think here's going to be um Revenue sharing and could there be 85 players on scholarship with no other players on a roster it could go that way also uh the interesting thing right now and I don't know which way it will go but could it could it go either surely then you'd have to say um what does a p a big 10 school and SEC school have in common with a Mountain West School how much different difference is there I would argue there's a significant difference and so at some point right um the revenue and the finances will cause another seismic shift in um I would say who plays with whom and what levels and What leagues look like how long will a team let's just say Oregon how long will their softball team continue to travel across the country to play um how long will uh any school uh that travels from one Coast to the other primarily to play football how many times will their other school sports do that and what will that Financial component look like it could be sooner rather than later where I would just call them the non-salary cap leagues um choose to play football across the country but there other sports choose to be back part of maybe what the Pack 12 looked like I'm using that just an example or the Big 12 or whatever right there other sports maybe come to their senses athletic departments realize sustainability of cost how does this work for entire athletic departments to keep traveling back and forth and why would we do that we already know the why which is finance but the why specifically was for football and so yeah now that revenue is being shared what does that look like for the collectives at the A4 four level um we'll see what does that then look like for financing and collectives for the group of five that's a completely different narrative and so now to say the group of five schools should operate or be governed by or directed by what the A4 does yeah I'm opposed to that because it's not the same conversation nor is it the same in terms of specificity so the friction point with the ruling by the house right and what that's going to do all that's going to do is crystallize now some of the other issues that already exist and whatever A4 chooses if then that now is opposed excuse me if that is now imposed down through G5 like that now is just what is relevant and acceptable for all we already know that's not effective starting immediately with Revenue share and you could add other things to that so I see an expedited version of um yeah a structural change in college football three years seems a long time I think it will be three years or less what direction it will go I don't know would it end up being untapped scholarships would it end up being who knows women's sports right Title 9 Olympic sports and I think there's a lot of uncertainty and angst quite frankly and football is caring for football right now um but it's going to broaden that perspective is going to broaden almost immediately once it goes to revenue share and now what does that look like for the athletic department and do these transcontinent no do these trans United States does it make sense and I think we already all know that other than football um now whether that decision is made we'll see and how does that affect group of five and does group of five become its own entity with its own playoff I know many are resistant to give up the um the playoff spot like we've fought so hard to get that you also argue we're giving up a lot else for that playoff spot if we just say we're going to play by the same rules that the A4 is which is quite frankly quite different so lots to sort through um relevant conversation lots of uncertainty I think the time frame is going to be probably expedited um that's what it feels like to me and so yeah um we'll be as prepared as possible there's a fresh item today and I don't know how much you've been able to read into it that could also probably expedite that time timeline it kind of Falls perfectly into the who asks for this kind of deal uh the Big 12 is reported to uh you know they're considering um you know private Equity investment from Luxembourg based CVC Capital Partners that'd be a 15 to 20% stake for uh our good friends in Luxembourg um and larger payouts obviously for the 16 member schools of the Big 12 it seemed as if this is the direction we were kind of going down for a little bit I know Florida State kind of flirted with the idea a little bit last year but hadn't done anything concrete and this isn't concrete right now but I mean any thoughts on this kind of arrangement in college athletics yeah I I wasn't aware it doesn't surprise me and I think the word that you use flirting is teased flirting whatever like um exploring that's happening um it's driven by money right it's driven by pop profit and college football is becoming professional sport um which it's not a hard argument to make um young people are benefiting now and I'm not opposed to that uh man I love to work hard to make team culture really effective in this world of Finance I love to make individual and human development part of right College athletics I love to see the academic accomplishments in spite of the rest of the stuff that's going on and I think it can happen it's harder but man that's the direction we're going to go when it comes now to private Equity yeah then there's a unique uh balance of power of who's in charge who governs who do you answer to and what does College athletics really look like once that's part of it and College athletics by definition would be significantly different I'm not saying better or worse um but wow you have to be really skilled in your leadership in your processes in your judgment to ma to maintain student athlete if that's the intent now if that's not the intent wow that's a whole different construct and each institution gets to choose that right which um I know what I choose um and I choose for UNM at least the football part but each leader gets to choose that and so I think what we're clear about with the possibility of this is increased revenue and if a television deal isn't as strong as the sec's if a television deal isn't as strong as the big 10s how do you then acquire a competitive basis in terms of finance and where it source and so I think Big 12 leaders have identified a source maybe a brand uh maybe a way of doing business that they they see as a competitive advantage and possibly more than flirting maybe maybe they'll date right and who knows maybe they'll be I don't know maybe they'll be married you know I mean who who knows what direction it'll go I wouldn't be surprised and really a lot of options are on the table on a non-big picture thing just kind of wanted to close with this I mean obviously you have you know spent a lot of time in Albuquerque before coming back I mean some fond memories from when you were here prior but um you know you've been here six months I mean what's it kind of like been getting reacquainted with not just Albuquerque but kind of New Mexico as a whole in some ways I know you've been terribly busy throughout those six months but in between I should say yeah there hasn't been much time in between um uh but wow the welcome sincere authentic genuine grateful and optimistic I uh I feel compelled and and just driven to to have good football in Albuquerque and at UNM and for there to be another another positive thing for this state for this community for this school to have on weekends another thing they can be proud of another thing they can get behind another thing that could possibly teach and add lessons to to families and kids and have it play out in a successful College athletics program in terms of football and and so I feel a huge responsibility uh with the welcome I've received uh no one can put higher expectations on our program than me and I feel like I'm acting on behalf of right the entire state but especially Albuquerque and UNM and so uh that weighs on me but also um provides a sense of purpose and opportunity and I like impact and I like making a difference and so I think I'm in a really good spot at a really cool place to do that and I would Express gratitude um for what has happened already Bronco I think that's all I have today is there anything else you'd like to add no that's I think we've covered it all right well that was riters block episode 6 thanks again to Bronco menal for joining us today in studio if you want to listen to this or other podcasts in the journal podcast Network you can find them on Apple podcast Spotify SoundCloud and YouTube please subscribe to the YouTube channel and please subscribe to the journal to get more content like this Bronco thank you again I pleasure [Music]