UNM Football: Bronco Mendenhall Introduced as Head Coach

all right all right welcome everyone to the pit uh thank you for those watching on YouTube uh Facebook and the mount West Network a reminder please silence your cell phones um if if your cell phone ring is the fight song we're going to let it slide that'd be okay uh the procedures just so everyone has it uh Eddie Nunes will speak and then we'll introduce our new head coach afterwards we'll have a time for media of questions we do have two microphones so just kind of get a a look at me we'll get a microphone to you please I know some of you were here last time coach menen Hall was here Rick um and Van but please go ahead and state your name in affiliation and then afterwards coach men Hall will not be doing one-on-one so we'll get to all your questions Eddie Nunes will do one-on ones we do have some players here if you guys want to get some interviews with the players with that I'm going to turn it over to the vice president and director of Athletics Mr Eddie Nunes good morning and thank you all for being here today first of all let me I guess go step back my voice is a little bit cracking from the the craziness we've been going through for the last couple days so I apologize in advance if you hear it go up and down a little bit um it's a special day special day for Lobo Athletics and even more for our Lobo football program I want to take a moment to recognize some people in the audience first of all if you look around I mean we got student athletes we got great Lobo supporters some of our great coaches this is what makes Lobo Athletics and the University of New Mexico a special special place of course I want to say thank you to president Stokes I know she's not here right now she is actually presenting in in Santa Fe and but we do have uh someone representing I think Teresa there she is ter uh Teresa cones our executive vice president from the University and then of course our Regents those three between our president our University Administration and our regions make this an opportunity that we can do some special special things here there's a alignment from top to bottom next I want to say thank you to some of my staff um everyone of our staff was instrumental during this part but more than anybody and I think everyone here understands how much I trust my staff but I thank you to Dave Williams um for taking the lead with this and really trying to keep me levelheaded as much as I could um but also Ryan jayen Ed everyone who's had a part in this um truly we cannot do this without them so thank you guys last Le but not but truly the most important one TR uh my family as well as coach men Hall's family um Jane my my my girls Holly and know I know we have I know we're they're stilling one other their boys that'll be here tonight um but anyone who's gone through this process understands how difficult how challenging it can be not just ourselves but our families thank you all right there we go there you go technology that's where I have Dave and others to help me out with too um but I really appreciate thank you for for your patience this time the process I know everybody always asks how this how this happened and how we got to where we are we were Swift but we were thorough um I will tell you about a week ago I had the opportunity to call Bronco as he and Holly were driving to go pick up their son and during that conversation you know we talk about making sure that we understand who we are and what we're about I knew that at that point how authentic he and his family were but that I that the trust factor that we needed to have with a coach I asked him Point Blank coach if I ask you for this opportunity would you come he said absolutely and I knew then that he would be our coach but I I wanted to let the process go because I want I owed it to this University to make sure we did it thorough but as soon as Dave and I met with him in Vegas he walked out I knew he was our coach I knew it then I knew it the week before and I'm even more proud now to see him as our coach with that I want to formally introduce our head coach of our Lobo football program Bronco manho yeah didn't quite expect to be emotional that's kind of caught me off guard there for a second so just yeah hang for a minute um first of all uh sool and I 25 years ago gosh I'm looking at the Players right now and man just a little bit older than you guys and um our first son was born here and this was one of the places we launched our career and who would have known 17 years later as a head coach um that we'd be back in Albuquerque and it's it's a it's an amazing experience and I'm grateful so I'd like to introduce you to my family quickly some of you know them uh for those that don't we you hired a team you didn't just hire a head coach um Holly and I are kind of co-head coaches meaning that when I'm when I'm working she does everything else and for for you moms and and spouses uh that's an impressive and amazing job and a powerful and meaningful job um to raise families and navigate um all that comes with someone leading a football program and others other people's um children and young men and so my wife Holly is here my oldest son who was born in Albuquerque he name is cutter um and cutter will be in this evening he's a senior at brigam Young University so he'll come in this evening and he'll be here for a couple days my middle son breaker is here and my youngest son Raider and so um it's important to me to know that yeah you'll be seeing the name and and my presence as the head football coach but I hope every time you see that right your thoughts are immediately going to the support and the others that this is that what they're doing to allow me to do this and without what they do and who they are the players then don't get my best um and that's not okay so I am very grateful for this opportunity uh the University of New Mexico has a special place in my heart otherwise right I would not be here um this program uh I know is capable of sustained success continued success and Excellence I've been part of it I've seen it and I'm looking forward to recapturing that right not only um uh occasionally but consistently right and so the program to be established to where there is success and defining success is a powerful thing yes on the field matters and postseason absolutely matters and I like to win I think more than anyone in the room so absolutely do we want that now how that's accomplished I love uh developing young men of integrity and character and intellect um socially aware and players that are willing to give back and if that doesn't happen in place of winning then this isn't a successful program if that only happens and we don't win that's not a successful program right we want the best of everything at the University of New Mexico and that is what I hold myself to uh what I want you to expect from me um and when that happens what the stadium looks like um what the how the players carry themselves the identity and branding of the institution of the state is influenced by the Mexico's football program I I get all of that and I'm passionate about that and there shouldn't be any better ambassadors right than the young men that I'm looking at right now like who who else would you want that that would be my hope is as you look at these guys yep that's us that's what I hope those guys yeah that's that's us who else who else would we want and so again just to just to solidify that concept on the field uh we expect Excellence uh but also everywhere else and so this isn't a program that makes compromises this is a program of and we want it all I'm grateful for the opportunity um to work with Eddie to also work with Dave both of them have um you get to know a lot about people in a very short amount of time so it's not a complete knowledge but it is a knowledge and it's a great start and that start gives you the place to launch from and that's all we're doing today we're launching from a great start with lots and lots and lots of work to do um and that's that's an amazing thing it's why we are here uh Holly and I uh and the staff that's coming um they we love hard things and there's a concept of doing hard things together that galvanizes relationships and the harder the better the gratifi the gratification is increased the harder the better and when success comes which it will with difficulty man that becomes transformative to not only people um but relationships and those become binding forever and that's exactly what I want otherwise it's just football uh I want more than football I actually want championship football and then amazing relationships and so uh my commitment is just that to run an amazing football program that has Excellence on the field but develops young people of Excellence while we're uh playing well and while we're um performing well and I hope that's what the University of New Mexico wants I hope that's what ends up representing this community and our institution at the highest level and the track record shows um as being a head coach for 17 years uh 16 of those teams have been both eligible right so the likelihood this happens um I I think is likely um is it going to take work absolutely um am I excited for that I just as soon take off my jacket I already have short sleeves on and I would take the tie off and we we go and so uh this is an important step in terms of the press conference but now to say what do I really want to be doing doing I'm kind of moving already this way to get back to the office to continue crafting developing and moving the program forward because the clock is ticking already um again I'm grateful I'm thankful and to president STS as well we had a conversation yesterday um I'm aligned and passionate about this program and I'll do the very best I can on behalf of us all so thank you very much all right this time we'll open up for questions again please get the microphone uh question of followup we'll get to everybody state your name and where you are from please I I just looked up and saw everyone over here sorry I wasn't making I cont I didn't I wasn't trying to ignore you thanks for being here start with Sean over here you been a Sean Ryder Al Journal um you've been relatively candid about you know how much you Embrace and enjoy rebuilds and the like with the modern landscape of college football what you saw towards the tailent of when you were at Virginia I mean in terms of the portal in nil I mean how does that change things in terms of building a program right now it changes things drastically and I think first I I need to acknowledge when when we think about the transfer portal and it it's easy to uh to see that only as a negative um college football coaches college coaches have done that for a long time they call it the coaching Carousel and for the players version of that it's the portal so a lot of times you see coaches that sometimes leave their teams before a bowl game and take another job right and you see coaches moving around and those are the adults in the room right I think all that's happened is the young people now have a chance to benefit from name image and likeness and sometimes they're leaving for a bigger opportunity um more money um and so the monetization is changing the game uh I love the idea of young people developing and being able to benefit from the work they put in I'd love that to be tempered with the commitment M um loyalty and and U I would say team orientation to really consider all that before a move is made and it's easy for any of us to think only of ourselves when we move I would love to build a program where the relationships and the development and the culture is so strong uh that that would cause anyone to pause before they'd ever think about leaving um and then I think the young person is educated well enough to be able to make a great decision my job is to educate them before they make those decisions and so it's changed significantly in terms of of the portal as well as nil so it's different than it's ever been a lot of times that's viewed negative there's also players from other programs that maybe have been overlooked maybe they're late developers and maybe they're capable for a different level and New Mexico as a place that they could come and increase and benefit at a greater level from where they were so it works in all different ways it's just really more difficult now the fluid nature of a roster and how it can change literally every year and I would much rather have a consistent roster from beginning to end that will be my goal uh very difficult in today's landscape for that not to change to some level any given year other than graduation is what I'm seeing and then you took a full season off 2022 I believe the term was to reach a period of Maximum renewal um I mean when did you kind of know that you were finally ready to come back yeah about a day after I chose to pause Mo mostly I think Holly was ready maybe a half a day after I um we we've done an amazing work two of my boys are here um we finished a home in Montana we have a ranch in Montana chapter 2 of Our Lives is established for our kids and eventual grandkids with a Target to be ready to re-enter and so there was an intentionality to it as well and so it's nice to be prepared for any storm that comes and have complete devotion and attention only to what really matters at the time and so uh I really love where we are and I think the players will benefit from that as well thanks for the questions right right here Tamar Lopez from kob4 I wonder what you will be able to share about your contract deal how long we can expect to see you here and as well as how you can measure success in terms of whether that be getting to a bowl game or how you guys are going to measure your success as a new head coach this year yeah I think the contract details will probably be shared by um university and and through Eddie whenever that happens and so I'm whenever they would like to share that I'm great for that to be shared and in terms of measuring progress I like to win uh and I liked it I'd rather be playing football right now than having a press conference um and that's my expectation I like the longer the season goes the more I like it and the sooner that happens and the more consistently that happens the more I like it while young men are graduating while they're contributing to the community while they're developing amazing relationships um while they're becoming the best version of themselves so when football's over they're exceptional also but they also know who they are without football and that's one of the biggest challenges for any of us is is does our performance Define us I would love them to know how important that is but also when football is done for them to know and be ready for whatever life throws at them and they're prepared and capable and that's collectively that's how I'll measure it I know from the world's view it will come through winds so let's just say that out loud and I great and then I'll be working the how I do it is another part of how I'll measure it oh are we on maybe yeah Bethany Miller with ko8 Action 7 News nice to meet you I know it's been a whirlwind week um but have you had a chance to talk to the players of the roster that's coming over I know a you are in attendance and sort of what's your plan for speaking to them and hopefully keeping them here in Albuquerque I was able to have a chance to talk to our team last night collectively uh and it's my favorite part and eager and optimistic and hopeful and engaged is how I would describe what I saw last night and a lot of players on the front of their seats the edge of their seat with complete um and intense eye contact with nodding and and I think eager to get this process going and to move New Mexico football forward um and then some have already entered the transfer portal and my intent is to visit with each of them they'll have an opportunity to then join us or move on once that roster is clarified um then the clock is ticking in terms of recruiting already and so then we'll move to that to get the very best roster we can the very best people we can uh that fit and align with the direction we're going and so a lot to do in a short amount of time I remember you yeah I was going to say what's good you're older now yeah yeah well hey good seeing you man hey so um last time you were here this place was rocking about 36,000 per game you know like they average that how do you get the fans back starts with this uh sharing the vision and that helps capture hearts and minds and when hearts and minds are captured with understanding the direction and then seeing uh checkpoints marked along the way of wait this is working and this is working and then games and wins happening right it's Mon it's a gradual process I told the team last night in my first year here we won three games the next year we won four the next year we won five the next year we won six the next year we won seven a lot of people think it just jumped right to the 36,000 it was three and then we worked as hard as we possibly could and then we won four and then we worked as hard as we possibly could and then we won five and then we laid exhausted winning six and then when we didn't think there's any more we won seven and then as I transitioned out then we won eight and that's um that process I think has to be acknowledged and what that looked like and then it went from whatever the number was to start to 36,000 my hope is to expedite that whole process in that time frame rather than three to four to five to six to S to eight um but that's what it took before and I'm anxious to make that a shorter but as effective window of of Lobo football and and I know you talked about a coaching staff are you bringing your entire coaching staff or are you going to keep any of the guys around here or how is that going to work I I'm bringing all my own uh coaches and they uh they're coming from different paths along my career and different ages and stops and uh many wanted to drive last night uh to be here this morning and uh they're eager they love um the principles and the manner in which the programs that I lead are operated in uh they believe uh in that with all their heart they feel grateful to have this opportunity uh they'll be arriving hopefully not breaking speed limits if they choose to drive um but they you'll love you'll love these U coaches they are amazing examples for young people while are they skilled as young professionals and I think we'll cherish this opportunity to um to transform not only a program but young people and that's why they were chosen and you'll love them but there're are they'll be on their way as soon as I can get approval to get him on a plane and get him here journ I remember you too Rick welcome back thank you uh before this job came open and it was relatively late in the process a lot of jobs had already come open uh had you already decided that this was the time you were going to come back I I didn't um and and uh went through the process along the way with others and uh Holly and I had a really good idea of a kind of place that we'd be looking for and as you know I like U I like the process of transforming I like the process of helping a program either become or rebec it was one of the reasons I went to the University of Virginia uh I happened to be lucky enough to be um able to inherit a process like that at BYU where there had been three losing seasons in a pretty rough SP uh spot where I was able to help that program we wanted a chance um to help a program rebec or become a chance to do it at a place that was special and meaningful to us ended up gaining momentum through the process and but we were considering others as well uh regarding following up on B's uh question about Staffing uh are there any names that we'll be familiar with that had a history here like yourself gosh uh no is the answer but but I hope I hope through um almost like genealogy relationship by knowing me you know them right so they I hope they're an extension of the best parts of me and I hope they make up for the deficiencies that I have and help balance those out um but that's that'd be the best way I'd say it if if if you know me you'll know a lot about them oh thanks hey hello hello oh hi Lauren Green with a kob4 it's a pleasure to meet you coach um you've had a pretty successful career looking at your 17 Seasons out of 16 of those those teams have been B eligible what do you attribute to the success of rebuilding those teams and how do you hope to approach that here now in Mexico it starts with expectations uh the higher the expectations the more love that has to accompany that and so the demand will be beyond what maybe has ever been experienced before at UNM and and again I've coached here with really good coaches that had very high demand and I have tremendous respect for Rocky long and Danny both and so and they have high expectations uh I have to elevate the expectations even more which I do uh at the same time the care and relational component of each of these individuals have to be at a higher level as well and when you combine those two things together it's amazing uh what what um type of performance increase you can get but also what kind of experience these kids can have and I've seen them completely exhausted and smiling at the same time and then saying thank you after maybe doing the hardest thing they've ever done and so this it starts with expectations and and quite frankly anytime that a program is taken over um the roster will change some will not like the approach and it won't be for them others will gravitate to it and see it it has to be so clear and defined that it attracts those that want it so our culture and our expectations and methodology has to be so precise that everyone can see it and then they can align with it and are drawn to it and so I like I like to compete by differentiation and how specific and and distinct we can become where the brand is specific the methodology is specific and then that attracts the right people and those that are in the program either feel great this is the place for me or they say you know what this isn't the place for me but that Clarity helps everyone brco I remember you too we're both younger Roger hly and Mountain Miss wire uh defense will you be calling the defense I won't uh no as much fun as that is uh and as much as I miss it uh there Comes A Time for every head coach and and especially when you're taking on programs uh uh that might be in a deficit or that are rebe becoming right and and there's a lot of other things as well that uh need to be done the competitive work never takes a backseat to that but coaching coaches connecting schemes make sure complimentary football is being played the attraction of players to be a great defensive coordinator it almost has to be an obsession and same with an offensive coordinator that's great for one side of the ball when the head coach is doing that you have to have complete Trust on the other side my obsession is with the entirety of the organization and that allows the question earlier was the consistency how has that happened it's that approach of a comprehensive intensity and Obsession rather than just a one-sided of the ball Obsession and that's I think is the best approach piggybacking off of Roger's question to obviously you made your name here with the 335 before switching to more traditional 34 at both BYU and Virginia I mean just schematically what is your vision for the defense and then offense as well yeah so my My Philosophy is pretty simple it's who first then what and so I'm looking hard at our existing roster and then who we attract to join our program I love to maximize resources I'm not the coach that then says this is our only scheme and that limits who you can bring to that scheme and what if not what if those players aren't the ones that are drawn to you I love to see who I have and maximize those resources and they're be significant changes or subtle changes um game to game or actually year to year so whatever our roster looks like I need coaches that can maximize a know enough football to deliver who we have that's the best benefit to our players to give them a competitive Advantage every single week now when like-minded if we have a quarterback that's Dynamic and can run that most likely will recruit by his presence will recruit the next one and so there could be a seamless succession of the style of play but what if the next great quarterback right after the one we have man he wants to come to un M and he's a great passer if my staff can't adapt to maximize that and that quarterback is one of the best in the country that's a coaching failure to me and so you'll see flexibility you'll see adaptation and you'll see hybrids I also believe that the hardest things to to play against or to fight against in the world of warfare are things you can't name once you say Wishbone I can prepare for the wishbone once you say run and shoot I can prepare for that once you say air raid I can prepare what if you can't name it where do you start preparation wise I like that approach for UNM um where they don't know what they're going to see or what they're going to get you know when you had the time off um what have you learned from that on the outside looking in instead of being at the games you know like like watching other coaches do their craft and and you thinking about the time when you were out on the field what have you learned from that that'll help you now one of the greatest uh uh and most enjoyable things is um I had uh uh uh was able to to lead a podcast called the head coach University podcast over the past 18 months or so approximately 50ish head coaches that I've had on and it's been an amazing uh opportunity with others listening uh to educate folks but also to have a dialogue about what's the best way to lead in today's landscape uh and those conversations I think are impactful and meaningful and that part besides watching the games having the dialogue I don't think there's any coach in the country that's had a chance to talk to about 50 I don't know the exact number so somewhere in there that number of skilled and successful leaders about just what you asked me to do and so I think that's man that'd be almost the equivalent of a doctorate study right in in leadership and division one football today going back to that almost every conversation within that either off air or on air then talked about um nil and the collective and so if we're saying the role of college football today it used to be where one of the primary indicators of a program's commitment to football was what their facilities look like the stadium the offices Etc while that's still important another Factor has now trumped that another Factor has become more meaningful and that's what kind of support financially can the kids have whether we like that or not right the reality is the commitment to football a lot of time is man is Manifest now and what the collective funding looks like and that's a brand new era and so yes the facilities have to be St of the art and Industry standard at least the commitment the coaching certainly but this era now requires an amazing um resource for the student athletes and management of that um through collectives and who would have thought in college football that would be part of it but not only is it a part of it it's an essential part of it and uh that's also a priority for me to benefit not only the community to get the roster and maintain the right kind of young people and I would say this it's not only the attraction that the collector can help with it's the retention the kids that we love right now in our program the kids we love in our program if you want them to stay right there's a competitive Marketplace out there and as much as I love them and they love me and they know the trajectory of the program we have to be able to compete also on that plane and I think that's super important and I hadn't addressed that but that's in most of those conversations again either on air or off air and the head coaches that called me yesterday the number one thing they were talking about was that component so um that's going to be integral into this um the growth and and again the renewal of this program coach will Weber from the Santa Fe newspaper you strike me as someone who enjoys a challenge and that's an understatement right and there are some inherent challenges with this particular post it has a national reputation for what it is yep from facilities and lack of financing to Fan support and there's not a huge recruiting base here but I I would would imagine you came here for a reason you thought that you can turn this thing into a competitive program in a conference where we've seen it before where unlb came up from the pack do you see what is your game plan for that and do you actually believe that this can this can be done here I know it can be done it's not only I believe it's not only do I believe it I know it can be done I've been part of it being done here before every challenge comes with an opportunity and each place has distinct opportunities and challenges so we identify the challenges we ident the opportunities we develop an organizational design to address and magnify both of those things we bring the right people in place to surround um ourselves with we give them schematic uh and strategic designs that will deliver the type of kids that will come and we have a culture that's unmatched hopefully with the right support and over time how much time less the better then the results come and I know it can be done we all know because we've seen it uh and I know it can be done I want it to be done I wouldn't have taken this job unless I thought I was the person to do Do It um and is it a challenge what better challenge to take um I love it Leaf Ria KOB TV hey um coach when you have a brand new program that you're trying to build and obviously you say you like challenges what what the will the importance of Spring ball be to be successful in the fall it's an indicator but it's not uh defining and a lot of times the roster is not the same roster you have in the fall but it's essential uh so I believe culture precedes performance and Spring ball is an essential part after the offseason the offseason program starts the culture development Spring ball helps manifest and take that to another level the players then within the program are becoming more aligned with the program through the culture then is attracting others to it but culture is priority number one with the selection of the right people those two things happen at the the right time and and kind of at the same time spring practice based on the roster that you have sometimes existing injuries from your team they're not healed yet sometimes uh the roster with a coaching transition isn't deep enough to have the ideal spring that you'd like to have so one of the first improvisations improvisations as well as distinctions has to happen in Spring what type of spring will it be that usually is based on the who we have and I got to customize it that way impact will still be strong no matter what and it's essential how much it will be will be a lot of what the roster looks like that we have going into the spring anybody else hi coach one more time um we've seen in the past recruiting from instate New Mexico high schools has been a big pillar of programs um do you think that's something that you may want to consider continuing as you reg uh regrow and rebuild the program I think it's great for the community I think it's great for UNM and I think it's great for the young people when you can play close to home and you can if you can represent your hometown I think that's awesome and so I think we have to be excellent in our footprint which starts here in Albuquerque um but there also has to be more than that so yes it's a priority I think it's essential and I think I think for the well-being again of the community the school but those kids that are playing close to home I think there's a special um experience that happens that way that's a little bit different than when you're farther away both are great but yes we'll continue that anything else over here last last one oh second to last one and and did you ever imagine that you would be back here no no I didn't and and that's been about a three three weekish two weeks I'm looking at Holly for helping she's not helping me about about a two- we acknowledgement of wait we're going to be back at un M and um it's been fun to see my boys reactions because they don't remember it and as they had a chance to drive around and look at possible places where we might stay while we're here and um that's been really fun to see and uh it it feels like not only full circle but an additional Circle you know some people say full circle like you get back and stop I I kind of see this as an additional Circle which is I I like that concept coach Robert pno voice of the Lobos I wondered um your passion for the growth and development of young people where does that come from well I I what I've learned is um for me if that's not the focus football is just a game and for a game to take an investment um of this much time energy and effort almost to complete Obsession if nothing else is happening other than the game that's hard to reconcile but yet when I see the potential of who these guys are and then who they become and how that lasts when the game is over uh that to me is more impactful and more meaningful and so football to me is the platform to develop amazing young people from and I usually frame it as championship football is the platform to do it from uh which is still the standard who they become comes and is influenced by how you coach and how you lead the program that is the lasting component uh and I'll just share one quick story with the text when I chose to pause uh um and stepping away from Virginia the texts I received from the former players of the many many many that came in one and that was just recently mentioned a game a score or a season one every other one of the large sample size was moments of relationship and gratitude of thank you for and they didn't mention the outcome and that to me has been a great re enforcement of the direction uh and it's sustaining for me when things are difficult appreciate that question and and for your time uh for faces that I've seen before that are older now it's good to see you for for faces that I haven't seen I'm looking forward to a great relationship and for the supporters that um have remained with UNM yeah that's that's special and uh I've seen different programs where the support comes and goes to see some of the same remain there's a special quality to that so I appreciate that thank you all I'm really [Applause] excited so again thank you everybody for coming today we're going to have some other opportunities to ask questions I know coach has to get back because he's going to finish meeting with some of the student athletes before they they break away so again thank you everybody for being here this is a great opportunity and uh looking forward to uh football season let's go