Bronco Mendenhall would like BYU in a big conference in 3 years
In February, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said he wanted his school to be playing in a Power Five conference in the "near future." His football coach, Bronco Mendenhall agrees, and even put a timeline on what the near future is.
Mendenhall told KSL.com in a wide-ranging interview that the school needs to be in a Power Five conference in three years.
"When I speak in absolutes," Mendenhall said, "I know that doesn't work very well for expectations, because then that just means they're going to be met or not. But at some point, inclusion has to happen.
"I hate to be pinned down, but if someone were to force me, I'd say three years – it has to happen within three. Could it go longer than that? Yes, it could. Is it desirable, to me, to go longer than that? That answer is no."
Getting into a Power Five conference is easier said than done. And Mendenhall knows it, which is why he (and Holmoe) are strongly advocating for Power Five inclusion at every opportunity. While you could say it seems desperate, the Cougars are clearly wanting everyone to know that they're ready and willing to be a part of the next (inevitable?) round of conference realignment.
After Mendenhall's comments about moving to a Power Five conference in June, the Big 12 said it wasn't looking to expand.
And heck, the campaigning may already be paying off. The school has been added by the ACC and SEC as a "Power Five" opponent for non-conference scheduling purposes, an arrangement that's already paying off. The Cougars have home and home series set with Missouri and Mississippi State as well as Virginia.
For more BYU news, visit CougarNation.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
