In 2006, the Bronco Mendenhall-led BYU Cougars crushed Oregon in the Las Vegas Bowl, 38-8.
Oregon had been successful under coach Mike Belotti, including a Fiesta Bowl win and #2 ranking in 2001. But the success hadn’t lasted. After the Las Vegas beatdown, Belotti and his coaching staff realized things needed to change.
OU Defensive Backs coach John Neal had played with Mendenhall’s brother at BYU. And he had coached and later worked with Bronco at Oregon State. So he reached out to the guy who had just led the beatdown for advice.
When Bronco began his head coaching career at BYU, he had an intervention.