BYU’s Mendenhall to face off against alma mater

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

Oregon State coach Mike Riley admits he made a mistake.

When Riley became the head coach at Oregon State in 1997, he scheduled a quick interview with a young up-and-coming defensive coach left over from the previous staff.

His name was Bronco Mendenhall, an Oregon State graduate who would eventually lead BYU to four straight 10-win seasons.

"I should have hired him right away," Riley said. "Because I just watched him grow in this profession and now to see the job he's doing at BYU is really exciting."

Riley's Beavers and Mendenhall's Cougars arrive in Las Vegas on Friday to begin preparation for their matchup in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Sam Boyd Stadium.

It will be the first time Mendenhall has squared off against his alma mater. He hasn't been around since Riley chose not to retain him 12 years ago.

Not that Mendenhall has any hard feelings about that decision. In fact, Mendenhall said, he respected Riley more than any other coach in college football.

"I was inexperienced and certainly not qualified," Mendenhall said. "But I knew right then there was a great amount of character and integrity. He treated me real well and he has since."

Mendenhall still treasures his years in Corvallis, Ore., as a Beaver. He spent two years as a defensive back under coach Dave Kragthorpe.

After his playing days, Mendenhall served as a graduate assistant at Oregon State while he worked on his master's degree. He left the program for five years before returning as a defensive assistant in 1995.

"Those were some of the formative stages of my life in Corvallis," Mendenhall said.

Mendenhall vividly remembers the first time he met with Riley. He said Riley looked at him and immediately asked him how old he was. Mendenhall was 30, but his baby face made him look younger than that.

Despite all his memories, Mendenhall said, playing against Oregon State carried no real personal significance.

"It really doesn't," Mendenhall said. "I know that isn't a popular answer, but so much has happened when you're a head coach with other teams since you left your alma mater."

A lot has changed at Oregon State. Before Mendenhall left, the Beavers had compiled 26 straight losing seasons.

Since then, Oregon State has posted winning records in nine of 13 seasons and won a BCS bowl game when it beat Notre Dame in the 2000 Fiesta Bowl.

While Mendenhall's point about the program changing may be valid, Riley said it should still be special for him to play Oregon State.

"I've had a lot of these kinds of matchups in my life — I even coached against my dad's team before," Riley said. "I really try to look at it as a good and unique opportunity."

But Mendenhall said he was focused on the game. The intrigue, for him, comes from being involved with such a marquee matchup.

This year's Las Vegas Bowl will be the first to pair two ranked teams, as BYU is at No. 15 in the nation and Oregon State comes in at No. 16.

One of Mendenhall's top players said he had not mentioned anything about his ties to Oregon State.

"He's a pretty even-keeled guy," senior tight end Dennis Pitta said, "but I know he is excited."

BYU will be enjoying Las Vegas for the next few days leading up to the bowl game. The Cougars are scheduled to practice Saturday morning at Clark High School and will visit Sunrise Children's Hospital on Sunday.

Oregon State will practice Saturday and Sunday at Rebel Park on UNLV's campus. Everyone is welcome, almost.

"Somebody came up to me the other day and said, 'Is practice open; can alums go?'" Riley said. "I said, 'Stop it right there. Bronco is a great guy, but he can't come to practice.'"