Is Bronco the second-best football coach in BYU history?

[Fiyero]

poll

[Solon]

poll

I voted no. He might be better than Lavelle - as much as we can compare eras. It's a different game today. Bronco gets a lot out of his players.

[New Mexican Disaster]

I voted yes as there is not too much competition.

[Colly Wolly]

Yes. 4 straight 10 win seasons. 3 of 5 against your rival. Is there anyone else that comes close for 2nd best?

[Fiyero]

FWIW, sorted by winning pct:

Bronco Mendenhall 2005-08 38-13 0.745
Lavell Edwards 1972-00 257-101-3 0.716
G. Ottinger "Ott" Romney 1928-36 42-31-5 0.571
Gary Crowton 2001-04 26-23 0.531
Edwin R. "Eddie" Kimball 1937-48 34-32-8 0.514
Harold W. "Hal" Kopp 1956-58 13-14-3 0.483
Tommy Hudspeth 1964-71 39-42-1 0.482
Charles J. Hart 1925-27 6-12-2 0.350
Alvin G. Twitchell 1922-24 5-13-1 0.289
W. Floyd Millet 1942 2-5 0.286
Charles L. "Chick" Atkinson 1949-55 18-49-3 0.279
Hal Mitchell 1961-63 8-22 0.267

[woot]

I'm not sure what the point of this poll is. It's crystal clear that he's at least the second best coach BYU has ever had, since he's only the second good coach they've ever had. That doesn't mean he's a great coach, but he's certainly been effective. The debate is whether he's won games commensurate with the talent he's had available to him.

[Portland Ute]

What if I say he is the best?

He's faced much better competition than Lavell ever really did. Lavell had no TCU or Utah.

Lavell was great, but I actually think Bronco is doing as well if not better than Lavell did but against better teams.

[Goatnapper'96]

What if I say he is the best?

He's faced much better competition than Lavell ever really did. Lavell had no TCU or Utah.

Lavell was great, but I actually think Bronco is doing as well if not better than Lavell did but against better teams.

Lavell had, at least so far, higher highs. I think that if Mendenhall can keep it up the consistency will eventually result in some high highs, to be clear not MNC type of highs but BCS bowl games. But I agree with your opinion that Mendenhall is facing a much more difficult schedule year in and year out. In his 5 years at BYU he has faced a top 10 in conference foe 3 out of 5 years and faced two in one year.

I think Lavell was a better visionary but I think Mendenhall is a better nuts and bolts guy. BYU executes pretty well, save for Max against fast teams who has some mental issue I think, at least I hope.