Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- Bronco Mendenhall agreed to a six-year contract with Utah State, starting at $2 million annually.
- His contract includes incentives for academic and athletic performance, with potential earnings up to $125,000.
- Utah State will allocate up to $6 million for Mendenhall's staff by Year 6.
LOGAN — Former New Mexico head coach Bronco Mendenhall is now the head coach of the Utah State football team, officially hired the morning after the University of Utah brought in former BYU quarterback Jason Beck as offensive coordinator.
Try explaining that to someone before BYU kicked off against Nebraska to open the 2015 season, which was Mendenhall's final year as head coach of the Cougars when Beck was his quarterbacks coach.
But the Aggies swung for an accomplished college football coach with a strong defensive acumen who turned around jobs in Provo; Charlottesville, Virginia; and even Albuquerque, New Mexico, in his lone season with the Lobos.
Now he gets a chance to do the same at Utah State, which went 4-8 under interim head coach Nate Dreiling — the Aggies' fourth sub-.500 season in five years.
"My passion is developing young people and transforming football programs to reach their full potential," said Mendenhall, whose announcement noted the Alpine native would be closer to his 93-year-old mother, Lenore, who still lives in northern Utah County. "Utah State provides a great opportunity to do both and allows a family focus that is essential to me and Holly. We look forward to adding to Utah State's rich tradition and striving for football excellence."
Mendenhall will take over a Utah State program that is headed to the newly reconstructed Pac-12 in 2026. But how long will Mendenhall be the Aggies coach? Only time will tell, but details of his deal the university provided to KSL.com via public records request shed some light.
What is the duration of Mendenhall's contract with Utah State?
Mendenhall agreed to a six-year deal with Utah State that began Friday and runs through Jan. 31, 2031, according to the offer sheet from the university obtained by KSL.com.
He'll initially be paid a $2 million salary as head coach of the Aggies, with roughly $60,000 increases annually up to $2.3 million by the sixth year of the deal.
He'll also receive various incentives that are standard within the industry, such as up to $20,000 if the team's single-year Academic Progress Rate, or APR, finishes at 970 or above; $25,000 for a conference championship or co-championship; $75,000 for a non-College Football Playoff bowl game appearance; and $125,000 for being selected to the CFP.
As is customary to most in-state contracts, Mendenhall is set to receive $5,000 for each rivalry win over BYU or the University of Utah.
He'll also receive traditional benefits including medical insurance, the use of one loaned vehicle for "USU business purposes," a membership to Logan Golf and Country Club, and up to 12 premium-level tickets to every Utah State home football game, as well as eight such tickets for all road games and four premium-level tickets to all home basketball games.
"Bronco is one of the most experienced coaches in college football. His leadership, proven track record, and deep understanding of the game make him the ideal choice to elevate our program."
— USU Football (@USUFootball) December 6, 2024
🗣️ @UtahState_AD
➡️ https://t.co/kuud41AnNUpic.twitter.com/ybOBgSpYLL
What about Mendenhall's assistant coaches and staff?
According to the proposed contract, Utah State will allocate an initial salary pool of $3.5 million for assistant coaches, operations and administrative positions on Mendenhall's staff in his first year.
That pool will grow to $4 million in Year 2, $5 million by Year 4, and as much as $6 million if Mendenhall reaches the sixth year of his deal. That salary pool also does not include the strength and conditioning staff and the director of football operations, with athletic director Diana Sabau having final oversight over the allocation of resources from the assistant salary pool.
There's a buyout, right?
As noted in the proposed contract, Utah State will pay up to $2 million to the University of New Mexico in 36 monthly installments beginning in January. Mendenhall had just completed the first year of a five-year, $6 million contract this past season, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
Utah State will be responsible to pay out 100% of the cumulative remaining salary if the university terminates Mendenhall for convenience, or without cause.
In the event Mendenhall terminates his own employment prior to the end of the six-year contract for "convenience" — for example, to take another job — he'll be responsible for paying $3 million in "liquidated damages" to the university with five years remaining on his deal, and $500,000 less for each subsequent year of his employment to as low as $500,000 in Year 6 of the current contract.
Half of the buyout would be paid to the school within 90 days, with the other half due within six months of his voluntary termination.
The contract was signed by both Sabau and Mendenhall, and remains contingent on standard verifications, including a background check, prior to executing the long-form agreement by March of next year.
