Bronco’s Big Brothers: Two by Two
By Craig Earnshaw
BYU’s football team is 8-2 and has
won seven in a row. During their streak, the Cougars have outscored
their opponents 280-65. For the first time since 2001, the team
was ranked (25th) in an AP Poll (Nov. 5).
Quarterback John Beck, recently named
as a semi-finalist for this year’s Davey O’Brien National Quarterback
Award, has completed 71.7% of his passes, has thrown for 2,671
yards, and has thrown 22 touchdowns against four interceptions.
In the game against Wyoming on Nov. 9, Beck surpassed Cougar great
Jim McMahon to become second on the all-time BYU passing list
with 9,805 yards.
The Cougars’ passing game is balanced
by a running attack that is led by running back Curtis Brown who
averages 4.5 yards a carry. Brown is less than 200 yards away
from the school career rushing mark.
BYU Photo/Jaren Wilkey
Key
to the team’s success has been second-year head coach, Bronco
Mendenhall. Bronco — that’s his real name — wants to succeed on
the field but is also interested in his players’ growth off the
field. His quiet, understated manner of speaking belies a strong
conviction that what he is doing with the BYU football program
is right. He feels that he is being led by the Spirit to make
his players better men.
Big Brothers
One of the things Mendenhall felt
inspired to do was to establish a “Big Brother” program prior
to the 2005 season.
“The need for the program came about
because of some incidents that occurred off the field before I
got here,” said Mendenhall. “Where were their examples? Where
were their teammates reminding them about their conduct and serving
as mentors?”
Taking a lesson from his father —
who served as a mission president in Auckland, New Zealand — Mendenhall
divided all the players into companionships and designated senior
and junior companions. Each player is asked to write a weekly
letter regarding the spiritual, emotional and physical well-being
of his companion.
“I was looking for a way to care
for our team,” said Mendenhall. “I don’t have the time to know
the intimate details of every young man, nor could I stay current
and be proactive with 123 players. I felt like there was a link
that needed to be in place with these players even before they
met with their assistant coaches.”
Letters Defuse Problems
Mendenhall relies on the letters
to defuse potential problems. Of the many letters he receives,
only five or six require special attention. “I call those young
men on the same day when something doesn’t quite sound right or
feel right,” explained Mendenhall. “I ponder a course of action
and then address it before a mistake is made. We want to provide
help before it becomes a crisis.”
As a result of the program, teammates
have given each other blessings, performed small acts of kindness,
and kept their coach informed of things that he should be aware
of. “It has been one of the most spiritual experiences of my tenure,”
said Mendenhall.
Many of the players recognize the
value of the program to their team.
“I’d been on a mission, so I knew
that the program would be great for our (team),” said Beck. “In
the scriptures you learn that you are your brother’s keeper. This
football team is a family and each of us is a brother to the others.
We’re trying to look out for each other.”
Advice Between Games
This season, Beck’s junior companion
is wide receiver McKay Jacobsen whom Beck refers to as a “pre-mish”
guy. Not only is Beck passing the ball to Jacobsen on game days
(21 catches, 405 yards and two touchdowns), he’s also passing
him some valuable advice during the week.
“We always talk and I try to keep
him focused on his mission,” said Beck. “I have it pretty easy
because McKay is such a good guy.”
So, if you catch the next BYU football
game, don’t just think of the team as a well-oiled offense and
a gritty defense. Think of it as a group of 60 companionships,
each looking out for the other, and a concerned coach presiding
over it all.
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