In an already tumultuous and crazy college football coaching carousel season, Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall announced Thursday evening that he would be stepping down after six years in Charlottesville. Mendenhall, who has been coaching in some form or fashion for 31 years, led Virginia to a 6-6 regular season record in 2021.
“I absolutely want to be at my best in anything that I do for everyone that I’m responsible for, but most importantly, [for] my partner, Holly, it’s 25 years straight, 17 of which I’ve been a head coach,” Mendenhall told reporters shortly after his departure was announced. “I don’t know if anyone — none of you know what that could be like, and I don’t know.
But what I do know is I want to spend a lot of time with her together, reconsidering the next thing we’re going to do together. That would be my first priority: what are we going to do together, and what’s next for us before we take on anything else.”
Stunned feels like an understatement when describing this development. There was no indication that Mendenhall would be fired let alone resign. The Cavaliers came up a few plays short of competing for the Coastal Division title, falling on the road at Pitt before dropping a heartbreaking loss to in-state rival Virginia Tech.
Bronco Mendenhall reflects on his decision to resign as the head coach of Virginia and how he shared the news with his staff and players: pic.twitter.com/m6YjjDzCYF
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) December 2, 2021
“It has been a privilege to have Bronco Mendenhall direct the Virginia football team over the past six seasons,” Virginia athletics director Carla Williams said in the official release. “He has done an exceptional job of not just transforming the program, but elevating the expectations for the program. He has established the necessary foundation to propel our football team upward. He is more than a football coach and the impact he has had on these young men will be a positive influence for the rest of their lives.”
Mendenhall met with his team around 4:45pm, the release was issued at 5pm and met with the press at 5:30pm. In all it was a quick turnaround — even with both Williams and University of Virginia president Jim Ryan asking him to stay.
What happens now is the big question.
There are not yet any indications as to who Virginia will hire to replace Mendenhall, if it’ll hire internally or try and jump into the chaotic coaching search pool. Virginia is eligible for a bowl game, and Mendenhall intends to stay on to see that through for his team and coaching staff, despite their surprise with the news.
“I’m not going to do it unless I can and feel energetic enough to do all that,” Mendenhall said. “So they saw that and they understand — it doesn’t mean they liked it. But I’m looking to continue to add value, not just ride it out.”
