What is the pulse?

What is exactly the pulse of BYU fans heading into summer?

I broke bread with three of them on Friday, asking them questions of the day and times, especially after this past week and the Riley Nelson issue. I spent this past week in Mesquite, playing in one of the largest amateur golf tournaments in the country. I understand talk radio along the Wasatch Front was rocking with action, which I did not hear. I fired off some questions to this trio at California Pizza and they took turns responding. They ranged in ages from about 36 to 54.

Q. What do you believe BYU fans think of Bronco Mendenhall right now?

A. His reputation and respect for him has never been higher.

Q. Why?

A. Because he wins and does it his way – BYU’s way. And he doesn’t care what other people think. He probably didn’t hear or read a word of what went on this week and we like that about him.

Q. He took a beating this week over supposedly breaking his own policy about recruiting missionaries.

A. All it is is hatred. It shows the tide has turned around here. BYU is back. He has turned things around. Utah fans loved Gary Crowton and that should tell you something. They hate Bronco and pick at everything he does. They tried to hate LaVell, but it was hard to because he was such a nice guy. No, all this week shows is the signs of the times. BYU is winning again.

Q. From your contacts with players in the program, what do they think of Bronco?

“They fear him and they respect him a lot. It’s his way or the highway and he doesn’t care. If players don’t do what they’ve been asked to do, he moves on with or without them. You do need to fear a coach a little to make things work.

Q. Is Bronco fair about his expectations of commitments when he accepts a transfer from another program that an athlete committed to?

A. His critics are missing the point. He expects a commitment from his players. He is not two-faced about it. If a player doesn’t like the program or his chances of progressing and isn’t committed, he welcomes a release from their scholarship as shown by Michael Marquardt (ASU), Ben Olson (UCLA), Jacob Bower (Bakersfield and Tulsa) and Cooper (Oregon State).

Q. Should Bronco have a policy about not recruiting missionaries? I don’t think he needs one and it’s a dumb idea for him to explain it.

A. Missionaries are right in his wheel house, they’re football players that fit right into what he’s trying to do. We don’t think he needs a policy or to explain his recruiting as long as it’s done by the NCAA rules.

Q. Being objective, do you thing criticism of Bronco this week is justified?

A. It is understandable because of who is doing it. This whole thing is a matter of perspective, who is looking at it. One person hears about Patrick Higgins and
Nelson’s high school coach talking and perceives it as BYU taking the first step in recruiting Riley. Others see it as following up on a lead in the course of doing routine work and is no big deal. We don’t think Bronco initiated any contact directly with Riley Nelson. If he initiated contact with a missionary on his mission, we don’t like that and we don’t think he should do it.

Q. What is your biggest criticism of Bronco?

A. We don’t like starting 1-2 then going undefeated the rest of the way. He’s got to start winning from the start and keep it rolling like he has. Is that too much to ask?

There. Done.

How do your read the pulse of BYU fans this first week of June? Are these three amigos representative?