Mendenhall: We Are Prepared and Ready to Start the Year

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Opening Remarks

Welcome. It seems like it wasn’t too long ago that we were here last year. We’re excited about the season, I think our preparation has gone well through fall camp and we have had a number of practices so far where we have started to do the crossover work. I think we’re prepared and as ready as we’re going to be starting the year. There may be a player or two that will have their status change during the year, so we just need to figure out the travel roster. I think our team is hungry and eager and we’ll find out exactly where we stand when we play. I’d like to predict and feel more certain about how we’re going to play, but for now it is not something that I have been able to accurately predict, so we’ll see how we perform this week. I like our team and I like the way they are performing at this point.

What kind of feedback are you getting from your assistant coaches about the commonalities of the Oklahoma teams they have faced and the current team?

I think they have seen commonalities in lots of people, but I don’t think they see the commonalities of this particular era, however they know Oklahoma football is exceptional. I think they do see the level of precision, the level of execution and the level of talent. The other interesting connection that they made was with the University of Arizona where Mike Stoops is the head coach. They have seen many similarities between those two programs as well and because they are a coaching family we are not underestimating the transfer of knowledge from one program to the other. We are not going to be unknown to them, nor would I assume that they are going place extra emphasis on us because they are very confident in the way they play and at what level they play, so I think their focus will be on themselves. Where on the flipside, we will be focusing more on the match-up.

The team has struggled against nationally-ranked teams and non-conference teams in the past, what are your thoughts on this upcoming game?

I think we have regional credibility and we’re gaining national credibility now. If you want national credibility at the higher level, then you need to beat the best teams. Ranked teams are the best teams – which we are part of – but beating the teams in front of you is the way you gain that credibility. If you look at BYU’s history over time it is not favorable, the record is something like 2-16 against ranked teams. There are a lot of reasons for that: really good teams, mostly on the road and the nation’s elite that are out to become number one. We have determined the only way to gain that regional and national credibility is by playing well.

What is the magnitude of playing in the new Cowboy’s Stadium?

Our team is generating tremendous momentum, but we consider it an honor to play this game, not only against a team like Oklahoma, but also we consider it an honor to play in that stadium. I don’t think it was a random selection, I don’t think it was by accident that we were picked; but I think it is from dedication and a lot of hard work. And I think our players not only are excited to play there, but also are honored at the opportunity in playing in what they’re calling the “eighth wonder of the world.”

Who is going to win the game and what is the spread?

I never make any predictions. I haven’t before, and I won’t in the future.

Would you say this is the most talented team you have faced as you have been coaching here?

I would think so, yes.