New Mexico football coach Bronco Mendenhall is leaving for a job at Utah State

December 6 (UPI) – New Mexico football coach Bronco Mendenhall will leave the Lobos to take the same job at Utah State.

Sources told ESPN, The Athletic and the Albuquerque Journal of the move on Friday. Mendenall is expected to sign a six-year contract with the Aggies after leading the Lobos to a 5-7 record this season.

The Aggies fired former coach Blake Anderson in July after he posted a 23-17 record in three seasons. Interim coach Nate Dreiling led the Aggies to a 4-8 mark in 2024, including a season-ending loss to Colorado State on Friday in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Mendenhall began his college coaching career at BYU in 2005. The Cougars were ranked in the top 10 under the coach, who compiled a 99-43 record and won six bowl games in 11 seasons.

Mendenhall left the Cougars in 2016 to become coach of the Virginia Cavaliers and led the team to a 36-38 record in six seasons. He resigned in 2021.

The Lobos hired Mendenhall in 2023 and gave him a five-year contract. They began their first season under Mendenhall with four straight losses, won the next three games and finished with three losses in their last five games.

The Aggies defeated Robert Morris in their first game of the season. They then lost their next six games. They went 3-2 in their last five games under Dreiling.