Utah State has hired Bronco Mendenhall of New Mexico as its next football coach, announcing Friday that he will sign a six-year contract.

Mendenhall just finished his first season with the Lobos, leading them to a 5-7 overall record and a 3-4 finish in the Mountain West – the same conference record as Utah State.

“My passion is developing young people and transforming football programs to reach their full potential,” Mendenhall said in a statement. “Utah State provides a great opportunity to do both and allows for a focus on family that is essential to me and Holly. We look forward to continuing to build on Utah State’s rich tradition and pursuit of football excellence.”

He has strong ties to Utah and was BYU’s coach from 2005 to 2015. He led the Cougars to 11 consecutive bowl games and five seasons with 10 or more wins.

Mendenhall left BYU in late 2015 to take the job at Virginia, which he built into a contender in the ACC, including a 9-5 Orange Bowl season in 2019 before resigning after the 2021 season.

He was named New Mexico’s coach after a two-year hiatus, taking over a program that hadn’t won more than four games since 2016. But that changed this year, culminating in a 38-35 victory over then-No. 18 Washington State that kept the Lobos’ bowl hopes alive before their final regular-season game. But those hopes ended in a loss to Hawaii.

Overall, Mendenhall has a 145-95 record as a head coach at the three schools.

“Bronco is one of the most experienced coaches in college football. His leadership skills, proven track record and deep understanding of the game make him the ideal choice to enhance our program,” athletic director Diana Sabau said in a statement. “Broncos success goes far beyond football. He has a deep connection and cares about young men growing up.

Utah State went 4-8 overall this season under interim coach Nate Dreiling, who took over after Blake Anderson was fired in July. The Aggies will leave the Mountain West starting in the 2026 season to join the Pac-12.