As the Nebraska football team continues to run out the string of what has been a supremely disappointing season, there has been an awful lot of talk about whether or not mike riley is going to be gone once 2017 wraps up. For those who are assuming the answer is yes, talk of his replacement has almost exclusively centered around former Husker Scott Frost.

There are plenty of people who have their doubts about the current Central Florida Head Coach in large part because this is only his second season as a head coach. That lack of experience is why the Nebraska administration should indeed be looking towards other coaches if a change is made.

Among those other targets, one name that hasn’t been mentioned yet should be the front runner. Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall is a good coach who would likely be gettable, should the Huskers offer him a significant pay raise.

An experienced head coach for Nebraska football

Unlike Scott Frost, Mendenhall has a plethora of experience and a plethora of success to lean on should he be the next Nebraska football coach. Unlike Mike Riley, the curve for determining the Virginia Cavaliers head coach is not buffeted with reports of success despite coaching at Oregon State. Oddly enough, Mendenhall coached under Riley for several seasons.

In 2005, Mendenhall took over the BYU Cougars and appeared to be a lifer for that school, coaching until after the 2015 season.

Over that period of time, he compiled a 99-43 record. From 2006 to 2009, BYU was regularly ranked in the Top 25. He never had a team post a losing record during his stay at BYU.

In 2016, Mendenhall kicked off a new chapter of his coaching career by moving to the Virginia Cavaliers. In his first season, he continued what has been a terrible run for the school as he posted just a 2-10 record.

This season, they are off to a 5-1 start to the season after Saturday’s win over North Carolina.

Recruiting could be better here for the Nebraska football team

If there is one area where Mendenhall concerns, it would be recruiting. Virginia’s classes haven’t been inside the top 40 either year he’s been there. Clearly he was able to get some pretty good talent to come to BYU.

At the moment, he’s mostly winning with his predecessor’s players. That’s something that would be a boost should he come in replacing Mike Riley and his two Top-30 recruiting classes.

While some might claim that Mendenhall wouldn’t be interested in coming to coach the Nebraska football team, it seems as though a large payday might help make the job a bit more attractive. He seems to have all the tools Husker fans are dying to see in their coach, including being a proven winner.