There’s another opening on the college football coaching carousel. Virginia announced Thursday that Cavaliers head coach Bronco Mendenhall has stepped down.

“It has been a privilege to have Bronco Mendenhall direct the Virginia football team over the past six seasons,” said Virginia athletics director Carla Williams. “He has done an exceptional job of not just transforming the program, but elevating the expectations for the program. He has established the necessary foundation to propel our football team upward. He is more than a football coach and the impact he has had on these young men will be a positive influence for the rest of their lives.

“In his own, understated way, he had a tremendous impact on our local community with the Thursday’s Heroes Program and with his encouragement of his players to be proactively involved in so many local community organizations.

“He is an amazing colleague to our other coaches and staff, always willing to help wherever it is needed. I have been blessed to have been able to work with him these last four years and I wish he and Holly the very best in their next chapter.”

Mendenhall’s resignation comes as a surprise. Mendenhall is 135-81 as a head coach at BYU (99-43) and UVA (36-38). He took the Virginia job before the 2016 season.