When put on the spot in a difficult situation there are two conversations going on involving a person, The Right-Hand Column (What they said) vs The Left-Hand Column (What they were thinking). He may have felt it easier to put the HC excuse out there (pretty well known and accepted as a challenge for some at BYU) rather than feel like he's maybe insulting or damaging the relationship he's started building with BYU coaches by insulting them that he doesn't feel they can prepare him for the NFL like maybe KW and the coaches at Utah can.

Who knows exactly what he was thinking but it's entirely possible the HC is a concern for him but a minor one compared to what may have been the real reason.