....the program was already getting better when Crowton got fired. They won 5, then 4...then 5 while playing significantly tougher schedules in each of those years (2002-2004).

In 2004 BYU went 5-6 while playing the 11th toughest SOS (best in school history and best 2 back to back SOS's in school history). Crowton was a few inches away from a last second FG going through the uprights against a ranked Boise St team on the road. 2 maybe 3 inches was the difference between 5 wins and 6 wins that year.

In 2005 Bronco took over and returned most of the 2 deep from that previous season (including a Jr/3rd year starting QB), loaded with NFL talent, and while playing a ridiculously easier schedule (#65 that year), he won only one more game while losing the same number as Crowton did the year before.

That doesn't sound like they got immediately better under Bronco. If you look at Sagarin's ratings BYU finished #41 in 2004 under Crowton and finished considerably lower at #55 in 2005 under Bronco. It sounds like they got immediately worse under Bronco. According to you Bronco should've been fired right then because you say a 6 win season is despicable, (especially when he had the talent to win 10+ games that year).