Things will need to line up. Top 3 defense in 2012---paired with #1 qb recruit not panning out and Taysom injury. Still finished #26 in sagarin, pushed #1 ND on the road, but not enough horses to overcome that.
2014 and 2015 would've been more special if not for Taysom injury, as it stood we still spent several weeks ranked, won some big games, and finished with 9 wins (about as good as BYU has ever been over any reasonable stretch of time).
BYU can't lose two expected starters like Mika/Emery and take a major step forward. It is what it is.
But to think that somehow a top 15 active coach isn't working, you better be careful for what you wish for. We saw in football just how quickly things can turn into a mess.