results have been mediocre under Kalani. So our perception of ourselves today is that we are an average P5 level program. So like Arizona, NC State, Kansas State, Missouri, etc.
Are any of those programs thinking "What we need to do is take a hard look at the AAC or MWC! This P5 stuff is hard! Forget about the money, we need to soften up our schedule.". Nope. They are firing staffs, cleaning house, anything they can to improve their program and win. And if that doesn't work, they clean the whole AD out. If we WIN, our situation is beautiful. We just need to find a way to WIN. If Urban Meyer came walking through the door, does anyone not believe that he would have our program ranked and consistently winning within a couple of years? What about if Dabo or Saban came? My point is that if we got a great coach in here BYU could be a great program, just like if a great coach went to Missouri or Arizona. It's on the coaches! Urban or Saban wouldn't care so much about recruiting all BYU guys. He would get the best possible players and then MAKE them buy in to living the honor code and not getting kicked out! And if/when it happens, we plug the next kid in and the team understands the consequence, just like they do at other programs.
If we WIN, we are relevant. If BYU went undefeated or even lost 1 good game this season, last season, or next season, we would be in the national conversation all year long. We have the schedule for it. Would we get into the CFP? Things would have to break right, just as they would if AZ, Mizzou, or Utah went undefeated. The Blue Blood programs would need to be down, conference champs would need multiple losses, and teams on our schedule would need to be good. If we string together a couple of special years, we'll have an even better case.
Fans hiding behind our tough schedule or lack of depth and ignoring the coaching are missing the point entirely. Personally, I'm rooting hard for Kalani and have been since he got here. I feel like this year Grimes finally has everything his system needs (quality OL, big bruising RBs, competent/good QB) to run HIS scheme the way HE wants. Turns out our schedule isn't as nasty as it looked a couple of years ago. There isn't a game on there that would scare a legit top 15 program, rebuilding Washington included. The '96, '84. or even '09 teams wouldn't be scared of this schedule. So if we end up 7-5 or worse with losses to Utah, USU, and all the other P5's on the schedule we need to make a change and move on.
If we can get lucky and get through the year without significant injuries and have the ball bounce our way a couple of times, this could be a special year. Kalani has been able to keep us in most games, we just lose as many as we win. Hoping this year, with Grimes getting some experience and personnel he sorely needed, we can flip those coin toss games our way and finally make some noise.