BYU is not a G5 level set of programs. Not a G5 institutions in many ways. Much better fit to profile of P5 level programs and institutions, outside factors that make it an outlier. So "plausible deniability" shouldn't be a reason to maintain independence. BYU is simply a cultural and maybe a geographic outlier and as such is simply a misfit of sorts. They've been banished to the island of misfit toys.