And that looking 6 steps ahead, instead of at the one ahead of you, can be a problem. Of course I'd love to win a championship, but it's also realistic to consider that we're not there right now (especially with the system as constructed)

Think about this from the mindset of the other in-state programs.

If you're a USU fan, you'd probably like to win a championship too. But that's just not a feasible goal at the moment. Instead, you want to focus on challenging Boise, then on winning the MWC most years, then on a P5 jump, then on contending at that level, and finally on having a magical season.

Utah isn't a top-tier P5 team, but they're solid. If everything came together perfectly, they could go NY6, or even playoff. That hasn't happened and probably won't, but with the schedule/reputation etc they have it's possible.

BYU is between the two. So for BYU the next step is to consistently be in the conversation (not for the playoff per se, but regularly in the Top 25). It doesn't do to make a once-a-decade appearance because then we're too easily dismissed as a fluke, a flash in the pan. Whether our ultimate goal is repeated 10 win, top 25 seasons or to win a national championship, the first step is the same.