that BYU "deserves" to be in the P5 conversation, I don't recall him ever saying BYU "deserves" an invite to a P5 conference. (Please correct me if I'm wrong...TIA) I may be way off the mark here, who knows, but TH is not stupid and he is not going to say things that will give people the upper hand in misinterpreting his words.

IMHO, the last 11 years has all been about marketing and perception. BYU could not be seen as being left behind in the MWC by Utah and TCU for greener P5 pastures. Note TH's assertions, BYU wants to play at the highest level possible...meaning playing for the ability to win another national championship, not play in a NY6 game. Yes, BYU wants exposure. Yes, BYU wants to play on ESPN. Blah, blah, blah. We all get that. But, if BYU has the opportunity to put itself in a position to qualify to play in the CFP, BYU will dump independence like a hot potato, even if it means joining a G5 conference, like the AAC (not the MWC).

All that said, I'll put words in TH's mouth:

1. BYU deserves to be in a P5 conference.
2. There are things that are either beyond BYU's control or things on which BYU won't compromise that have kept, and will likely forever keep, BYU from receiving a P5 invite.
3. BYU fans are off the rails hypersensitive about BYU's status as a non-G5/wanna-be-P5 and acknowledging the fact that the chances of BYU getting a P5 invite are between slim and none, and slim ain't showing up, would be (in the minds of BYU donor money finders) suicidal under current circumstances to BYU financially.
4. There will be a final realignment/CFP "reckoning" in the next roughly 3 years, during which time: a) the CFP may/will expand to include a guaranteed spot for a G5 champion, and b) there may/will be a minor P5 realignment "shakeup".
5. If the events of 4. above don't include BYU receiving a P5 invite, WHICH THEY WON'T, and there is no movement on CFP expansion, BYU will continue to market the awesomeness and benefits of independence and stay the course. However, if the events of 4. above include CFP expansion that will include a guaranteed G5 champion invite, especially under the current proposal in which no conference's champion is guaranteed an invite, but enough seats at the table are created to guarantee an invite for a champion from one of what are now called the G5, BYU will try to find a way to join the AAC and terminate independence. BYU will then call independence a great success for what it was and merrily move on with the AAC.

The only question is which option will the AAC give BYU, full membership or football-only membership. That's a discussion for a different post.