education (and price of that education) one can receive there.

However, I don't think your point about "location in a beautiful are of the country" helps BYU recruit frankly anyone. Can you remember a recruit saying he came to BYU because of the scenery? I can't.

If that were the case I think a lot of the guys going to East Lansing Michigan (MSU) and Storres, Connecticut (UCONN) would choose our league mate Pepperdine (Malibu, CA baby!). Pepperdine is currently one of the worst programs in America and has terrible recruiting. It's probably the best "scenery" in the country to an 18 year old.

Furthermore, as to "program history" you need to remember who college coaches are trying to recruit. Literally 15 and 16 year old kids. Most teens these days who are not LDS don't even know who Jimmer is. The "history" they know is BYU being a mediocre team in the WCC if they know anything about BYU at all. Our "history" brings little advantage.

Also, I believe you are correct that there might be over 100 coaches who could win 20+ games with Rose's talent and schedule. But are there over 100 ACTIVE LDS COACHES who know how to recruit to BYU, have some coaching experience, can manage the mission situation gracefully, can grasp and embrace ultimate control of BYU athletics by the BOT, would be supported by big BYU donors, etc.???

There are probably fewer than 10 guys who could check all of those boxes. Maybe fewer than 5.

I agree with you that BYU should not lose to some of the dregs of the WCC as often as they do. However, based on talent, coaching, and other factors, BYU also has no business regularly beating Gonzaga. Yet Rose REGULARLY beats them.