along with some other unknown factors.

BYU will always be cautious when it comes to following the rules and this year is the first year where NIL dealings are officially allowed out in the open. Even last year pay-for-play was strictly prohibited, even though most schools were obviously still doing it. There were a number of court rulings this past year that have made it so pay-for-play is now allowed, or at least is enough out in the open and consequence-free that BYU is now comfortable with it.

Then, when Pope left we were staring at the possibility of shrinking back into obscurity, which I imagine put some fear and motivation into some of these donors. Combined with Holmoe’s dynamite plan to hire Kevin Young (with some influence from big name NBAers Ryan Smith and Danny Ainge I’m sure), it has given an increased confidence to big donors that their money will make a difference and result in building a powerhouse program.

It has been speculated that this confidence isn’t there yet for football, but really all of this is just speculation and none of us really know what goes on behind the scenes.