Recruiting matters. We will never bring in a class like Bama. What we need are a series of classes like last year. We also need to balance class sizes to minimize ups and downs year to year. I think most agree we need to be able to put a solid core of 4th n 5th year seniors on the field year to year. Big Schools may get the Clowneys of the world. We can compete by developing the Morgans and Attouchos. But it's hard to throw out a 230 lb 18 yoa DE and expect him to succeed vs a 21 yoa 315 lb OT.
Continuity, the lack of, has been a problem at Tech my whole life. For various reasons. Curry bolted to Bama. Ross bolted to the NFL....we bolted from BL, O'leary bolted for ND (then we bolted from bringing him back), then we gave Chan the can. I think programs are way to quick to pull the trigger. If Tennessee had kept Fulmer they would have won at least one SEC champ in the time since and maybe several. I think continuity plays a big part in success with recruiting. I was actually in favor of keeping Chan another year but I wasn't adamant about it (and he lost me when he played Reuben Houston).
I think continuity is starting to pay off. Last year was a monster year bringing in solid recruits. That class will leave an impact when all is said and done. If we can continue to recruit at the same level for the next few years life will be good. It's gonna be hard to do this year IMO. The class size will be small, which may help. But I worry that the time needed for the many fixes for our team may hurt our coaches persuit and contact with current recruits. Just a guess and hope like hell Im wrong. I don't envy the many tasks our coaches have to manage.
Continuity with our program will help us. This year and moving forward. Recruits are far more likely to consider us if they believe our current staff is likely be with them long term.
Edit:
I think Va Tech is the best example of this. They don't have our curriculum problems but do have their own disadvantages. A stadium about the size of ours...located in the backwater of Va. But the continuity of their program has been a big reason for the success they have had IMO.