Recruiting is a big part of coaching, and he is coaching a team that lost, if I recall the article correctly, three offensive line starters, several RB's, and a lot on the defense. It's not just enough to have talent, you have to coach them up. For what it's worth, Bama had been trash for quite some time before Saban went there. They weren't getting the blue chippers at the same rate they are now. It's because he's Nick Saban....a horrible human being, but a great head coach. And he does it in the SEC where everyone else is a big ole blue chip buster. We take greatness for granted.
It just often feels like a fluke when you give out to guys like McTire.