People always make the mistake of believing someone is a good recruiter if they sign players that are highly ranked by recruiting services. Nothing could be further from the truth.
You are a good recruiter, no matter where you are, if you recruit kids that fit your system, keep them in school, develop them and win football games.
The notion that a two or three star kid that becomes all conference or all american only did it because they were "coached up" when they get to college is absurd. Those kids have a tremendous amount of talent as well. It is harder to see at the time they are being recruited, but they are certainly very talented athletes. The coaches that find them are great recruiters because they win a lot of games with players like that.
Jerry Kill is going to be successful if he finds kids that fit his system, those kids buy into his program and develop over 3-5 years. When you can announce a senior class on senior day of 18 and 10 are starting and the other 8 contribute in some way, instead of the 5 that will be announced next year for the Gophers, and when those kids are helping you win a lot of games, then he will be a successful recruiter.
Personally, I think he is going to be successful. I have seen or heard nothing to indicate that he would not. It is going to take time, but he is going to do it the right way, in my opinion. Kill being successful will make the battle for the axe that much more interesting and I hope he pulls it off.
It is the exact opposite of what I thought when Brewster came in.
Maybe one day there will be two axe battles in the same year. That would be awesome.