The most disappointing flaw so far in recruiting has been RB.
The one issue with Barthel is he's from the northeast which is essentially a black hole for where most 4-5* skill players are. Rhule is attempting to build a recruiting belt from Texas to FL/GA. Actually think of a hockey stick/L shape from Omaha down to KC through Oklahoma and Texas then over to FL/GA area.
The problem with Barthel is he has no natural recruiting ties in any of this entire area. That's why he hasn't really bagged an elite RB recruit yet....because they're more often then not going to come from that L shape on our map. And Barthel has no 'in' in that entire area.
That's also why when Barthel was recruiting Kewan Lacy out of the Metroplex he needed Garrett McGuire to close it for him, bc McGuire speaks Texan and Barthel doesn't. And you ain't going into Dallas to pull an elite RB unless you speak the language.
Barthel's recruiting "ins" are in NJ/PA. But unless we get another Rozier coming out of NJ, our next elite RB is probably coming out of TX/FL/GA with the way Rhule sets up his recruiting.
I like Barthel and think he's a good coach....but from a recruiting standpoint, we'd be better off with a RB coach who had insane recruiting ties to Dallas or Houston or Miami or Atlanta.