We started a couple of different guys in 2009, then replaced a returning senior starter with a redshirt freshman in 2010. When our all-conference senior quarterback went down in 2012, we plugged in another redshirt freshman who started for 4 seasons with two different staffs. The current staff made no effort to find a juco guy (like Callahan did) because they liked what they had. They even had a guy that they had actually recruited heavily, and he had to transfer. We still have a guy on the roster that we beat Virginia Tech, West Virginia, and Ohio State for on the recruiting trail, but he was moved to WR (because 20 WR on the roster just wasn't enough). He was moved back to QB part time only after there were literally no other options.
As far as RBs go, I hope you are joking. How many RBs do they need? Newby, Cross, Wilbon, and even Adam Taylor (who many were drooling over out of high school) were all on the roster when this staff arrived. 3 of those guys were 4-star backs out of high school.
I understand it just fine, which is why I don't blame a quarterback or other highly recruited players for things like consistent assignment failures over the course of a season or more.