I agree with you that because of the Hawkins situation last years class is iffy at best and this years could be a total disaster. The momentum is gone and we are like the car broken down on the freeway watching all the other cars go past us at high speed.
That said, I do give Hawkins credit for recruiting some quality players in his prior classes and even last years class has some guys who could be real sleepers. If (hopefully when) Hawk is replaced this year I feel safe in saying that the new staff will have better talent to work with across the board than Hawk found when he got here. Hawk also managed to clean up the reputation of the program so the new coach won't be fighting against the image of the bogus "scandal."
The more important thing is that I see a lot of our losing coming, not from talent issues but from coaching issues. This staff has failed to set a tone, set an identity. We have started every season with a different offensive concept and usually abandonded it for something pulled out of someones backside by midway through the season. We have failed to establish who is actually responsible for playing with all the player groupings, changes at QB, changes (mid-season no less) of player positions including on the O-line, benching of talented starters for walk-ons (better bring that lunch bucket) and failed to establish who is in charge on the sideline. Four years into his "system" and we can't even get the right guys on the field, get a play called, line up, make the basic reads, and snap the football before the play clock expires on a regular basis, this is something that high school teams do.
I am concerned about the recent drop-off in apparent talent in recruiting classes as well as by some of the attrition and by the failure of this staff to develop a lot of the players they do have. That said, these are all things that a quality coach can and will fix. Colorado is still in the Big XII, it is still seen by the college football community as a desirable destination to coach at, Hawk's extra year may tell prospective applicants that they will get a chance to put in their systems without a quick hook. I don't think we will lack for quality applicants for the job.
Despite all the disapointments of the past four years remember that Hawk was considered by most to be major hire when he came in. He had led a mid-major as they ascended into a highly prominent role in college football, he won a lot of games, and his teams were fun to watch. If CU had not hired him he would have had his choice of other jobs at BCS level schools.
This is still a job that coaches want. Bring one in who gets off on the right foot, establishes disipline on the field, gets everyone on the same page and organized, and I think we will see some immediate success with the players we have. Win some games and all of the sudden recruits are willing to listen and your program is back on track. Not easy but certainly achievable.