... goes hand in hand when you don't have players who are as good as your opponents. Not a valid statement when you can't ******* coach. You don't get "more time" to learn X's and ******* O's.
It's a vicious circle started by poor coaching. Good recruits won't come to UM with its overmatched coaches. With lesser players, Golden and Company get ever more lost, which alienates future recruits, and on and on. A good coach, even with a mediocre team (and UM's talent is not mediocre), can get those signature wins against ranked opponents and put up a decent W/L record. This attracts the top recruits, and you have a virtuous circle.
Here's a quick thought. Would Rex Ryan be good as a college coach? He certainly must understand defense. I never liked him (or his father) as a NFL coach, but he might be suitable for the college level. He should be available at the end of the year. Would he be a good replacement for Golden?