Below is a link to an article evaluating the effect of recruiting on college football teams, specifically addressing the question "how long does it take for recruiting to have an effect". Here is a quote:
This model shows a clear lagged effect for high school recruiting. The freshman recruiting class has no statistically significant relationship with F/+, but the sophomore and junior classes do have significant (at the 90% confidence level, at least) positive effects on F/+. "F/+" is a rating of college football teams (link in the article describes if anyone is really interested). He is just saying what we probably all instinctively know...that one good recruiting year is not going to make a huge difference right away. The reasons why are fairly obvious...most freshman football players have to have time to develop, though this is true than it used to be. More important, there are 22 starting positions on a football team and you can't just have frosh, even a class as large and deep as ours, just step into all those positions.
It's interesting because I don't know anyone who expects us to suddenly have a good season next year due to this one recruiting class, but most say 2015 should be better....here is some statistical analysis that says that confirms it using a mathematical/statistical model. Again, I don't think anyone expects us to be so great next year, but here is at least one indication that we are right to have higher expectations for 2015.
And while I am at it, Butch is off to a great on the 2015 class as well...if he just keeps that up, good things are coming.
http://harvardsportsanalysis.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/analyzing-the-lagged-effect-of-college-football-recruiting/
