It's a common phrase, likely because it holds quite a bit of truth, but college coaches like to remind people that recruiting is the lifeblood of a program.
Getting good players has always been and will always be important. It's not the only indicator of success, but it's at the top of the list.
That's why when Travis Steele had an opening this offseason on his men's basketball coaching staff at Xavier University, he elected to go a different route when filling the position by hiring the Musketeers' first-ever director of recruiting.
Steele was looking for someone in the college basketball world with a steady pulse of the recruiting realm and grassroots connections at the high school and AAU level.