Success is relative. Look at UTEP before and after Price. UTEP may be the most difficult program to win at in all D1. That is why, I believe, Price was the most successful coach at UTEP in 50-60 years (that isn't saying much).
Sure Price had his project "athlete" recruits, but let's not forget he also signed kids that were highly sought after too, i.e. Bledsoe, Butch Williams, Jeremy Williams, Sparks, Sanders, Darling, Ford, Green, Josh Shavies, Paymah, Kevin Brown. Then there is that next level group that included Kegel, Leaf, Trufant, Austin, Moronkola, Coleman, Moore, Mobley, Hunter, Rushing, yada yada yada. So let's nor pretend that Price teams were loaded with project hidden gems that aren't available now. He was signing kids, we aren't now. Nor did he win with a team full of prop 48 types like Fields, Eaton, Wilson or Bender. They were the rare exception, not the rule.
Leach IS struggling on the recruiting front, despite the stupid $100,000,000 facilities outlay. Add 4 bowls in 5 years, 3 straight... and the best he can do is a #46 recruiting class! It is his achilles heel.
If we want to get back to actually beating the Huskies, being able to compete for, and win, championships, or the ulimate goal, to do so consistently, something above what Price accomplished, top 50 and top 60 recruiting classes won't cut it, even if you believe they are underrated. As great a coach as Leach is (genius, in fact), it can't be done with concensus bottom division talent. If I were Leach I'd start by being more circumspect. It is so easy to offend, so easy to come across as your grouchy granddad. For example, he shouldn't tell reporters that he isn't interested in developing kids for the NFL. Like it or not the NFL is most P-12 calibre recruits dream. To say you aren't going to do anything to help them to accomplish that dream, isn't a recruiting positive.