the devolution started pre-Fuente, and has continued during Fu's tenure. Getting rid of Cav started it, and nothing was done to maintain the relationships afterward, including SB.
As an example, the following:

CJF and Tapp were on a recruiting trip to the 757. They flew down to Tidewater, and after arrival, found the schools were closed for a teachers' work day (nobody had checked to see. Attention to detail is important). CJF flew on to Texas, and Tapp rented a car and went on a southern string (VA,NC, SC, GA). Other than recruits names, height, weight, and HS, no other info was provided by the recruiting staff. And, since at that time, staff didn't have a HUDL account, had a very small recruiting staff, and very little assets, Tapp only had memories of what film he had seen, and the aforementioned list of schools to visit.
Tapp would show up at a school, essentially unannounced, and attempt to see coaches. Almost every coach asked where he was from, and said they hadn't been visited by VT in years. He had to try to begin new relationships, and work from there.
One of the places he visited was Pace Academy, just outside Atlanta. This place is private, and compares in many ways with IMG. Several players from Pace were on Tapp's list. When he got there, he got to meet Pace's coach, Coach Chris Slade (this is a clue).
Both Slade and Tapp looked at each other. Slade said VT really hadn't been to Pace in a long time, and then they both realized they knew of each other. Slade was a former NFL player, UVa star, from Tabb HS Yorktown. Tapp, of course, is former NFL player, VT star, from Deep Creek HS in Chesapeake, VA. They knew of each other, and the relationship went from there.
So, here are my questions, even to this day. (1) Why didn't CJF and Tapp not knew Tidewater schools were closed? (2) Why wasn't Tapp provided more info (i.e., Profiles of the HS, Name and background of coach, directions to the school, telephone numbers/email addresses/twitter for the school, names of former recruits from the school, Principal's name, etc.)? (3) why didn't Tapp have access, on the road, to HUDL to review film with the coaches/players? (4) Why hadn't VT been to some of these schools in years? The list goes on and on.
Also, why hasn't anybody kept historical data on HS's in VA re: coaches, prior recruits, prior players, principals, etc? (by the way, there are over 400 HS's in Virginia). Do we have former players who went to a HS, and are they available to assist in recruitment? The questions, and lack of answers, are endless, and disturbing. I think some of these shortcomings are being addressed now, with the addition of Corey Fuller and Gouveia-Winslow (or as my wife calls him, The Hyphen). However, the lack of historical data, and just plain data that would greatly facilitate recruitment is not available. IMHO, this is due to neglect, and the neglect preceded the current football staff.
With limited staff, organization is particularly important in recruiting, which would maximize efficiency of effort. Also, since a lot of the staff don't have Virginia roots (or east coast roots), the neglected relationships died before they got here, and they have to rely on the newer/younger staff to try and re-establish those relationships.
I write this post, not to assess blame, nor to defend/excuse. I write it as a way for those of us on here to understand why we are where we are. PH, I'm also conflicted, and remain conflicted. This type of information, and other examples, keeps me conflicted. I haven't posted any opinion on what should happen, nor will I. I don't have any answers/opinions, and those who will make the decisions really don't care what I think/opine. But I do agree with you, "I also believe the main problem with recruiting is the lack of developing relationships with the high school coaches in the Mid-Atlantic region."
Thanks for your post, and thanks for letting me respond.