MD has had some competitive teams in the past. They have recruited some very talented players who have carried them through some very competitive and tough games. One of the folks mentioned that they lose some of these talented players after a short period of time. I have no idea what is going on there as they have had some of the best recruiting classes in the country but my first instinct is to point to the Coach and the "system" of education being employed. That is enough of my uneducated and uninformed opinion.
If you look at the UConn "system" of education, it is markedly different and takes modesty talented players and turns them into achievers and they benefit the "team". This year's team is a perfect example of that. This team came together and began to overachieve and became a competitive force at the end of the season. There is no doubt that the UConn system with the buy in of the players turns out overachieving "teams". Contrast that with other programs. And, although, recruits are very young, they probably should consider this in making their decisions, but, probably not, and unlikely, because they are very young with illusions of grandeur in their heads.