"There's no doubt, the negative piece out there is something you always have to battle," McElwain said on a triumphant National Signing Day when he shooed away the vultures, shut up his critics and pulled in a top-10 recruiting class. "I think the biggest thing is to understand that every coach that has been here before me has told me that, all right? They're aware of it. In fact, it might have driven a couple of 'em out."