You hit the nail on the head, high school football is cyclical at the 4A level...if not all levels, especially 1 & 2A. Big classes of FBS talent (or just high numbers) can be on the roster one year and then pickings can be slim the next. Nobody gets all the cards.
But although a 4-1 record can be excused, I really do believe athletics are cyclical. It’s really hard to always stay on top. Some classes will be next-level good, others not so much. But here’s the deal, life goes on.