Like a tornado sweeping across a barren countryside, National Signing Day 2012 has come and gone, leaving a path of college football hopefuls on the doorsteps of college football programs across the country.
After the commotion of National Signing Day dies down, coaches, fans and analysts—like doting parents greeting a newborn—gaze into the faces of the prospective superstars and wonder, “now what?”
But hey, ESPN told us National Signing Day deserves all this attention, right?
National Signing Day has always been of interest to the college football world, and rightfully so. But it surely doesn’t deserve the mega coverage it’s received in recent years.
A simple press release and subsequent articles from beat writers will do, thank you.
Besides, of the hundreds of players who make their official commitment on Feb. 1 each year, only a fraction of them catch on and become impact players.
Not to worry, Cougar Nation, the National Signing Day tornado passed through Provo as well, producing one of the smallest recruiting classes in the history of BYU football.
Cause for concern? Not really, said head coach Bronco Mendenhall.
“Our goal is to be the most complete football program in the world,” Mendenhall told the Salt Lake Tribune. “This group of players helps us get closer to that.”
Mendenhall’s optimism might be infectious, but before you drink that blue Kool-Aid, consider the fact that salesman is one of the titles his job description calls for. If the head dude doesn’t go on record as being satisfied with the recruiting class, how is anyone going to feel satisfied?
Only time will tell how good this recruiting class turns out to be, but history has shown that highly-touted recruits have a way of fizzling out.
In all, BYU got 17 commitments—14 high school prospects and three mid-year transfers. Add 13 players returning from missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Cougar program will be infused with 30 players who were not on the roster at the end of the 2011 season.
Players of note in the BYU 2012 recruiting class include quarterback Tanner Mangum from Eagle High School in Boise, Idaho, and linebacker Troy Hinds from Davis High in Kaysville, Utah.
Don’t expect either of these guys to make an impact on the field for the Cougars until 2014, though. Both are reportedly headed on church missions prior to embarking on their college football careers.
So what does BYU—or any football program for that matter—its fans and coaches know now that they didn’t know about the future of BYU football a few days ago?
Nada.
Pass the Kool-Aid, will ya?
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