Football recruits sign dotted line

The most important decision in many high school football players' lives was made yesterday, on National Signing Day. It is the day when highly touted athletes across the country officially accept scholarships to play football.

The recruiting road is a long and winding one. Countless phone calls and discussions around the dinner table are made by coaches, players and their families. Stress mounts not only on the coaches -- to improve their programs -- but also on the athletes and parents -- to choose the destination that will have such a great bearing on their future.

"All of these kids are under a great amount of pressure," North Carolina coach Carl Torbush said. "They're getting ready to turn over their sons to us for the next four or five years."

While finding the perfect recruit that fills a need within a program is of vast importance, there is another goal that is paramount in college football.

"There are a lot of factors, but the bottom line is winning," Georgia coach Jim Donnan said.

There is no guarantee these players will enjoy the same success at the college level as they did at the high school level.

On National Signing Day, recruiting gurus across the nation make their assessments of the top groups of recruits. According to various recruiting magazines, including the National Recruiting Advisor and Super Prep Magazine, the top four that stand out are UCLA, Michigan, Notre Dame and Florida State.

UCLA's coups include many top individual performers. Mike Saffer, offensive lineman from Tuscon, Ariz., is the National Recruiting Advisor's Franchise Player. Saffer allowed only one sack as a three-year starter. Running back DeShaun Foster from Santa Ana, Calif. is a National Recruiting Advisor All-American. Foster ran for 3,398 yards and 54 touchdowns as a senior. Linebacker Robert Thomas from Imperial, Calif. is a USA Today first-team All-American. He had 93 tackles, 10 sacks, three interceptions and forced four fumbles as a senior.

"We are excited about this class of recruits," UCLA coach Bob Toledo said. "It always takes a couple of years to see how these players will perform. But on paper, we feel we recruited the quality players at every position."

Fresh off a co-national championship, Michigan greatly improved its talent pool with a host of top recruits including Justin Fargas from Encino, Calif., who is considered the best running back in this year's recruiting class. The Wolverines also bolstered their receiving corps with two of the three top wide receivers, Dave Terrell of Richmond, Va. and Marquise Walker of Syracuse, N.Y., according to The National Recruiting Advisor.

Notre Dame was criticized in one major area last season: big-play ability. The Fighting Irish greatly improved this area with the signing of wide receiver Javin Hunter of Orchard Lake, Mich., and running back Tony Fisher of Euclid, Ohio. Hunter made 46 receptions for 794 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior. Fisher is the USA Today Player of the Year in Ohio after rushing for 2,143 yards and 40 touchdowns last season.

"I really feel like this is a quality recruiting class from top to bottom," Notre Dame coach Bob Davie said. "The organization of the recruiting process by our staff was outstanding in that we were able to target specific players and specific positions."

Year in and year out, Florida State brings in great talent, as shown by its consistent status near the top of the football polls. This year is no different as the Seminoles landed defensive back Chris Hope of Rock Hill, S.C., and offensive lineman Brett Williams of Kissimmee, Fla. Both were highly rated at their positions by the National Recruiting Advisor and USA Today.

Other notable decisions made by top recruits yesterday were done by those who wanted to stay home. Quarterback Matt Holliday remained in Stillwater, Okla., to play for Oklahoma State. Holliday is a Parade Magazine All-American and passed for over 6,200 yards and 68 touchdowns in his high school career. The USA Today National Defensive Player of the Year, Dennis Johnson, appeared to be heading to Notre Dame but surprised many by choosing his home state school of Kentucky.