We won’t know the winners and losers of Wednesday’s college football national signing day for a few years. But for now, we can at least look back at the hilarity, absurdity and sadness that ensued after months of recruiting.
Prospects often flip their commitments, and schools can also pull back scholarships, some at the last second.
This has to be a first, though: Three-star running back Dacorius “D.J.” Law of Florida signed three letters of intent – yes, three! – on Wednesday, giving his John Hancock to Ole Miss, Utah and JUCO East Mississippi Community College, according to Hugh Kellenberg of The Clarion Ledger.
Ole Miss announced Law’s signing at 8:23 a.m. and Utah did so at 3:36 p.m. A Utah spokesperson told Kellenberg it received the letter earlier in the day, which matters. The conference that recorded the NLI first has the valid one. There is also a video of Law putting on a Utah hat during his signing ceremony, whatever the means.
Florida offensive lineman Dave Montas, a 6-foot-2, 285-pound senior, was set to sign with Florida A&M. However, Tuesday night the staff informed him it was pulling the offer, according to a tweet by the Hialeah High School football program. The school also tweeted he was committed for months and had shut his recruiting down, leaving him without any suitors on Wednesday.
https://twitter.com/HialeahFootball/status/430855539535667200/
Picking a hat has become, well, old hat. Signing day has become known as much for the unique way players choose schools as where they decide to go. Five-star defensive end Solomon Thomas from Texas is proof. He used a miniature tree to choose Stanford, and also donned taped nerd glasses and said he would play football and graduate from the academically rigorous California school.
The kids, their coaches and parents are excited for signing day, but the schools aren’t far behind. Auburn and LSU jumped the gun posting prospect recruits bios online, and, embarrassingly, lost out on the recruits.
https://twitter.com/martinrickman/status/431104445334949889/
Auburn posted a bio of Rashaan Evans, the top-rated outside linebacker in the country, but he opted for Alabama. LSU made a similar mistake with five-star cornerback Adoree Jackson, who chose USC.
Signing day isn’t a happy one for all top recruits. Just ask five-star defensive end Malik McDowell of Michigan, who went against his parents’ wishes by committing to Michigan State over Michigan, Ohio State and Florida State. He appeared to sign a letter of intent, yet Michigan State didn’t receive the papers, according to Joe Rexrode and Mike Brudenell of the Detroit Free Press. Rivals.com reported he didn’t sign the actual NLI, and his plans are up in the air. At the press conference, his mother refused to stand up for photos and he had a sad look on his face the entire time.
The odd situation is reminiscent of last year’s signing day when five-star running back Alex Collins committed to Arkansas against his mother’s wishes. She then left with the papers. He ended up signing and was the SEC Freshman of the Year.