With National Signing Day nearing, USF hopes to build on recent recruiting success

There will be no losers in college football on December 4. That’s because it’s National Signing Day, and no coach ever stood before the cameras and said, “Well, guys, I’d like to tell you we signed a great class, but I’d be lying. If this is the best we can do, maybe we should just cancel the program.”

So, expect joy and sunshine from the Lee Roy Selmon Athletic Center at USF next Wednesday afternoon. Remember, verbal commitments don't count unless a player signs on the line.

In the opinion of those whose livelihood calls for them to judge these things, Alex Golesh and his staff are poised to sign another strong class. Their group from last year was rated the best among Group of Five schools and 50th overall, according to 247 Sports.

That’s better than a lot of power conference schools.

The Bulls are tucked in at No. 69 by On3.com in this year’s projections, but that number is subject to change. Last-minute flips could have a huge impact on the ranking.

“I'm excited for that day because this has been a really, really long time coming,” Golesh said.

This is the first group that we really had two years to recruit. We got to go finish, too. We had five official visits here last weekend, which was awesome. It was huge for those guys to see a win like that.”

He referred to the 63-point eruption in the blowout of Tulsa.

The timing was especially good, too, because recruits will have less time to change their minds. Last March, the Collegiate Commissioners Association moved the start of the early signing period from the third Wednesday in December to the first. That means programs won’t have to wait until mid or late December to see what they have because this date, in essence, became the National Signing Day.

Is that a good thing?

“I don't know. I think it depends on your situation. In our situation, yeah, I think it's a good thing because you get done with the season, lock these guys in, and you're moving,” Golesh said.

“I think 12 or 13 (new signees) will be here for bowl practices, which will be awesome. I think if you're a new staff, it's like catastrophic.”

The transfer portal affects things, too, because players at programs around the country will be flooding the market after the regular season ends this weekend in most cases.

For now, though, let’s concentrate on those about to become USF Bulls.

One of them is Christian Smith, a 6-3, 230-pound OLB from Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Ga.

In Smith’s recently completed senior season, he emerged with Smith had a tremendous 11-game senior season, posting 68 tackles (8 for loss), four sacks, one interception, one pass breakup, and four forced fumbles.

“My decision to commit to the University of South Florida was driven by the program’s strong commitment to player development, the opportunity to compete at a high level, and the culture of excellence within the football program,” Smith told On3.

“I believe the coaching staff and resources available will allow me to maximize my potential both on and off the field. Additionally, the campus environment and the sense of community I felt during my visit made me feel at home.”

Well, that sense of community is something Golesh has sought to foster since he first took the job two years ago. That’s the vibe you feel when around the team, too. If a player feels at ease and at home around a program, he is likelier to commit and stay.

In many cases, the recruiting didn’t start this year. It started when Golesh took the job.

“I'm excited about our high school guys. There's, you know, there's some junior college elements in there, but, man, really, really excited,” Golesh said. “We gotta go finish.

“You've got two years on these, on these guys. You feel like you have elite relationships. But go finish. I told our staff again on Sunday, like, (work the recruits) every day, every day, every, every day, because at this point, everybody's kind of recruiting everybody. And, you know, we've had to flip some guys from some places.”

Despite all the preparation and work that goes into recruiting, it’s still a crapshoot. The jump from high school to the major college level is enormous, and no one cares about the number of stars attached to a player’s name once the games begin.

If you think stars matter all that much, two words: Sean Atkins. He was a no-star walk-on out of high school, but he’s rewriting the USF receiving record book. So, when Wednesday dawns and schools everywhere start releasing their signing lists, feel good for the young men about to take the next step in their lives.

Just keep it in perspective until you see them actually play.