Around the nation, college football coaches were dreaming of a white Wednesday. On National Signing Day, college coaches routinely wait around the fax machine for letters of intent from their recruits to come flurrying in. But instead of waiting for white paper, coaches were set back by Tuesday night?s snowfall.
“Just for the fact that the schools being closed ? it kind of hurt us,” said Towson University coach Gordy Combs.
Most high school seniors stage photo opportunities in the school library, but with area schools canceled Wednesday, plans changed.
Combs got a blizzard of 11 letters around mid-day Wednesday and learned of two more potential Tigers that have committed to the program as walk-ons. With all the schools in the Baltimore metro area closed due to a mild dusting overnight, Combs was still waiting for a few more letters around noon.
“It?ll come,” Combs said at the time. “Now what [Towson?s recruits] have to do is find a fax machine, whether it?s at a 7-11 or a Kinkos or whatever.”
After a wild signing day a year ago, the Maryland football team didn?t have many issues ? evident by its 25 commitments. The key for the Terps was getting to work early in the recruiting season.
“This season went a little different,” Terps coach Ralph Friedgen said. “A lot of these guys committed early, and there were not a lot left near the end.”
Terps? recruiting coordinator/defensive line coach Dave Sollazzo cited the presence of fewer news conferences for a more laid-back signing day.
The difference between footballand other sports is distinct. While in previous seasons, top football recruits announce their intentions live on a nationwide telecast, soccer players often fly under the radar. In fact, many soccer coaches, including Towson?s Frank Olszewski, prefer air mail when receiving letters of intent from recruits.
“It all eventually gets done,” Olszewski said. “Sometimes it goes very quickly, sometimes it?s a day or so.”
Olszewksi expected to have more finalized results of his recruiting class today.
The same can be said for UMBC men?s coach Pete Caringi, who recalls the now-infamous televised declaration by Maryland football target Antonio Logan-El, who shocked the area by selecting Penn State instead.
“We don?t see that in soccer,” Caringi said.
