National Signing Day Wrap-Up: Conference USA

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~~The Big East’s feeder system~~ Conference USA made national headlines on Signing Day, as Houston pulled the most surprising coup of the day. UH, in its final season as a C-USA member, plucked California wide receiver Deontay Greenberry from Notre Dame. It was a complete reversal of fortune for UND, after having snagged a similar last-minute decommit in quarterback Gunner Kiel. The difference between Kiel abandoning LSU for UND, though, is it was one traditional power to another. UH has only started to return to national attention, coming off a 13-win campaign.

The Greenberry commitment garnered all headlines coming from C-USA, but it wasn’t the only intriguing luring away from a bigger name program.

Southern Miss also convinced four star quarterback Anthony Alford to spurn Nebraska, Clemson, and Auburn to remain in the Magnolia State. Alford is an explosive, dual threat quarterback who should shine if new head coach Ellis Johnson gives his playcallers the same freedom previous coach Larry Fedora afforded his.

East Carolina

24 Signees
Conf. Rank: 5
Highlight Players: OL Jonathan McLaughlin; DB Lucas Thompson; DB Jabril Solomon; DB Colby Brown; DB Adonis Armstrong

Houston

24 Signees
Conf. Rank: 1
Highlight Players: WR Deontay Greenberry; DT Donald Hopkins; DT Tomme Mark; DE Bryan Singleton

Read a recap of the Cougars’ signing class at SBNation Houston

Marshall

21 Signees
Conf. Rank: 2
Highlight Players: DB Amos Leggett; QB Gunnar Holcombe; DE Marcus Gilchrist

Thundering Blog has analysis of Marshall’s complete signing class

Memphis

26 Signees
Conf. Rank: 4
Highlight Players: QB William Gross; OL Markeith Minnick; DE Anthony Brown

Rice

24 Signees
Conf. Rank: 9
Highlight Players: RB Brandon Hamilton; OL Nate Richards; ATH Derek Brown

SBNation Houston has an intersting Signing Day story from Rice

SMU

22 Signees
Conf. Rank: 8
Highlight Players: OL Seaver Myers; WR Gehrig Dieter; LB Damien Neroes

Southern Miss

26 Signees
Conf. Rank: 3
Highlight Players: QB Anthony Alford; WR Keithon Redding; LB Lelland Ducksworth

Tulane

16 Signees
Conf. Rank: 6
Highlight Players: DB Darion Monroe; WR Lorenzo Doss; ATH Walker Van Hooser

Tulsa

20 Signees
Conf. Rank: 7
Highlight Players: OL Blake Belcher; DB Darnell Walker; TE Tyler Wilson

UAB

25 Signees
Conf. Rank: 12
Highlight Players: ATH Jake Ganus; DB Kelton Brackett; WR Nyiakki Height

UCF

14 Signees
Conf. Rank: 10
Highlight Players: OL Chester Brown; WR Drico Johnson; TE Blake Davis; DE Luke Adams

UTEP

22 Signees
Conf. Rank: 11
Highlight Players: RB Paul Franklin; DB Dashone Smith; DT Devonte Richardson; RB Autrey Golden

Tags: East Carolina, Houston, Marshall, Memphis, National Signing Day, Recruiting, Rice, SMU, Southern Miss, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, UCF, UTEP

JMattHicks 1738 pts moderator

"UTEP was ranked near the league’s bottom by Rivals.com, but Mike Price did make a significant, in-state robbery. He signed running back Paul Franklin away from Kevin Sumlin’s first class at Texas A&M."

That's news to me. I hate to come across as a d-bag, so please know that's not my intention, but I'm happy to pay to be able keep up on the best and often most exclusive Aggie recruiting information over at TexAgs.com and I've never even heard of this guy. Rivals doesn't even show him has ever getting an A&M offer and he's barely a Top #20 RB in the state.

Just curious where you got that from?

Again, sorry to sound like a d-bag, not my intention! Just legitimately puzzled.

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Yeah, we definitely didn't offer him:

http://v4.texags.com/Premium/Recruits/Football/2012/Offers

kensing45 48 pts moderator

JMattHicks Yeah, I went back through and you're right; Baylor had been recruiting him, not A&M. UTEP was his final choice over Utah State.

kensing45 No sweat man, thanks the clarification! I was gonna starting asking some questions over at TexAgs on why we had never heard of this guy then! ha ha

But, one that you can highlight is Darion Monroe. He was committed to A&M and, in the days before signing day, decided to stay home at Tulane.

Even with Bralon Addison going to Oregon after saying just days prior to signing day he was "100% Committed," Darion's flip shocked me the most. First 4 Start recruit Tulane has signed in like, nearly 10 years.

kensing45 ("100% Committed" To Texas A&M, that is)

JMattHicks That Curtis Johnson hire is going to be interesting, especially for Louisiana recruits. Having been a big part of the Saints' staff during the greatest time in franchise history has to be worth some clout with La. preps.

He'll have to win, of course; not easy to do there. But with the conference restructuring and getting a decent class (mostly w/ La. kids), I think Tulane could be on an uptick.

JMattHicks Oh, and that Addison flip annoys me. Odd trend in the last few years of Texas kids' late change of heart when it comes to signing at Oregon.

kensing45 Definitely, and that was what as reported as being a significant influence on Darion's decision as well as his high school coach having ties to either Tulane and/or Coach Johnson. It'll be fun to see. The city of New Orleans, even with the Saints, needs all of the good news it can get. Many areas of that city still look a bomb went off. I was shocked when I went to do clean-up a full two years after Katrina hit, and I'm hearing things are still just as rough.

kensing45 Definitely annoyed us Aggie fans as well. It was very similar to Corey Nelson, now at OU's, signing day flip when just the day prior to signing day he was saying, "I'm 100% Committed" and "Call me Mr. Aggie," only to sign with the Sooners.

But, I've gotta be fair: we plucked Parade All-American and Player of the Year Johnny Manziel from Oregon last year, and honestly, if this as a trade, I'd take Manziel.

Still would rather had Addison in maroon and white though!