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Of all the crazy and amazing moments Rickey Bustle remembers during his time as a college football coach, one in particular stands out in his mind more than any other about National Signing Day, which is today.
UL's coach will never forget where he found long-time recruiting coordinator Troy Wingerter passing the time on his first signing day in 2002 while waiting for recruits to fax in their national letters of intent.
"The funniest thing I ever saw was when we came in one year and Troy was riding a stationary bike right in front of the fax machine," Bustle said. "I can't remember if that was five or six years ago.
"But when I saw that I was like 'Lord have mercy.'"
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20090204/SPORTS/902040328/1006" target="_blank">The rest of the story</a>
Joshua Parrott •
jparrott@theadvertiser.com • February 4, 2009
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Outside of any divine intervention, UL's 2009 recruiting class is set going into today.
With the bulk of their team back next fall, the Cajuns currently have 18 public commitments. (That's eight fewer than the number of new scholarships each NCAA FBS team can offer every year.) McDonogh 35 linebacker Jewell Ratliff will grayshirt, meaning he will sign but delay his full-time enrollment while trying to get a qualifying ACT score. He will be on scholarship starting in January 2010.
The fewer scholarships meant UL had to be more selective with its recruits than in the past. But Bustle is confident that this year's recruiting class will make an impact.
UL fans will get a chance to preview this year's recruiting class today at a signing day party that is free to the public at the Leon Moncla Indoor Practice Facility. Doors open at 5 p.m., with the program expected to start at 5:45 p.m.
Four of UL's recruits are already on campus.
Three junior college signees - wide receivers Vernon Wolfe (Hinds Community College in Mississippi) and Andrew "Rico" Joseph (Coffeyville Community College in Kansas) and defensive lineman Jordan Topp (San Diego Mesa College in California) signed in December and have enrolled. All three can compete in spring drills, which start on March 11.
Another recruit, defensive back Melvin White from Brazosport (Texas) High, signed with the Cajuns in 2008 but sat out last season to get academically eligible.
With those prospects already secured, UL has turned its focus to the high school ranks. The Cajuns will be patiently waiting for those recruits to fax in their binding national letters of intent sometime today.
Bustle knows there's always a chance something crazy can happen on signing day. One particular instance involved former UL running back Deon Wallace, who signed with the Cajuns in 2005 out of Worthing High in Houston.
"When we signed Deon a few years ago, he had Kansas State calling him every 30 minutes leading up to the time of the signing party at the school," Bustle said. "We didn't even know about that, thank goodness. You just don't know actually what all goes on sometimes.
"Basically, you've got a bunch of grown men standing around staring at a fax machine."
It's a day all coaches look forward to, especially recruiting coordinators like Wingerter.
"This is like Christmas day," Wingerter said. "I will go buy gifts for my secretary, my assistant and my wife.
"It signifies the end of one year and the beginning of the next year."
Anyone looking for Wingerter this morning won't find him on a stationary bike in front of the fax machine. He'll be at Red Lerille's Health & Racquet Club at 5 a.m. to do some cardio before grabbing a cup of coffee and going to the office for one of the most exciting days of the year for college football recruits, coaches and fans.
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