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'A difficult process' Feb. 2: Star high school quarterback Ryan Perrilloux talks about his decision to commit to LSU.

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Like USC, Florida State closed strong and joined perennial powers Michigan, Georgia and Miami with highly rated classes. But also cracking the top 10s were Nebraska and Texas A&M, two schools trying to return to the nation’s elite.

In 2004, their first season under coach Bill Callahan, the Cornhuskers struggled to their first losing campaign in 43 years, going 5-6 while struggling to learn the West Coast Offense.

The Cornhuskers signed an astounding 31 players, including 12 from junior colleges.

“A year from now everyone will be talking about this Nebraska class as their greatest in the last 25 years,” Lemming said.

Callahan, who guided the Oakland Raiders to the Super Bowl two years ago, inked several highly regarded players, including quarterback Harrison Beck (Clearwater, Fla) and running back Marlon Lucky (North Hollywood, Calif.).

“We’re really excited about Marlon Lucky,” Callahan said.  “He’s a franchise back that has a real completeness to his game.  He exhibits all the skills and tools that you look for in that type of a back.”

Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione, heading into his third season with the Aggies, went head-to-head with Oklahoma and Texas on several players and came away with the school’s best recruiting class in years.

“We want to be able to recruit the best in the nation,” Franchione said. “We want to continue to enhance our image nationally.”

The Vols haven’t had a class regarded this highly since 2000, when coach Phillip Fulmer brought in a group that included linebacker Kevin Burnett, offensive linemen Jason Respert and Michael Munoz, tight end Jason Witten and quarterback Casey Clausen.

“They’re back to familiar ground,” Wallace said.

The Volunteers signed 27 players on the first and busiest day of the national signing period, and went into the Midwest and all over the South for topflight prospects.

“You have to do that at Tennessee, where you don’t have that homegrown talent,” Burton said.

Coming off a 10-3 season, the Vols signed defensive end Raymond Henderson from Wisconsin, linebacker Andre Mathis from Pennsylvania, defensive back Adam Myers-White from Ohio, linebacker Rico McCoy from Washington, D.C. All were rated among the best players at their positions nationally.

Tennessee’s top-rated recruit, cornerback Demetrice Morley, is from Miami.

“The University of Tennessee is a great product to sell with the traditions, facilities and academic support,” Fulmer said. “If we can get them to campus, then we’ve got a chance to sign them.”

One man not pleased with the date of National Signing Day is new Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, who for an additional four days will be the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator.

While Weis reportedly has jetted across the country trying to woo blue-chippers, his free time of late has been consumed with another stressful task - trying to figure out how to score on the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

On Wednesday, Weis found out a piece of bad news.  Lawrence Wilson, a top defensive end prospect from Akron, Ohio, signed with Ohio State.  Wilson had given an oral commitment to the Fighting Irish before coach Ty Willingham was fired during the season.

“With the NCAA rules now, I can’t have (Patriots quarterback) Tommy Brady pick up the phone and call somebody.  It’s a violation,” Weis said.

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