National Signing Day 2010: WAC Schools Brace in Anticipation

Coaches and staff of Western Athletic Conference teams wait on pins and needles on the eve of National Signing Day 2010.

They've received their share of verbal commits but with no signatures on the dotted line, those recruits still have the option to change their mind and sign elsewhere.

But, for the recruits that have verbally committed to WAC schools, there's little to no chance of that happening. Not to say that it won't because anything can and sometimes does happen, but the chances of it are slim.

For Boise State, it's been a different year on the recruiting trail than what they're used to. After signing 21 recruits in 2009, the Broncos currently have just eight verbal commits going into tomorrow's signing day because they return so many starters and seniors from last year's squad.

The biggest signing for Boise State could be that of wide receiver Matt Miller, who had also received offers from Nebraska, North Carolina, and Pac-10 schools Arizona State, Oregon State, Stanford, and Washington State.

Fresno State signed 17 recruits in 2009, including linebacker Travis Brown from Clovis West HS and quarterback Derek Carr from Bakersfield Christian HS. Both players were four-star recruits.

In 2010, Fresno State could have one of their best recruiting classes in recent memory, currently holding on to 20 verbal commits. Of those 20, the Bulldogs landed four-star punter Matt Darr, who had originally committed to USC, a huge pick up for the Bulldogs.

The surprise of the conference, however, could be San Jose State and first year head coach Mike MacIntyre. 

The Spartans, who find their recruiting class ranked third in the conference behind Hawaii (second) and Fresno State (first), landed two commits who had both received offers from BCS schools.

The first of those two was defensive lineman Ja'Rodd Watson, a junior college transfer from Grossmont College in San Diego. Watson received offers from Illinois and Central Florida, but liked the Spartan coaching staff so much that he "shocked the world" by signing with San Jose State.

The second was Junipero Serra HS cornerback Bene Benwikere, who had received offers from Mountain West schools New Mexico, San Diego State, and UNLV, as well as Iowa State from the Big XII.

The Western Athletic Conference currently has 166 commitments, either verbal or junior college transfers. There are recruits that these schools are still chasing, but they will have to wait until tomorrow to find out if their efforts payed off and will end up signing with their school.

Until then, coaches and their staff will get ready for what could be a very big day for their schools and the conference as a whole.