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Signing Day Quotes

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Head coach Rick Stockstill's breaking down the signing class…
"I really like this class. I feel like we've got a really balanced class form a standpoint that we got somebody at each position and there's some really good talent there at each position."
On the quarterback signee…
"I think we've got a really good quarterback in A.J. (Erdely) I think he's going to be a guy that is going to be a really good player for us here. He's got the ability to extend plays with his feet but he's also an excellent passer. "
On the running backs signed…
"We got two really good running backs that I feel will have a chance to compete and have a chance to play really early in their careers here."
On the wide receivers signed…
"We signed three junior college guys and a couple of high school guys. I like our receivers and we got a big tight end that has got a big upside to him and growth potential that he's going to be a big guy here in a couple of years."
On the offensive linemen signed…
"I like the athleticism of our three offensive linemen. They're tough, they're physical and they've got a little something to them so I think they'll be able to fit in good with our scheme and what we do offensively."
On the defensive linemen signed…
"We got some bigger guys at defensive end and defensive line. We got more numbers there. But that's what we wanted. I felt like that's an area that we needed to improve our team from especially from a depth standpoint. I like our defensive guys. There's some long guys with some growth potential there."
On the linebacker signee…
"We only signed one but from a depth standpoint I feel pretty good about our linebacker situation and where we are with our team. I really like our linebacker. He's athletic and can fly and he's got a great motor. He's passionate about the game and he loves it. He's 100 miles per hour and I really like him."
On the defensive backs signed…
"In the secondary - Xavier (Walker) is a big, tall, physical, long, athletic guy back there that's going to be a really good player and our two corners are athletic and can run."
On the placekicker signed…
"We've got a kicker in Canon (Rooker) that had a very good high school career and he'll have a chance to compete for the job when he gets in here."
Final thoughts on the class as a whole…
"I really like it. I think it's a very balanced class and there's good growth potential in there and then there's some guys that, I think, are physically ready to compete."
On the difference between recruiting off of an eight-win season as opposed to a two-win season, and if it helps…
"Obviously it does but I'm not going to sit up here and say we lost anybody last year or we didn't get involved with anybody last year because we only won a couple of games. That wasn't the case. We signed a really good class last year and we were fortunate that we could redshirt all of them but two. I like last year's class but we like to recruit guys that come from winning high school programs because they understand the work ethic, the commitment and the effort that they have to put in to be successful at this level. So I think that plays a factor in it. I think winning eight games this year, beating Georgia Tech and going to Conference USA - there were so many positives around this season that played a factor in this being a really good class."
On signing not one, but two players from a high school team that was ranked 3rd in the nation…
"They're both really good players. They come from winning programs and they're used to winning. I think their attitude and work ethic will carry over when they get here. And you can go down the line. We got a lot of really good players that come from winning programs."
On receiving a slew of early commitments this year and what benefits come from that in terms of those commitments turning into recruiters…
"It's really two-fold almost. I've said this before - when a guy commits all he does is put a target on himself. When he's not committed, they don't know who to shoot the arrow at. In this case, the guys that committed (early) stuck with it and never wavered. That shows a lot about the integrity and character that they have. And it also helps you because they all did a good job. They all did a great job when they were here on their official visits of talking to people that weren't committed. To me it kind of works both way but when you get a good group of guys like that it speaks volumes for how they've been raised and what they've got inside of them."
On having connections between recruits and current players, and what role the current players in the evaluation process…
"As coaches it's our job to get them here. But the players, to me, they're the ones that deserve more credit than they get. I can see a guy one time. Our other assistant coaches can see them six times so any information you can get on a recruit you have to take advantage of it, especially when you've got a guy on your team already that you trust, that you know has bought in to what you want to do - because I'll ask them "Is he one of us?" When they come in our their official visits and they go out with them on Friday or Saturday night - "is he one of us" - and sometimes they'll say "no coach don't take him or yeah (take him)." So yeah, you use your players. You use any information you can get on these recruits as much as you can."
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