FARGO -- The first Wednesday every February is like a religion in college football, the day when schools announce their recruits. Put it this way: no head coach goes to the podium and says it was a poor recruiting year.
The true measuring stick is results on the field a few years later. For the most part, that's how North Dakota State built its team this season: by making signing day count.
Of the 22 starters and three specialists listed for the Division I Football Championship Subdivision title game against Sam Houston State, 23 of those were announced on signing day. That includes one junior college transfer.
Seven were from the 2007 class, signed not long after NDSU finished its second consecutive 10-1 season. Middle linebacker Preston Evans and center Joe Lund signed in 2008.
The 2009 and 2010 recruiting classes were back-to-back hits.
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"I think we did a better job of evaluating and better job of developing guys," said Bison coach Craig Bohl.
Seven players from the 2009 class and seven from the 2010 class are starters. Several other freshmen and sophomores are playing key roles.
"Two things," Bohl said. "One is it's an exceptional class and there were some gaps there that gave some guys immediate opportunities."
NDSU historically under Bohl has shied away from more than one or two transfers per season. There were more in his first few seasons, but that was more out of immediate need than anything.
And you can make the argument that there was an immediate need after the Bison went 3-8 in 2009.
"We had some tough times here," said senior linebacker Preston Evans. "They rebuilt this program back to where it's supposed to be. We just lost the fire, maybe a little complacency."
But NDSU still maintained the philosophy of building its team primarily from the high schools.
"We take a look at what's gone on here," Bohl said. "We take a look at what's worked and we feel like that is taking a workmanlike attitude and doing our homework in recruiting."
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NDSU has seven transfers on its roster. The two starters were an immediate hit, both on and off the field. That was important, said senior linebacker Chad Willson, who came over from Snow College (Utah). Safety John Pike joined the team from San Diego Mesa Community College.
"They already had things going, and we were older guys coming in and we were accepted right away," said Willson, who was part of the 2010 class. "We were able to mesh with the guys and form that bond that's got us this far. It pretty much came right away. These guys are great up here."
