Incarnate Word for the third time will be a part of one of the most talked about days in the state of Texas--the day when dozens of high school football heroes say where they are going to play at the collegiate level.
Wednesday, February 3, is the day the NCAA says high schoolers can sign letters-of-intent and formally commit themselves to a university. Many of the players had previously made verbal commitments but this is the day when action follows the talk. And this is the day when boosters get excited about their school’s chances come next fall and it is now no different at Incarnate Word. For the third time the Cardinals are part of the mix.
UIW entered into the football recruiting process during the schoolyear 2007-2008 and that February Coach Mike Santiago and his staff announced their ‘first-ever’ class of 27. Those guys reported in August of 2008 joining some 70 others and they all went through a ‘red-shirt’ fall when all they did was practice against each other.
Then came February of 2009 and the Cardinals had another signing class, this too numbered 27. In the fall of 2009 UIW took the field and played a 10-game Division II independent schedule. The final record was a remarkable 5-5 considering two-thirds of the roster was seeing its first collegiate action.
Now the Cardinals will have another group of signees, their third, come February 3. And these guys will compete next fall along side their veteran teammates as members of the Lone Star Conference.