The typical signing day presser normally follows a pretty standard script where the coach starts by taking the podium and talking about how excited he is about this class, how it addresses so many of their areas of need, and how they got everyone they really wanted to sign with them.
When Delta State (D-II - MS) head coach Todd Cooley took the podium to talk about their class yesterday, it's probably safe to say that everyone in the room expected that standard script. However, what took place was not the typical signing day presser.
A fired up and emotional Cooley stood in front of cameras with a message to deliver to (and about) a handful of recent de-commitments, as well as a thank you to the guys who stuck to their commitment.
"We have a problem right now. I'm excited to get these guys, we had four guys in the last week and a half who de-committed from us."
"I don't even know if that is a real word. Me and Dana George talk about this everyday. I don't think that is a real word. But they decommitted from us. The were committed, and then they decommitted."
For what it's worth, Merriam-Webster does recognize decommitment as a word.
"That's our problem nowadays. We have parents, allowing kids to de-commit. We have coaches allowing kids to decommit. I wasn't raised that way. That is not what we are going to do in this football program. So I want to thank them publicly for decommitting...because it was not going to work with us. I can promise you that."
"We talk about, in our program, we want to be men first. Our definition of being a man at Delta State football is real simple - Do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it."
"So if you commit, then commit. That's the problem with what is gong on in recruiting and that's why it's getting hard. That's why these coaches are ready to go home and go to sleep right now because they're tired of this roller coaster with these young men."
Cooley goes on to share that while he appreciates his guys that do graphics and stuff like that, graphics have yet to win a football game, and they never will.
See the full comments form coach Cooley below. It's quite a watch.
https://twitter.com/deltastatefb/status/1225454529723936768?s=21