Signing day: Red-letter day for a record number of Utah prep stars

The state of Utah has never launched this many Division I football players to in-state and out-of-state universities and, by the time letter-of-intent signing parties subsided throughout the state on Wednesday, it was definitely a circus-like parade.

Cottonwood and Timpview led the state with six seniors signing Division I scholarship letters. Bingham and Alta had three each, with a smattering of other prep stars making it official from border to border.

The signing party at Timpview High School — which featured one of the nation's top-ranked offensive linemen, Xavier Su'a-Filo, choosing UCLA over USC, Utah and BYU — attracted a TV crew from ESPN for a live press conference aired nationally.

A horde of students, sensing the heightened attention and excitement, crashed the party in droves, prompting many long-time observers to say they'd never seen anything like it. Perhaps this is the start of something new in Utah.

While many of Utah's prep stars decided to stay at home — like Spanish Fork blue-chip tight end Richard Wilson (BYU), Bingham's L.T. Filiaga (Utah) and Logan's Jeff Manning (Utah State) — there were plenty like Su'a-Filo who took a leap out of state.

Cottonwood lineman John Martinez is headed to USC, and teammates Isi Sofele and Keni Kaufusi elected to sign with fellow Pac-10 school Cal. Alo Moli signed with Wyoming, Dalton Snook signed to play at New Mexico Highlands and Asi Hosea signed with Washington State.

Sofele's cell phone rang almost constantly Tuesday night, so he shut it off for a while. By Wednesday morning, he'd missed 42 phone calls.

In the final days before signing day, Timpview running back Levi Te'o received an offer to sign with Navy when he had preferred walk-on invitations with BYU and Utah.

The Sugar Bowl champion Utes signed six defensive backs and collected several of the top in-state linemen, led by Cottonwood offensive lineman Percy Palau (formerly Taumoelau) and Highland defensive lineman Latu Heimuli.

New Aggies coach Gary Andersen went for speed and tried to beef up his defensive line with seven prospects for the trenches. In addition to a bevy of receivers, USU signed Michael Smith, a 4.35 speed guy from Eastern Arizona Junior College.

The Cougars loaded up on offensive linemen and receivers while getting eight defensive players among their 21 scholarships.

Spanish Fork tight end Richard Wilson, the No. 4-ranked tight end in the nation, led the class. Half the Cougar signees were from Utah, including Deseret News Mr. Football 2008 Craig Bills, a safety from Timpview.

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E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com