Top 10 National Signing Day storylines to watch

National Signing Day is one of the biggest events on the college football calendar. But within the jam-packed day itself, there are countless storylines filled with intrigue.

With less than two weeks remaining until the highly anticipated day, MaxPreps takes a look at the 10 biggest questions that will be answered on Feb. 2.

10. Can Mark Richt regain his footing at Georgia?
Mark Richt has come under fire from Georgia fans in recent years. The Bulldogs failed to live up to preseason hype in 2008 and have gone 14-12 over the last two years.

There's nothing Richt could use more right now than an outstanding finish to the 2011 recruiting class. For Georgia, that means making sure it locks up Isaiah Crowell, one of the country's top uncommitted running backs.

Richt landed prized target Jay Rome and standout teammate Malcolm Mitchell last night, a big step toward an eleventh-hour surge up the team recruiting rankings. Nabbing junior college defensive tackle Johnathan Jenkins would also be big for Georgia.

If Richt can secure a commitment from offensive lineman Ray Drew, who has been difficult to read, it will definitely give the Bulldogs some momentum heading into the summer and could help Richt win some votes in the Bulldogs' court of public opinion.

9. Will Rutgers land one of its biggest recruits ever?
In recent years, New Jersey recruits have made a habit of leaving the Garden State to play in college.

Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey, has had a few notable successes in keeping top talent home, namely Anthony Davis and Kenny Britt. However, a plethora of other highly regarded recruits have matriculated to out-of-state destinations.

St. Peter's Prep running back Savon Huggins, the nation's top uncommitted player at that position, is strongly considering signing with the Scarlet Knights. He's also giving thought to Notre Dame and North Carolina, but many believe he'll end up in Piscataway.

Huggins, who played on varsity as a freshman, has become one of the state's most prominent recruits in the last few years. He would likely step in and see playing time as a true freshman for Rutgers. Rutgers fans have waited three years to land Huggins, and the entire program will be extremely disappointed if he goes elsewhere.

Continue reading{PAGEBREAK}8. Will we see any press conference gimmicks?
The build-up, the bright lights, and the media deluge that accompany National Signing Day can sometimes cause recruits to do strange things.

In 2008, Kevin Hart, an offensive lineman at Fernley (Nev.), announced he was committing to California, and that he chose the Bears primarily because Jeff Tedford recruited him personally. Days later, he admitted that he fabricated the whole process, and never received any scholarship offers.

There have been hat switches, jersey selections, Skype phone calls, and highly publicized delays, such as when Terrelle Pryor, with numerous media personnel on campus, decided to postpone his decision in 2008.

Our money is on at least one memorable commitment ceremony on Feb. 2.

7. Will USC win its appeal?
When the NCAA announced its sanctions against USC, it seemed like a powerful blow to the Trojans' football empire. In addition to a two-year bowl ban, the NCAA also issued a 30-scholarship reduction over the course of three years.

USC appealed the punishment, with a primary focus on retrieving those lost scholarships. Representatives from the school are expected to meet with NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee on Saturday to plead their case.

The decision will likely come after National Signing Day, which means USC will not have any official word on whether or not their scholarship reductions will be eased.

This will have ramifications for USC well beyond 2011 and is something that Trojans fans, as well as the rest of the Pac-10, is monitoring carefully. It has done nothing to slow USC thus far, as the team's 2011 class is currently ranked No. 7 and its 2012 class is already shaping up to be one of the nation's best.

Continue reading{PAGEBREAK}6. Can Michigan finish strong?
It certainly has not been easy for Michigan on the recruiting trail this season. The Wolverines missed on a number of top targets, and endured a late coaching change, as Brady Hoke was hired to replace Rich Rodriguez on Jan. 11, three weeks before National Signing Day.

Much can change in three weeks in the recruiting world, and Hoke is trying hard to end this class on a high note. It already features Justice Hayes, Blake Countess, and Tony Posada, all players Michigan fans are excited about.

Landing Kris Frost, Stefan McClure, and/or Leilon Willingham would be a nice way to end a tumultuous few months for Michigan and would help Hoke restock a defense that allowed 52 points against Mississippi on New Years Day.

5. Can Miami find a quarterback?
Since taking over as head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, Al Golden has made no secret about his desire to land a top quarterback in his maiden recruiting class.

It's an area of concern on the Hurricanes' depth chart, and was exacerbated by the departure of previously committed quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater had a great relationship with Randy Shannon, and decommitted from Miami when he was fired.

Golden would love to grab local product Jacob Rudock, who hails from national powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). He's also interested in Jacoby Brissett, an incredible athlete with a big frame who has excellent mobility.

A tireless recruiter, don't be surprised to see Golden snag a signal-caller to complement Miami-bound star receiver Phillip Dorsett.

Continue reading{PAGEBREAK}4. Who will stick with Stanford?
Stanford typically loses players late in the recruiting cycle due to its stringent academic standards, but with the departure of head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Cardinal's 2011 casualties are especially severe.

Linebacker Anthony Sarao, running back Amir Carlisle, and offensive lineman Garrett Gladd have all jumped ship. Making matters worse, Sarao and Carlisle, two of the more highly rated recruits in Stanford's class, switched to conference rival USC.

The hiring of assistant coach David Shaw should stabilize the Cardinal's recruiting efforts, but anything is possible between now and National Signing Day.

3. Who gets Cyrus Kouandjio?
The nation's top offensive tackle, Cyrus Kouandjio will be a huge addition to one program's 2011 recruiting class.

That team, however, is still unknown.

Kouandjio is powerful, well-coached, and light on his feet. His brother Arie committed to Alabama last year, but by all accounts, Cyrus is the superior prospect.

By playing his recruitment tight to the vest, Kouandjio has succeeded in keeping fans guessing which school he'll pick among his five finalists: Alabama, Auburn, USC, New Mexico, and Iowa.

Kouandjio will compete for early playing time wherever he goes, which means his commitment will be big news wherever he lands.

Dave Krider's feature on Cyrus Kouandjio

Continue reading{PAGEBREAK}2. Will Jadeveon Clowney commit to South Carolina?
The nation's top defensive prospect, Jadeveon Clowney capped off an amazing career by totaling 29 1/2 sacks and 29 tackles for loss in addition to forcing 11 fumbles.

Most have long expected Clowney to commit to South Carolina, which did a nice job landing instate sensation Marcus Lattimore last season. However, Alabama and lately, Florida State, are both making serious runs at Clowney, who has been tight-lipped about the recruiting process and could pull off a surprise on National Signing Day.

A potential difference maker the moment he sets foot on campus, Clowney will be an enormous addition to any defensive line.

1. Who will finish No. 1?
In some ways, the teams battling to finish No. 1 in this year's recruiting rankings seem like they don't belong.

Texas, currently No. 1, struggled on the field this year and endured significant coaching turnover on its staff. Alabama, which is ranked No. 2, certainly enjoyed recruiting as the defending national champion, but lost one key piece to the current national champion, Auburn.

Then there's Florida State. Currently sitting at No. 5 after a 10-4 season that included three ACC losses, the Seminoles are probably a bigger threat to finish at the top than No. 3 Notre Dame or No. 4 LSU. Florida State is in the mix for Clowney, Drew, Tim Jernigan, and Tony Steward, all players ranked in the Top 50 for the class of 2011.

Ohio State, sitting at No. 6 with several uncommitted players in its crosshairs, is another team to watch.

The Longhorns' class is basically complete, so Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State and the rest of the Top 10 certainly have an opportunity to gain ground and possibly surpass Texas on National Signing Day.