It was hard to tell what second-year head coach Sonny Dykes was happier about on National Signing Day: the obviously stout overall recruiting class, full of offensive and defensive linemen, he just signed or the belief he finally has a quarterback or two who can run his system.

With Boise State gone from the WAC and Nevada's stars all graduating, Louisiana Tech believes the league is ripe for the picking this year and recruited for immediate impact rather than long term. The Bulldogs landed 12 junior college players who should all end up in the two-deep by August, and many of them could end up being next year's starting offensive and defensive linemen.

"I am excited about this group and I really like the quality across the board," Dykes said. "I felt like we addressed the needs that we needed to address, especially at the quarterback position, and I am really happy with what we got there."

The two quarterbacks Dykes signed in this class -- junior college transfer Zach Griffith and incoming freshman Nick Isham -- are both high-IQ players who come from systems that run the Air Raid style of offense Dykes utilizes.

A year ago, Dykes made the mistake of letting his quarterback battle not only last through fall camp but through the first half of the season. While there are three incumbents on the roster already who will be trying to hold off either Griffith or Isham, it's clear these are two players the pass-happy coach went out and got for a reason.

"I think both quarterbacks will be competing for a job this fall," Dykes said. "I think we will have great quarterback competition over the fall and summer. We've got five quarterbacks now, and I am excited to see what they can do."

TOP OF THE CLASS

QB Nick Isham (Westlake High, Westlake Village, Calif.) -- Maybe he won't start immediately, but Dykes probably views Isham as his future system guy in the Air Raid offense. Isham threw for 2,990 yards and 34 TDs as a senior, and with stats like that, maybe he'll find the field sooner rather than later despite being only 6 feet tall.

LB Beau Fitte (South Plaquemines High, Port Sulphur, La.) -- Fitte turned down at least two offers from SEC schools to play for head coach Sonny Dykes. The outside linebacker star shot up the recruiting ranks during a senior season where it became apparent he is a potential star at the college level, but he held true to his summer commitment to Louisiana Tech and could find the field as a true freshman.

OL Oscar Johnson (Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Wesson, Miss.) -- Fans probably don't really need to know much more about Oscar Johnson than the fact that he is 6-foot-6 and 350 pounds. With size like that to go along great feet for an offensive lineman, he might be able to step right in to fill the void left by graduated Rob McGill.

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