For Clemson and many other programs across the country, National Signing Day was relatively mundane compared to years past. The first Wednesday in February, which is typically defined by drama and excitement, was dull by comparison this past Wednesday.

Because close to 75 percent of the 2018 recruiting class signed with a school during the early signing period in December, National Signing Day was not nearly as eventful as it has been. The inaugural early signing period for college football recruits occurred from Dec. 20-22 after being approved by the Collegiate Commissioners Association last May, and most prospects decided to take advantage of it.

Thus, the early signing period killed the buzz of National Signing Day, and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is perfectly fine with that.

The majority of Clemson’s 2018 class was already signed, sealed and delivered in December, so signing day – and the month leading up to it – was much less stressful for Swinney and his staff.

The Tigers signed just two players on Wednesday after inking 15 players on Dec. 20.

“Obviously not a lot of drama today because 15 guys signed in December,” Swinney said on Wednesday during his signing day press conference. “I love the early signing period, and guys who went through it certainly did as well… It was just a better experience I think for everybody this month of January.”

After locking up all 15 commitments in December, Swinney and his staff did not have to worry about other schools trying to flip their commits in the frenetic month before National Signing Day. The hay was already in the barn, so to speak, and the early signing period eliminated some of the so-called “babysitting” that coaches have had to do with committed recruits in the past.

On the flip side, the early signing period was just as beneficial for Clemson’s commits who were ready to sign. They were able to shut down the long recruiting process early and did not have to deal with the headache of it for another month.

“I’m a huge proponent of it, and always have been,” Swinney said of the early signing period. “Again, we had 15 guys sign in December, and the majority of them would have signed whenever. Some of them would have signed a year earlier if they had the opportunity.

“So, for those young people to not have to deal with all the stuff over Christmas… Even though it’s a dead period, you’re still in constant communication. And for them to be able to end that process, which they wanted to do, and move on I think was huge for those prospects.”

Clemson recruiting coordinator Brandon Streeter agreed that the early signing period is a win-win for both coaches and prospects.

“It takes a little bit of pressure of off them having to deal with it for another month, and it takes a lot of pressure off of us having to deal with it for the month of January,” he said.

Not only was the early signing period beneficial for those reasons, but it also brought clarity to Clemson’s recruiting board and the pool of available recruits.

The Tigers knew what they already had in the class, which prospects were still unsigned ahead of National Signing Day, and therefore they were able to better focus on addressing their remaining needs.

“You know what you’re getting in December, so you can move on from that position as far as trying to find more guys because they’re locked in,” Streeter said. “So, I think it’s a benefit because of that peace of mind whenever you get to that Dec. 20. Because now, you get to go into January and say OK, here’s what we have and here’s what we need to go focus on.”

With most of their 2018 class wrapped up, the Tigers were also able to spend more time recruiting for the next class and future classes during the contact period in January than they have in previous years during that time frame.

Swinney himself was able to get out and devote more attention to younger prospects on the recruiting trail.

“It also allows you to really, from a head coach standpoint, do a lot of spring recruiting to where you can get ahead on some evaluation on some young guys,” Swinney said. “So, that’s what was able to happen for us.”

While some coaches around the country have voiced complaints about the early signing period, those coaches appear to be in the minority.

“Just being on the road recruiting, talking to other recruiters from different schools, I didn’t run into anybody that did not like it,” Streeter said. “I’m sure there are. I’m sure there are reasons that people have… But everybody that I talked to really enjoyed it and had a lot of good things to say about it.”