How Lorenzo Booker's Signing Day Announcement Changed College Football Forever

The Notre Dame recruit's decision to choose Florida State over the Fighting Irish in 2002 kicked off the era of dramatic college commitment reveals.

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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In 2002, high school football star Lorenzo Booker was deciding between Notre Dame, Florida State, USC, and Washington. On National Signing Day, Booker was scheduled to announce his decision live on ESPN's SportsCenter, but he ended up revealing he was choosing Florida State, much to the surprise of many who expected him to pick Notre Dame. Booker's announcement, which he says happened accidentally, kicked off a new era of dramatic college commitment reveals, with players using props like hats to make their decisions public.

Why it matters

Booker's signing day announcement marked a turning point in college football recruiting, as it was the first time a high-profile recruit made such a public and dramatic reveal of his college decision. This set the stage for the rise of signing day spectacles, commitment videos, and other ways players now choose to announce where they will play in college.

The details

Lorenzo Booker, a star running back from California, was one of the top recruits in the 2002 class. On National Signing Day, he was scheduled to announce his decision live on ESPN's SportsCenter, with many expecting him to choose Notre Dame. However, Booker says he woke up that day feeling conflicted, and ultimately decided to commit to his "dream" school, Florida State, instead of the Fighting Irish. Booker's surprise announcement, which he claims happened accidentally, kicked off a new era of theatrical college commitment reveals.

  • On National Signing Day 2002, Lorenzo Booker announced his decision to attend Florida State University.

The players

Lorenzo Booker

A star high school running back from California who was one of the top recruits in the 2002 class, ultimately choosing to attend Florida State University over Notre Dame and other top programs.

Tyrone Willingham

The head football coach at Notre Dame at the time, who was hoping to land the highly touted recruit Lorenzo Booker.

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What’s next

The impact of Lorenzo Booker's surprise announcement continued to be felt in the years that followed, as college football recruiting became increasingly theatrical and public, with players using props, commitment videos, and other methods to reveal their college decisions.

The takeaway

Lorenzo Booker's dramatic National Signing Day announcement in 2002, where he chose Florida State over the heavily favored Notre Dame, marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of college football recruiting. Booker's surprise decision kicked off an era of increasingly public and theatrical commitment reveals by top high school prospects, forever changing the way fans and media engage with the annual ritual of National Signing Day.