Oh yes, they’re happy as well, but likely not for the reason you’d expect.

“It’s one of the better days of your life because it put a period on things – kids are going to college,” Destrehan head coach Stephen Robicheaux said moments after five of his player signed college scholarships at Luling's Satellite Center to LSU, Arkansas and Louisiana-Lafayette. “But it’s a hectic day and we’re glad to have it over with.”

Robicheaux isn’t alone. Talk to high school coaches near and far and they’ll tell you the recruiting process is just as stressful for them as it is for the players and their families.

Hahnville’s Laron Byrd, who signed with childhood favorite Miami, described the constant flow of coaches in and out of campus as the craziest part of the recruiting process. Assistant head coach Mike Silva might just agree.

“You make some good friends through the recruiting process with assistant college coaches, but it’s also hard,” Silva said. “You know the kid isn’t going there, but you can’t tell the coach that. In that regard, I’m glad it’s over because I don’t have to lie to the guys faces anymore.”

And the recruitment of Byrd, one of the nation’s top receiver prospects, is one of the situations that Silva highlighted as being tough on all involved.

“It was extremely crazy,” Silva said. “Laron is such a nice kid. I don’t think he ever wanted to tell anyone no.”

But for every Byrd, there’s a Matt Saucier, who sought out the Air Force Academy after watching it play in a bowl game in December. Saucier, who led Curtis to the Class 2A state championship as the quarterback, also was recruited by Georgia Tech.

Curtis head coach J.T. Curtis said Saucier will fit in well in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“He’s an option quarterback and can throw the ball, very much like the quarterback they had this year,” Curtis said. “Or course, he’s an excellent student and is going to be able to go straight to the Academy. Matt is going to have a chance to compete right off the bat.”

And it’s signings like Saucier’s and Wayne Ingrams, another Curtis product who signed with Texas Southern, that makes signing day special even if coaches are ready to be done with it.

“Every time it’s a big day,” Curtis said. “As I told them in the room, they’re very fortunate.”