It will live as a memorable moment in NC State football recruiting history. It was a moment seen across the nation on television sets everywhere. It was when running back Toney Baker of Ragsdale High in Jamestown, N.C. said the magical words, at least to the ears of Wolfpack fans everywhere.

"I have decided to take my talents North Carolina State University," Baker said. "It was a tough decision, but when I thought about everything and weighed it all out I just kept coming back to them. One of the main things that I wanted was to stay close to home and they are close."

His commitment is the culmination of a multi-year recruiting battle that survived countless internet rumors and speculations. In the end the decision came from among five schools. The Pack proved victorious over fellow in-state rival North Carolina as well as ACC counterparts Virginia and Virginia Tech and traditional national power Tennessee.

The magnitude of the commitment is found in the abilities of Baker. He burst onto the scene as a freshman when he rushed for 1,800 yards and 25 touchdowns. As a sophomore he ran for 2,007 yards and 32 more scores, and he became a name known to every program in America. Baker's junior year saw his recruiting stock soar to national levels when he rumbled for 3,411 yards and 41 trips to the end zone. He was now certified as one of the best players at his position in the country.

Approaching his senior season, Baker's coach Tommy Norwood had an inkling to expect big things. "He's doing great," said Norwood before the season. "You think he is good and can't get much better, and he just keeps getting better. It's scary, it really is."

On the recruiting front, a plan to focus on recruiting when his business on the field is finished was scripted. Rumors were that NC State's last minute addition of running back recruit Bobby Washington from Miami may have hurt the Wolfpack's chance.

"I think he is more interested in getting his senior season started and over with before he handles recruiting," Norwood said. "He won't make a decision until after the season."

Baker solidified his place as an elite back when he reached several milestones as a senior. Officially for the year he was credited with rushing 290 times for 3,030 yards and 38 touchdowns while helping to lead Ragsdale to the second round of the state playoffs. Through the course of the season, he passed T.A. McLendon's state high school football career rushing yardage mark against Asheboro. One play after surpassing the now former Wolfpack running back, Baker took a handoff up the middle, bounced off a tackle, shook loose from a facemask grab and sprinted the rest of the distance for a 23-yard touchdown. After the game, it was a time of reflection for player, coach and father.

"Well I think the whole thing is he is a great person," Norwood said. "No matter how great a player the key thing about him is being around him as a person. He is pleasure to coach and a pleasure as a person. God stayed in his neighborhood for awhile but it was his work ethic that has gotten him here. I am glad that it is over and is Toney's now. He probably feels the same way. I don't know about the other kids, they might like the attention. It is great for our football program, school and community. There won't be another one, and if there is I hope he is on our team."

"I was sort of nervous and wanting him to get it over with," Tony Baker, father of Toney, said. "The main thing is we are very proud of him. We never thought about it until this year. Then about four weeks ago we started hearing how close he was. We are just glad to have it out of the way. The biggest thing for me is for him to come out healthy. He is a good football player, but I am still a parent."

"I wasn't thinking about the record. I just wanted to execute and win the football game," Toney noted. "If we execute the little things like the record will take care of itself, and it did."

The next Toney Baker and his family were in Raleigh on an unofficial visit. It was unique because it was Baker's second unofficial trip to NC State. He had seen the Wolfpack's thrilling overtime win over Wake Forest in October, and now a few weeks later was watching the Pack's primetime showdown against Miami. It was a sign that NC State was improving their chances with Baker. All of his other finalists had only seen Baker on campus for one unofficial visit apiece.

With the record out of the way, Baker set his sights on helping Ragsdale make a run into the playoffs, and it started with a first round game against Eastern Alamance. Ragsdale won the game 21-0 thanks to three touchdown runs for Baker. It also saw another milestone being reached. While scampering 97 yards down the sideline for the nail-in-the-coffin touchdown, Baker surpassed 10,000 career yards.

Baker's career came to an end the next week against powerful Southern Durham. He did his part, running for nearly 150 yards on just 15 carries and two touchdowns while catching another score against the ball controlling Southern Durham squad. Now his attention was turned officially to recruiting.

The buzz had been surrounding who Baker would include in his final three schools. He had been looking to reduce his list to a trio of lucky programs since wrapping up his unofficial visit slate with a trip to Virginia in November. But Baker now seemed to be leaning against officially eliminating any school.

So who was going to get official visits? That became the question around the recruiting world. In the end, it was NC State where Baker would be taking his first official trip. He was in Raleigh on Dec. 3. It was all he needed to see. Baker had found his school.

He cancelled plans to take a trip to Virginia on Dec. 10, and rejected late overtures to take a visit to UNC on Jan. 7. Claiming to be worn out from his NC State visit, Baker preferred to enjoy the experience of the Shrine Bowl and the All-American Bowl, where he made official what many had began to suspect, he was going to be a Wolfpacker.

NC State has landed a player ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 15 prospect in the country, and one Rivals.com recruiting expert told us this week, "The fact he is starting on the East team with that group of running backs is a very high accomplishment in itself."