AUSTIN -- National signing day is perennially exciting and chaotic on college and high school campuses across the country, but here on the University of Texas' 40 Acres, three Wednesday snapshots stick out.

While Texas was still receiving faxed letters of intent from its 18 Class of 2017 recruits, new football coach Tom Herman twice emerged from a staff meeting, cellphone in ear, to talk to 2018 recruits.

"As excited as I am about this class, I'm also excited about 2018," Herman told one of them. "I just wanted you to hear my voice on signing day and make sure you knew that I was thinking about you. Let's stay in touch, keep building this relationship and go from here."

The second snapshot? The meeting from which Herman emerged was about upgrades that already are underway at Texas' Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center. Ultimately, the entire first floor will be refurbished, including a remodel of the weight room and locker room.

The other indicator of how frenetic things have been for Herman, on Wednesday as well as since his Nov. 26 hiring? During a brief break from phone calls and meetings, Herman told The News that since his hiring 67 days ago, his home base has been a 900-square-foot, two-bedroom executive apartment on South Lamar.

"It was move-in ready," he said. "They've got cleaning service. That was the least of my worries, since I was on the road recruiting."

Herman's wife Michelle, their daughter Priya and sons TD and Maverick have remained in Houston. Tom Herman said he and Michelle barely have begun house-hunting in Austin. The tentative plan for Michelle and the kids to remain in Houston until the end of the school year.

"Now, when will we find a house? I don't know," he said. "Whenever we find the right one, we'll buy it."

Michelle has made a few trips to Austin. She came for last weekend's final official recruiting visits. She returned Tuesday night in order to attend today's signing day news conference and tonight's football staff end-of-recruiting party.

Tom Herman said that other than his hiring day, his entire family has visited Austin just once.

"I remember, it was a Thursday night," he said. "The whole clan came, I'm talking baby-sitter and dog and Priya and TD and Maverick and Michelle.

"The night they showed up, we got a noise complaint from the apartment because Maverick's running around chasing the little dog and Priya's chasing TD."

As of today, though, the Herman family will have a little more elbow room in Austin. Tom Herman said he is moving his things into a rental home that unexpectedly came open.

His new landlord is a name Texas fans will recognize: Major Applewhite.

Yep, the same Applewhite who was a standout quarterback at Texas under Mack Brown and was Herman's offensive coordinator at Houston before Herman took over the Longhorn helm.

Herman's departure paved the way for Applewhite's hiring as Houston's head coach. Considering the circumstances, one would imagine Major and wife Julie are giving the Hermans a reasonable rental rate.

"It so happens their tenant was moving out Feb. 1," Tom Herman said. "I said, 'If you'll rent it to us month-to-month, we'd love to do it.' Now when the kids and Michelle come to visit on weekends we'll have a little bit more room to spread out.

"No more noise complaints."