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- Eli Drinkwitz has changed the game in terms of recruiting vehicles after showing up in a construction truck.
- However, of all the vehicles he could have chosen, he pulled up in the worst one.
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Friday marked the first day of 2022’s first recruiting contact period and Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz is out on the recruiting trail. His vehicle of choice, however, is a little bit strange.
Each year, the NCAA delineates a recruiting calendar that all coaches must adhere to in regard to their hopeful future commits. This year, with the Early Signing Period having come and gone and National Signing Day on the horizon, here is how things look:
- Dec. 15, 2021: Early Signing Day
- Dec. 13, 2021 – Jan. 13, 2022: Dead Period
- Jan. 13, 2022 – Jan. 30, 2022: Contact Period
- Jan. 30, 2022: Quiet Period
- Jan. 31, 2022 – Feb. 28: Dead Period
- Feb. 2, 2022: National Signing Day
Thus, from now until January 30th, coaches will be out recruiting hard for not just the upcoming signing day, but also starting the process for next year. Drinkwitz is doing just that.
The 38-year-old head coach of Mizzou took over the Tigers in 2020. Since then, he has gone 11-12.
However, with hope to land some big recruiting classes this year and next, there is hope that a turnaround is coming. As of right now, Missouri holds the 11th-ranked recruiting class in the nation for 2022 and the 18th-ranked class for 2023.
Both of those standings are considered great for such a program. But it takes a lot of hard work.
On Friday, Drinkwitz made a big splash.
He and his offensive line coach Marcus Johnson arrived at an in-state high school about two hours away from campus and did so in style, kind of. The two were visiting a pair of offensive line recruits, one of whom is already inked as part of the 2022 class, and arrived in a unique construction vehicle.
Johnson and Drinkwitz pulled up to Lee’s Summit North High School in a dump truck.
It’s the first day of the recruiting contact period, and #Mizzou’s Eli Drinkwitz and Marcus Johnson just pulled up to Lee’s Summit North high school in a dump truck. LSN is the home of 2022 OL signee Armand Membou and 2023 four-star OL Cayden Green pic.twitter.com/ffncVc0Qg9
— Mitchell Forde (@Mitchell4D) January 14, 2022
The concept is really cool. Arriving at a prospect’s high school in a construction vehicle is certainly a way to make an entrance.
However, Johnson and Drinkwitz chose a dump truck. Of all of the vehicles, they chose a truck that is designed for hauling material that is typically discarded— otherwise known as, well, trash.
They could have pulled up in a cement mixer, or a backhoe, or an excavator, or a crane, or even a tractor and it might have been more successful. But a dump truck?
Again, I am all-for Drinkwitz and Johnson’s effort here. It is absolutely hilarious and totally memorable.
But seriously… they chose a dump truck?