As college coaches were permitted to start full contact with Class of 2027 recruits Sunday, there was a Texas running back Curtis Luper wanted to check on.
Luper, Missouri's running backs coach, visited Wayne Shanks Jr. this offseason at Houston (Tex.) Kinkaid, but after talking with the Rivals250 four-star athlete again this past weekend, the two locked in an unofficial visit for June 22.
Shanks, the No. 246 recruit in the 2027 class, rushed for 1,579 and 23 touchdowns on 242 carries after transferring to Kinkaid for his sophomore season. He also reeled in 15 passes for 223 yards and four touchdowns.
During one of Missouri's spring stops to Buford (Ga.) High, linebackers coach Derek Nicholson offered Joshua Echols, a pure athlete on the defensive side of the ball. As Echols' recruitment still develops, he's taken Nicholson's early interest to heart.
"The fact that Coach D Nic took time out his busy schedule to pick up the phone and personally call me meant the world to me," Echols said Sunday. "He chose to call me and have that live interaction with me while others were just texting. Plus my dad had told me to make note of who personally called me first. That I would be able to gauge the different levels of interest from schools based on personal dialog."
While slightly shocked to receive the call, Echols remembered not to be surprised since Nicholson offered him in person in May. Nicholson even told Echols then he offered him to recruitment him, not for the linebacker just to say he held an offer from the Tigers.
"It also showed me that he has been keeping up with all the hard work I have been putting in trying to reach my dream of playing at the next level at a school like Mizzou," Echols said. "Coach D Nic is real easy to talk to. He already stands out from all the coaches I have met and talked to so far. I can see a very positive relationship forming."
A top target offered by Missouri last fall, Ace Alston paid two unofficial visits in January and March. While familiar with most of the staff, including offensive assistant and Ohio recruiter Brendan Boylan, Alston still fielded a Sunday phone call with head coach Eli Drinkwitz and cornerbacks coach Al Pogue.
While missing his scheduled spring visit in March due to basketball, Landon Blum eyed a make-up trip for camp in June, but he also missed out on that opportunity to see the Tigers for the first time.
Although still unoffered, the four-star has remained on the Tigers' list, talking recently to the staff about visiting this fall and receiving an in-school visit from tight ends coach Derham Cato in April.
Battling for snaps ahead of his sophomore season at St. Louis (Mo.) De Smet, Chase Cooper returned to Missouri for Elite Camp after visiting last fall. More confident and comfortable with a year of high school football under his belt, the quarterback noticed better accuracy in tighter windows and throws down field.
"My focus for this upcoming season is to go out on the field and play with control and confidence," Cooper said. "(Quarterbacks) coach (Sean) Gleason showed me comfortable drops in the pocket that could improve my passing in game. I met more coaches at Mizzou than I have before, and I liked how they organize things and tell me what to improve on after a rep."
After camping with the Tigers earlier this month, Max Trillo quickly got back to campus for a 7-on-7 event Friday. The Lee's Summit (Mo.) High tight end briefly caught up with Cato again before turning his full attention back to the tournament.
"It was definitely a challenge, but I liked it," the 6-foot-5, 225-pound pass-catcher said. "Because I knew that I had other great players around me, so I was very comfortable with it along with my own skill."
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