Pinkel's post SEC change of recruiting territory

Posted on: November 24, 2019 at 13:30:11 CT

Following Mizzou's switch from the Big XII to the SEC, Pinkel changed the out state recruiting emphasis from Texas to the SEC states, i.e. Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

The reasoning behind the switch is relatively clear. Mizzou would no longer be playing in the conference that got primary media coverage in Texas or games in Texas. The switch was to the area where the Tigers would be covered as part of the SEC coverage and would be playing. He moved virtually all of the recruiters working Texas to the Southeastern States.

Pinkel had previously commented that in attempting to break into Texas early in his Mizzou career that it had taken up to five years to establish a solid enough relationship with Texas high school coaches that they would allow the Tigers to recruit their best prospects.

Pinkel recruited the new SEC area for about four years. Not long after taking over the program, Odom switched the primary outstate recruiting effort from the Southeastern states back to Texas.

You can draw your own conclusion about the impact of this switch and switch back on the Tigers' talent level.