The first game is still months away, but the 2007 college fotball season is already underway. Every season commences with the Feb. 7 National Letter of Intent Signing Day. Some coaches believe national championships are won in February when top high school and junior college prospects ink their name.
Missouri signed 27 student-athletes on Wednesday’s signing day. Gary Pinkel’s 2007 class was ranked 32nd in the nation by Rivals.com and sixth in the Big 12. The sixth-place ranking ties Pinkel’s highest ranking at Missouri, matching classes in 2003 and 2004. Rivals gives MU credit for having a better class than 36 other schools who played in bowl games last season including conference foes such as Texas A&M (39th), Kansas State (42nd), and Texas Tech (49th).
Pinkel did a good job of sealing the Missouri border. Ten student-athletes are from the Show-Me State, including eight of the state’s top 14 players. Pinkel also continued with his never-ending quest to get top talent from Texas. Five players signed from the Lone Star State. There are two players from California, Kansas, and Louisiana, and one each from Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.