Right up until wide receiver Ryan Wingo announced he was committing to the Texas Longhorns, Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz thought the St. Louis native would go to commit to Mizzou. Drinkwitz gave Wingo a scholarship offer in middle school. This weekend, Drinkwitz will be trying to stop Wingo.
"Ryan was one of those that broke my heart, honestly. He was a young man that I recruited," Drinkwitz said on Tuesday. "I offered him in eight grade. Recruited him extremely hard. Him and his family. We were right there to the wire. In fact, I thought on singing day, or whenever he announced, that he was going to come to us. It just didn't work out that way."
Wingo leads Longhorns receives in receptions with 36 and yards with 470. In two and a half seasons
on the Forty Acres, the 6-foot-2, 211-pound wide out has 1,776 yards on 119 catches. He has been a starter most of his career at UT and an integral part of the Texas offense. And while Drinkwitz rues the fish that got away, he says it all worked out.
"He's obviously had a tremendous career and success at Texas, Drinkwitz said. "It worked out for everybody. So, we have our guys here and he's found success there. Life works out."
Eli Drinkwitz says St. Louis native Ryan Wingo broke his heart as a recruit. He had hope Wingo would end up at Missouri. He signed with Texas and has been a playmaker for the Longhorns since day one.
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) November 3, 2026
“He’s a tremendous young man. Always very respectful. He’s one of those guys I… pic.twitter.com/gyCSjqvf39
Still, the Mizzou coach would love Wingo in Columbia and even joked about tampering after the game.
"He's a tremendous young man," Drinkwitz said. "Always very respectful. He's one of those guys that I probably can't talk to after the game because they won't want me to tamper. (laughter) He is absolutely on of my favorites and wish him all the best, except for Saturday."
The Longhorns travel to Missouri this Saturday at 11 a.m. CT.
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This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Missouri Tigers coach says Texas WR Ryan Wingo, 'Broke my heart'
