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Missouri Tigers football coach Eli Drinkwitz takes helicopter to visit recruit

Drinkwitz arrived in style for the Francis Howell vs. Troy Buchanan game Friday night
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The Missouri Tigers are flying high following their big win over Kansas State last weekend, and so is their head coach Eli Drinkwitz. 

Instead of a car, Drinkwitz rode in a helicopter for a recruiting visit to Howell (Missouri) on Friday. 

A chopper landed in a field next to the high school, and the head coach of the undefeated Tigers stepped out of the back seat. 

Howell is home to three-star Missouri commit Jude James, one of the state’s highest-ranked seniors. After arriving via helicopter, Drinkwitz hung around on the sidelines to watch James and Howell take on Troy Buchanan.

Drinkwitz even put on a Hawaiian-themed Howell Vikings shirt to support one of his future players and the home team. 

James, who plays receiver and safety for Howell, made several big plays in Howell’s 31-14 win over Troy Buchanan, including a 48-yard touchdown catch.

James helped the Vikings win their first-ever state championship last year. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound athlete caught 27 passes for 584 yards and six touchdowns as a junior.

Drinkwitz has plenty to be happy about with the way the Tigers are playing early in the season, and he had to like what he saw Friday night from one of his future players.

(Feature photo by Denny Medley, USA TODAY Sports)