Connecticut DL Will Zaccagnino makes first trip to Mizzou: 'You're from where?'
Much to the Southern hospitality rooted in the Missouri staff, a few Tigers were surprised to hear where Will Zaccagnino called home. Zaccagnino, a Class of 2027 defensive lineman, visited Missouri — the state — for the first time in his life this month.
“A lot of guys were like, ‘You’re from where?'” he said. “They had no idea.”
A product of Trumball (Conn.) St. Joseph, Zaccagnino spent an unofficial visit at Missouri on April 8, six days after announcing his official visit for June 12-14. The Tigers also offered the New England prospect before his trip, but Zaccagnino waited until after his visit to announce the scholarship.
“The campus I really liked,” Zaccagnino said. “I liked how it went from a campus to merging into a downtown.”
Although not specifying how long ago, Zaccagnino reached out to Missouri first. The Tigers then responded about two or three weeks before his initial visit with defensive line coach Chop Harbin and defensive tackles coach David Blackwell leading discussions.
“You can tell they’re genuine guys,” the 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive lineman said. “They definitely know what they’re doing. When I watched them at practice, they know how to coach it well. They know why you’re doing something (wrong) and how to do it correctly.”
Zaccagnino also met head coach Eli Drinkwitz for the first time. Even with the lack of connections to the Constitution State, Missouri, the first SEC program to express interest in Zaccagnino, checked off the right boxes as the two sides continue to form a bond.
“He was really good, energetic, easy to talk to,” Zaccagnino said. “He was engaged. It was really nice.”
The currently unrated recruit has also booked official visits with Wisconsin (May 28-31), Connecticut (June 10) and Michigan State (June 19-21).