March 2, 2020
Hicks’ observations of Pruitt during high school foreshadowed the eventual direction of his career. Pruitt was named first team All-Conference tight end in his senior season, and then attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) on a football scholarship. Following his senior season at SIUC, Pruitt was named a First-Team All-American by the Associated Press (AP), selected Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) tight end of the year, led all Division I tight ends in receptions (81), receiving yards (861) and touchdowns (13). He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. According to Hicks, the evolution of Pruitt’s game correlated directly with his personal maturation.
“When I got to college, it was even more clear how much better MyCole was than everyone else. We centered our game-plan around him,” Hicks said. “[He had] become a lot more confident, passionate and vocal. He went from being a quiet guy who kind of just let his play speak for himself on the field to a leader who was very outspoken.”
Now in his eighth season out of high school football, Pruitt still recalls a couple of his standout high school football moments fondly: returning a tipped pass for a touchdown and making a spectacular reception while guarded by four defenders. Even these memories, though, according to Pruit, can’t compete with those forged on Turkey Day.
“[I played in my] first Turkey Day [when] I was a freshman, [which we] won,” Pruitt said. “The next year was the 100th anniversary, and we won that one also. When you play in the game and end up winning and get to ring the [Frisco] Bell going off the field with your team, and everyone in the stands is going crazy, it’s an exhilarating feeling.”
That feeling, according to Pruitt, still hasn’t faded. Pruitt has been many things since high school: a Saluki, Viking, Bear, Bill, Texan and, now, a Titan, but he said he will always consider himself a Pioneer—and, in true Pioneer fashion, sees no reason why KHS won’t end this year’s Turkey Day victorious.
“It seems like right after I left the championship runs starting happening, the rings started coming,” Pruitt said. “From the looks of things Kirkwood has a pretty good system going for them and know how to get it done. I’ve always got the Wood.”
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