Mizzou coach reveals freshman lineman DJ Jones needs heart transplant

Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz revealed Tuesday that freshman offensive lineman Johnnie "DJ" Jones is in need of a heart transplant.

Drinkwitz told reporters, per Cody Goodwin of 247Sports, that Jones is currently at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and is on a heart transplant list.

"Last week, we found out that Johnnie is now on a heart transplant list. He's at Mayo. It's tough right now," Drinkwitz said. "He needs help. Fast. We're pulling for you, buddy."

The revelation came during a press availability, as reported by www.saturdaydownsouth.com. The exact nature of the heart issue and the timeline for a transplant are not specified in the source.

Drinkwitz described how the situation unfolded: "When we do our freshman intake, we discovered a heart issue. We observed him for two weeks and felt like we were getting the information we needed, so we asked for a second opinion. We weren't getting the resolution that we wanted."

"Our medical team said, 'Let's go get more eyes and ears.' We sent him to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and discovered a more significant issue," he added.

Jones was an 18-year-old freshman with his entire career ahead of him when the news arrived.

THE ROAD TO MAYO CLINIC

The heart issue surfaced during Mizzou’s routine freshman intake this summer, when incoming players undergo medical evaluations before joining the program.

Drinkwitz said the team initially thought they had a handle on the situation. Jones was observed for two weeks, and the staff felt they were getting the information they needed. But the resolution never came.