Mizzou Made.

It’s how Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel describes his player development program.

“I never, ever looked at a recruiting ranking since I have been coaching,” Pinkel said on Sunday. “We have an evaluation system … we have a thing called “Mizzou Made” here which we think is one of the best [player development systems] in the country … We just do what we do and I think it would be hard to not stay we haven’t had success doing it our way.”

So it should be no surprise that Missouri, who is about to play in its second consecutive SEC Championship, has made this run thanks to the help of several upperclassmen.

Markus Golden, Shane Ray, Bud Sasser, Darius White, Russell Hansbrough, Jimmie Hunt, Mitch Morse and Marcus Murphy — all players that are making significant contributions to this team.

With how impactful these players have been this season, that’s got to be a group full of five and four stars right?

According to 247sports, all of these players were three-star recruits in high school, with the exception of wide receiver Darius White.

In a prestigious conference full of five and four-star recruits, Pinkel has taken less-regarded recruits and turned them into four and five-star players. A process in which the players say they all buy into when they get to campus and into the “Mizzou Made” program.

“Most of the time, no one really thinks about it here,” Sasser, a senior wideout said. “It’s more of a family atmosphere, so no one really thinks about your rankings … everybody here just wants to get the job done.”

“It speaks volumes about the player development we have here. I think Coach Pinkel recruits a guy that’s going to be dedicated to the team. I don’t think I’ve seen more comradery than I have in the past two season … we’re like a family,” said Mitch Morse, a redshirt senior offensive lineman.

Missouri’s SEC Championship opponent, Alabama, is quite the opposite. That isn’t to say the Crimson Tide doesn’t have a tremendous player development program, because if Alabama didn’t, it wouldn’t be as successful as it has been.

But Alabama has the added luxury to have its pick of the premier high school recruits throughout the nation.

Class rankings over the last five years

2010: Alabama — 5th
Missouri — 21st

2011: Alabama — 1st
Missouri — 57th

2012: Alabama — 1st
Missouri — 31st

2013: Alabama — 1st
Missouri — 43rd

2014: Alabama — 1st
Missouri — 39th

Despite the stark contrast in recruiting rankings, Missouri has a 14-2 record in SEC play since 2013 — a record that can only be matched by Alabama.

As you can see by the rankings, player development is a crucial part of Missouri’s success — taking what is often considered to be less-talented players and emulating the success of the SEC’s premier program.

So when you watch the SEC Championship on Saturday, whenever Missouri makes a big play, more than likely it’ll be because of a player your school didn’t think much of.

But to Missouri, it’s a player that’s probably the heart of the Tigers’ success.

It’s a player that’s been Mizzou made.