Spring Practice Report, Day Four
3/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 20, 2002
COLUMBIA, Mo.- The Missouri Tigers spent the afternoon inside the Devine Pavilion on Tuesday to avoid the rain. That did not stop the Tigers from getting plenty accomplished. Head Coach Gary Pinkel has had his team working overtime the last couple of practices, simply because "we need to," said Pinkel.
Tuesday's practice was in full pads and was dedicated to lots of skill and technique work within the individual positions. When the team did come to together for seven-on-seven and 11-on-11, the mood continued to be competitive and spirited.
One player that stood out on Tuesday was sophomore linebacker James Kinney. Kinney, who started the last three games of the season in 2001, is hoping to become the full-time starter along with Sean Doyle. The Kankakee, Ill. native was active early and often in 11-on-11 drills. He made two initial hits out of the first three plays. The one play he did not make a tackle turned out to be an interception. Kinney picked off a pass intended for wide receiver Tay Jackson from quarterback Brad Smith. Smith threw a bullet that Jackson could not handle. The ball ended up in Kinney's hands.
Another player that has really stepped things up so far this spring is junior R-back J.D. McCoy. McCoy is competing with Joe Chirumbolo and T.J. Leon for playing time in 2002. The Moore, Okla. native has seen action in 22 straight games since coming to Missouri.
