Football Spring 2003 Preview
3/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 8, 2003
Columbia, Mo. - Momentum is building in Columbia, Mo., as Gary Pinkel and the Missouri Tigers are making preparations for a highly anticipated 2003 season that most everyone expects to be a banner year for Ol' Mizzou.
The Tigers are coming off an exciting 2002 campaign that saw them make measurable improvements in virtually every area of the game. Mizzou played for a bowl bid down to the final game of the year, and there is no question that Pinkel and his squad closed the gap considerably on Big 12 Conference competition in their 5-7 season. Included in Mizzou's win total were outstanding wins against defending Big Ten champion Illinois, over rival Kansas, and a thrilling double-overtime triumph at Texas A&M. But the Tigers gained national respect even in defeat for taking 3rd-ranked Oklahoma, 18th-ranked Colorado and 22nd-ranked Iowa State to the wire before falling by seven points late in each game.
Missouri returns 15 starters from a year ago, including nine from an offense that scored the third-most points in school history. Perhaps more importantly, however, depth is building at a steady pace in Pinkel's detail-oriented program, as the Tigers will return 32 of 44 players from its final two-deep depth chart at the end of last season. Continuing to improve depth at every area is a key to Pinkel's rebuilding this program.
"Developing depth is absolutely critical to a program, and that's a large part of what the spring period is all about," said Pinkel, who ranks among the top-25 winningest active Division I coaches with a career winning percentage of .614 (82-51-3).
"As a football team, the thing we're trying to do is identify the players that can play at a high level in the Big 12 at every position. The issue is can you, as a starter, play at a high level in the Big 12? That's where we have to get the performance of every one of our athletes - that's the bar we're looking for across the board. That's each players' challenge, to master their position, and through the hard work and all the things they've done in the offseason - video study and all the extra things - that's what we're trying to find out as we go through spring football, that's probably the most important thing," he said.
"The second thing we'll do in the spring is look at offensive and defensive and kicking schemes, and you go through an analyze things that you can do to make yourself a better football team," said Pinkel.
Competition is the name of the game in developing depth, according to Pinkel. "We always take the philosophy on both sides of the ball that every position is open in the spring, and it is. That's something that our players appreciate and understand that whether you're a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior, you have an opportunity to win a starting job. There's no pecking order in our program on either side of the ball," he said.
"After spring ball, we're going to know where we are personnel-wise," said Pinkel. "We're going to know that we have some guys that we think by the first game can be at a high level in the Big 12. We have guys that are ready right now. We have to make sure our best players are playing at each position," he said.
THE OFFENSE
A somewhat unknown quantity coming into the 2002 season, Missouri's offense exploded to become one of the more potent outfits in school history. Led by redshirt freshman All-American quarterback Brad Smith, the Tigers averaged 30.0 points per game, and their season total of 360 points was the 3rd-most in MU single-season history. A tribute to Pinkel's disciplined approach, Mizzou led the nation in fewest turnovers, committing only 12 in 12 (including only 11 by the offense).
The 2003 season looks to provide more of the same, with expectations likely high for the Tiger offense, as 13 players who started last season return, including the entire offensive line, three wide receivers, the starting tailback, one tight end, and of course, the amazing Smith, who became just the second player in NCAA Division I-A history last year to pass for 2,000 yards (2,333) and rush for 1,000 (1,029) in the same season.
"Offensively, we have a lot of players back," said Pinkel. "I think the competition will be pretty good. I think it's pretty obvious that we have to replace a 1,000-yard receiver (in Justin Gage), a guy that's been an impact player - someone we leaned on a lot. Now, this gives a lot of opportunities for a lot of receivers, and I think that's real important." "Continuously developing depth is going to be very important for the offensive line, running back, quarterback, receiver, tight end, everywhere," Pinkel emphasized.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Lettermen Lost Lettermen Returning (No 2002 starts) (8 with 60 2002 starts) J.P. Hall* Rob Droege*** (WT-12) Brian Heits* A.J. Ricker*** (C-12) Wes Wilson* Scott Paffrath* (ST-12) Tony Palmer* (WG-9) Cliff Young** (SG-5; WG-3) Joe Gianino* (SG-7) Scott Sells** Zach Strom*
If it really all starts up front, then Mizzou should be in great shape for 2003, as all six Tigers who started on the line last season return. The charge starts with senior tackle Rob Droege and senior center A.J. Ricker, who are both All-Conference and All-American candidates to open the year. Junior Scott Paffrath returns as a second-year starter at tackle after starting all 12 games there last season, while sophomore Tony Palmer (nine starts at guard in 2002) is a future star. Palmer was named a 4th-team freshman All-American by The Sporting News in 2002. Also returning are two more solid veterans, in senior Cliff Young (eight starts at both guard spots in 2002) and junior Joe Gianino (seven starts at guard).
Non-starters who return include senior Scott Sells and junior Zach Strom. Both Columbia natives, both took part in long snapping duties a year ago, and each one is expected to solidify those spots once again. The offensive line lost three lettermen to graduation in J.P. Hall, Brian Heits and Wes Wilson.
Howard Brissette and Steven Sanchez, both junior college newcomers in 2002, will try to earn playing time and add to the depth of the line. Brissette will be a junior in eligibility, while Sanchez will be a senior.
"If you take a look at the offensive line, there will be a lot of battles going on, we'll see what happens there. It will be interesting to see unfold," said Pinkel.
QUARTERBACK
Lettermen Lost Lettermen Returning (No 2002 starts) (1 with 12 2002 starts) Kirk Farmer**** Brad Smith* (12)
There's no question that the face of Mizzou Football at this point in time is that of sophomore quarterback Brad Smith. Smith returns to action after starting all 12 games last year for Mizzou as the first freshman to start a season opener in school history. An unknown quantity prior to the 2002 season, Smith won't have the luxury of surprising opponents anymore, as he gained plenty of national attention for his myriad achievements, just one of which included him becoming only the second player in NCAA Division I-A history to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. Smith shattered too many school records to detail, but what really excites Tiger fans is the fact that he had Mizzou playing for a bowl game down to the final contest of the season in 2002.
The Tigers didn't lose a starter at quarterback from 2002, but they still lost quite a commodity in Kirk Farmer. Farmer lost the starting job to Smith last season, but with 14 career starts in his first three seasons, he gave Mizzou one of the nation's most experienced backup quarterbacks as an insurance policy. With that no longer the case, Tiger coaches will be working hard to develop Smith's substitute from a pool that includes some exciting talents in sophomore Sonny Riccio and redshirt freshmen Brandon Coleman, Josh Hibbets and David Overstreet.
"We've got to develop depth at this position," said Pinkel. "Sonny has worked very, very hard, and the three freshmen are very good athletes and are working tremendously hard, so it will be interesting to see how it sorts itself out. The first thing is to let it sort itself out, and then once that takes place, can one or two of those players go somewhere else and help our football team and become great players at other position? Time will tell there," he said.
TAILBACK
Lettermen Lost Lettermen Returning (1 2002 start) (11 2002 starts) T.J. Leon*** (1) Zack Abron*** (11) Tyrone Roberson** Jonathan Howard* Shan Schauffler*
The tailback position is in good hands with three-year veteran Zack Abron set to lead the way. An All-Big 12 honorable mention pick a year ago, the sure-handed senior returns after ranking 10th in the Big 12 in rushing in 2002, with 758 yards. He proved last year to be virtually unstoppable near the goal line, as Abron ranked 2nd in the Big 12 in scoring, with 102 points on 17 total touchdowns (15 rushing, 2 receiving), to rank 14th in the NCAA with his average of 9.3 points per game. He enters the season with a string of 166 consecutive carries without a fumble, and stands only 984 yards away from becoming MU's all-time leading rusher.
Much like the quarterback situation, the major question mark will be who can entrench himself in the backup position. Junior college transfer and Missouri high school phenom Damien Nash could factor into the mix, but will likely not be full strength until the fall, as he is still recovering from knee surgery due to an injury he suffered at Coffeyville Community College last season. Nash is currently enrolled at MU, and will be able to participate in spring drills as long as he is physically capable.
The significant loss to the tailback spot came from departed senior T.J. Leon, who was a valuable backup to Abron in 2002. When Abron was forced to miss the Kansas game, Leon stepped in to rush for a career-high 104 yards and two touchdowns. He ended the season with 285 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Junior Tyrone Roberson, who played in 17 games his first two seasons, has decided to focus on baseball at Missouri, and will no longer put on the pads for the football team.
"We want to become a better running team without having to rely so much on Brad Smith, that's crucial. Developing depth is key to doing that. How much can Damien Nash do in the spring? We're not sure yet, we're going to have to see how that goes. We're very excited about his progress, but we have to be smart about what we do. Fortunately, he's the kind of athlete you have to hold back, he works so hard and he wants to play so bad, and that's exciting," said Pinkel.
When fall camp rolls around, look for highly-touted freshmen backs Alex Woodley and Marcus Woods to compete for playing time.
"Obviously, with our depth issues, both freshmen we signed this year will have to contribute," said Pinkel.
WIDE RECEIVER
Lettermen Lost Lettermen Returning (12 2002 starts) (23 2002 starts) Justin Gage**** (12) Darius Outlaw*** (9) Marcus James*** (6) Thomson Omboga** (5) Sean Coffey* (3)
Missouri enjoyed a talented and deep group of receivers in 2002, and it's a case of good news and bad news in terms of what lies ahead in 2003. The good news is that the Tigers lose only one starter at the spot. The bad news is that the one loss just happens to be the most prolific receiver in school history - Justin Gage.
Finding a replacement for Gage will be paramount as the Tiger passing attack looks to improve from a solid 2002 season that saw MU pass for its most yards (2,438) since 1992 (3,223). While Gage's 200 career receptions, 2,704 career receiving yards and 18 career receiving touchdowns (all MU records) will be sorely missed, the cupboard isn't exactly bare, as four receivers with solid credentials return to the mix.
Senior Darius Outlaw returns after gaining an extra year of eligibility in conjunction with the NCAA's partial qualifier rule. Outlaw converted to wide receiver in 2002, and amazed everyone with how quickly he picked up the position. With little-to-no learning curve from which to benefit, Outlaw became MU's 2nd-leading receiver with 46 catches for 552 yards and three touchdowns.
Junior Thomson Omboga returns to the team after missing the last three games of the 2002 season due to a suspension for violating team rules. He's back in the good graces of his coaches, and is ready to build on what was a promising season that saw him grab 21 catches in only seven games (he missed two other games due to a rib injury). He's joined by the veteran Marcus James (six starts in 2002) and the up-and-coming star in sophomore Sean Coffey (three starts). James has been a solid target throughout his career, while Coffey, at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, offers quite a comforting target for Tiger quarterbacks. He caught 12 passes in 10 games last season as a redshirt freshman.
Sophomore Chris Crosby returns after a freshman season that saw him log four games and grab one pass for seven yards in Mizzou's Homecoming win over Kansas. He'll be near the top of the depth chart at one receiver spot when spring begins.
Also hoping to figure in the mix is sophomore Arnold Britt. Britt did not catch a pass last year in three appearances, but the sophomore has plenty of speed and talent that might get him on the field more and more this season. Senior speedster Shirdonya Mitchell has moved to defensive back.
"Hopefully we'll be better at distributing the ball among more players this year, and if we can do that, I think that will make us a better passing team," said Pinkel. "We'll be a little thin in the spring as some guys are recovering from injuries - Outlaw and Coffey with shoulders, and James with a knee. I think with injuries, a lot of times, you're faced with depth issues. It's not so critical during the spring, what it does is give younger players a chance to play and win jobs. Hopefully then, when the injured guys get back, they have to fight to get their job back," he said.
TIGHT END
Lettermen Lost Lettermen Returning (6 2002 starts) (4 2002 starts) Ben Fredrickson** (6) J.D. McCoy*** (4) Clint Matthews*
One goal of the offensive staff heading into the 2003 season revolves around getting the tight ends more involved in the passing game. They'll be looking to do so with a pair of returning tight ends, and might look to some youngsters to join the fray, as well.
Senior J.D. McCoy returns carrying six career starts under his belt. He grabbed eight passes last year for 58 yards and a touchdown, and has good hands to go along with his superb blocking talents. McCoy injured his knee in the season finale against Kansas State, but is on pace for a full recovery by the fall.
The only other tight end on the roster with a career reception is senior Clint Matthews, who played in eight games a year ago and caught one pass for five yards. He'll certainly have a chance in the spring to showcase his abilities, with McCoy rehabbing.
Someone else who will have a chance to make an impression in the spring is talented redshirt freshman DeQuincy Howard. At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Howard turned heads regularly in practice a year ago with his speed and athleticism. He's already put on 20 pounds in the weight room, and his abilities has those close to the program eagerly anticipating his coming out party.
The sole loss to the tight end group of a year ago is Ben Fredrickson, who started six games and led the tight ends with 10 catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Earl Stephens, who played in six games a year ago, has moved to defensive line, as well.
"Our tight end depth will be thin in the spring with J.D. McCoy limited with what he can do," said Pinkel. "Clint Matthews becomes a starter with J.D. being in and out, and DeQuincy Howard is going to have a great opportunity to earn some playing time. We'll have a junior coming in next fall in Victor Sesay, and we'll also have some real good young high school prospects coming in too.
Pinkel was referring to his 2003 recruiting class of tight ends that was ranked as the nation's top collection at that position by Rivals.com. In addition to Sesay, joining the squad in the fall will be talented freshmen prospects Josh Barbo, Gartrell Cooper, Xzavie Jackson, Martin Rucker and Phinney Troy.
"That position might not sort itself out because of injuries until two-a-days," he said.
THE DEFENSE
Improvement is the name of the game for the Missouri defense in the year ahead. In 2002, Mizzou's defense showed signs of becoming the type of squad Pinkel wants to see on the field each Saturday, but developing depth is still a major issue for a side of the ball - something that was virtually non-existent when Pinkel and his staff got here in November of 2000.
Some positives to take from last season include the fact that the Tiger defense held eight of its 12 foes under their season scoring average, including Oklahoma, Kansas State, Nebraska, Texas A&M, Illinois, Kansas, Ball State and Troy State. Mizzou's defense also made good on plans to improve in making big plays, as MU scored three defensive touchdowns (compared to just one in 2001), forced 24 turnovers (up from 19 in 2001) and turned in 23 sacks (up from 20 in 2001).
"I think defensively, obviously we have to make a huge improvement," said Pinkel. "What we're doing is evaluating what we're doing scheme-wise. I don't mean we're going to change the structure of our defense, because we value being so multiple and being able to do so many things. What we have to do is settle in on what we want to do and what we want to be as a defensive team, and we're working real hard to do that."
"We lost a couple of impact players on the defensive line in Keith Wright and Antwaun Bynum," he said. "I think other than that, there's a lot of competition. We're going to be asking some young players to participate and play at a high level fast, that's just where we're at. That even gets back to when we got here a couple of years ago, the lack of numbers in the whole perimeter of the defense. The good news is that it's sorting out," he said.
Missouri lost starters at five positions from a year ago, but overall will benefit from 11 different players that started at one point during the 2002 campaign - giving the Tigers a group that has good experience despite its overall youth.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Lettermen Lost Lettermen Returning (24 2002 starts) (24 2002 starts) A. Bynum** (DE-12) Atiyyah Ellison* (DE-9) Keith Wright** (DT-12) Russ Bell* (DT-7) C.J. Mosley* (DT-5) Terrell Mills* (DE-2) Nick Tarpoff** (DE-1) Phil Pitts**
Mizzou returns five players who started at least one game along the defensive line in 2002, but the focus will be replacing the two key losses in end Antwaun Bynum and tackle Keith Wright. Among the most disruptive duos in school history, Wright led the Big 12 with 23 tackles for loss a year ago, while Bynum ranked among league leaders in sacks, fumbles forced and tackles for loss.
While those two will undoubtedly be most sorely missed, defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski has a good nucleus to work with that includes juniors Atiyyah Ellison (nine starts in 2002), Terrell Mills (2) and Nick Tarpoff (1), sophomore C.J. Mosley (5) and senior Russ Bell (7). Ellison came to MU prior to last season from the JUCO ranks, and proceeded to start nine of 12 games at defensive end, recording 41 tackles and five quarterback hurries in the process. Tiger coaches are considering moving him to tackle in 2003, to help fill the void left by Wright's departure.
Bell and Mosley combined to make all 12 starts a year ago at the other tackle spot, and they're both back to battle again in the trenches. Bell, a senior who walked on prior to the 2002 season, is a track All-American who made unbelievable contributions after being out of football for three years. He played in all 12 games in 2002 (starting games four through 10), and notched 36 tackles, including eight for loss and three sacks. Mosley opened the year as the starter at the position, and returned to the starting lineup for the final two games. All told, the redshirt freshman turned in a nice season, with 41 tackles, including eight for loss and three sacks.
Junior Terrell Mills emerged late in the 2002 season to start the final two games at end, and has an opportunity to establish himself as the front-runner for one of the two spots heading into the 2003 campaign. His 19 tackle total from a year ago might not be an eye-popping number, but he showed the potential to be a play-maker, as he registered three tackles for loss and tied for 4th on the team with five quarterback hurries. He'll be limited in the spring, as he's recovering from offseason surgery to clean up a shoulder injury, but is expected to be full strength by the beginning of fall camp.
Junior end Nick Tarpoff has a motor that won't quit, and that makes him a potential impact player there. The injury bug kept him from reaching his limits in 2002, but he still managed 21 tackles and one sack in nine games.
Another junior who looks to see the field even more is tackle Phil Pitts. Pitts played in all 12 games in 2002, and recorded seven tackles and recovered a fumble.
Wildcards at defensive end include redshirt freshmen Fabian Bean and Brian Smith. Bean, at 6-foot-4 and 269 pounds, is a powerful player who has added 15 pounds to his playing weight from last year, while Smith, at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds is more of the prototypical speedy rush end. No matter their respective styles, Tiger coaches are excited about their futures.
Another untapped resource on the line could be junior tackle Zach Ville. Ville, a 6-foot-2, 270-pound specimen, had figured on playing last year in his first year at Mizzou, but an emergency appendectomy during two-a-days knocked him out for the remainder of the season. He's healthy now, and looking to make a name for himself on the defensive line.
"We have a lot of players to look at here," said Pinkel. "Bell will be in and out of the spring with track, but we expect him to be a major force for us. We have newcomers in Zach Ville and Fabian Bean. We have Elgin Childress, who played linebacker a year ago, now he's 250 pounds and playing defensive end. You have Brian Smith and Earl Stephens who moved from tight end to the line, so those are five new players there. We've got a lot of things happening on the line right now, and it will be interesting to see how it sorts out. We've got a lot of youth, and there should be a lot of enthusiasm," he said.
"Obviously, Bell played a significant amount. Atiyyah Ellison has had a great offseason, and C.J. Mosley has had a great offseason - those guys are different players right now. Phil Pitts is back, and Rusty Groth is competing in there, and I think we have a lot of prospects there. This will be a place to watch and see," he said.
LINEBACKER
Lettermen Lost Lettermen Returning (12 2002 starts) (17 2002 starts) Sean Doyle**** (12) James Kinney** (11) Terrell Coleman* Brandon Barnes** (FS-5) Henry Sweat* (1) Doc Gooden* Derrick Ming* Brandon Smith*
In Mizzou's two-linebacker set, James Kinney flourished last season, as he ranked 2nd in the Big 12, and 8th in the NCAA with his average of 12.3 tackles per game. His 148 total stops were the 3rd-most in school single-season history, and the junior is the building block for the middle of the Tiger defense.
Gone due to graduation is his running mate for the last two years - Sean Doyle - and his 323 career tackles, which rank 7th on the school career charts. Doyle's departure opens up an opportunity for a group that includes junior Henry Sweat (one start in 2002), and redshirt freshmen Derrick Ming (12 games played in 2002) and Brandon Smith (12 games). Also figuring in the mix could be hard-hitting senior Brandon Barnes, a Sikeston, Mo. native who moves over from free safety, a position where he started five games in 2002. Another converted safety this season who could see some playing time is Orlando "Doc" Gooden.
Emmett Morris is a sophomore who hopes to figure in the playing rotation in 2003. Morris is a very talented athlete who sat out last year as a partial qualifier, and is someone who has the potential to contribute in his second year as a Tiger.
"Derrick Ming had a remarkable offseason physically, he's been doing a very good job. Kinney is doing a good job and working hard to improve, and I think we'll see some very spirited competition at this position in the spring."
SECONDARY
Lettermen Lost Lettermen Returning (26 2002 starts) (31 2002 starts) Tauras Ferguson** (RV-12) Michael Harden*** (CB-11) R.J. Jones** (CB-6) Jason Simpson* (WH-9) Antoine Duncan**** (CB-5) Marcus King** (FS-7) Gary Anthony**** (WH-3) A.J. Kincade* (CB-2) Shirdonya Mitchell** (WR-2) Brian Fuller* Justin Scott* Quincy Wade*
Despite losing four seniors who started 26 games in 2002, the secondary looks to be in good shape for the upcoming season. It's still a young group, but one that gained valuable experience a year ago.
The most experienced defensive back is senior cornerback Michael Harden, who started 11 games last season. Harden was named MU's defensive back of the year in 2002 after leading the squad and ranking 3rd in the Big 12 with 15 passes broken up. He was Mizzou's most consistent performer in the secondary in 2002, and he has now added 10 pounds to his frame in the offseason to go with his fearless attitude as a cover man.
Harden will be joined in coverage schemes and run support duties by fellow returnees Jason Simpson, Marcus King and A.J. Kincade. All three earned starts at one point or another in 2002, with Simpson starting nine games at whip, King seven games at free safety and Kincade starting the final two games of the season at the other cornerback spot.
Four other letter winners return to compete for playing time in the secondary, including junior safety Brian Fuller, and a duo of sophomore safeties in Justin Scott and Quincy Wade. Senior speedster Shirdonya Mitchell moves over from wide receiver to cornerback, and will provide the Tigers with some quality depth at that position.
Two others who could factor into the mix include cornerbacks Terrence Curry and Calvin Washington. Curry is a senior who returns after missing the last two seasons with injury. He played in 22 games during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. Washington is a talented sophomore who redshirted last season after playing in all 11 games as a true freshman in 2001.
Arriving in January as part of the 2003 recruiting class was highly touted defensive back Nino Williams, who is expected to compete for a starting job immediately. Williams played at Tyler (Texas) Junior College, where he earned first-team JUCO All-American honors at cornerback in 2002.
Throw into the equation a pair of talented redshirt freshmen in Marcus Bacon and Dedrick Harrington, and there's a lot of players to look at in the secondary for 2003.
"There's a lot of competition there, and there's really only one spot of the five perimeter spots that didn't start the last two games," said Pinkel. How it sorts out, I don't know. I know we've increased our speed and athleticism there, now we just have to become good football players."
"We're going to start out Nino Williams at free safety, and Marcus King will be competing there too, so that should be a good competition to watch. At corner, we thought that Michael Harden finished the year well, and A.J. Kincade started the last two games. Calvin Washington redshirted and he's back in there. Curry is back in there, and we moved Mitchell from wide receiver to corner," he said.
"At the safety position, Jason Simpson is back, who played quite a bit there," he said. "We've got some young players to look at in Justin Scott, Quincy Wade, some redshirt freshmen in Marcus Bacon and Dedrick Harrington who we think are exceptional athletes. Brian Fuller, a walk-on, is in there competing too," he said.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Lettermen Lost Lettermen Returning (None) (21 2002 starts) None Mike Matheny* (PK-11) Brock Harvey** (P-10)
One of the areas in which Mizzou made the most improvement from year one to year two under Gary Pinkel was in special teams. So it's no big surprise that Tiger coaches are excited to have their two primary special teams weapons - senior placekicker Mike Matheny and junior punter Brock Harvey - returning to the fold in 2003.
Matheny walked on to the team prior to the 2002 season, and was a virtual gift from above, as he stepped in and solidified a kicking game that started got off to a tough start. Once he established himself, Matheny made 9-of-13 field goals on the year, and was a solid 40-of-42 in extra points.
In a similar vein, Harvey was one of the most improved players on the squad last year, as he upped his punting average from 39.5 in 2001 to a respectable 42.5 yards per kick in 2002. That mark ranked him 4th in the Big 12 and 20th nationally. Mizzou's net punting average of 36.9 per kick ranked 19th in the country, an eye-popping improvement from a ranking of 112th in 2001. Harvey missed the final two games of 2002 due to an injured foot, but will be 100 percent heading into the season.
Junior college transfer Todd Gohsler played in only two games in 2002, but made quite an impact during his opportunities. Despite never taking a game time snap, Gohsler filled in for the injured Harvey in the final two games, and averaged 42.2 yards per kick. He was an unsung hero in MU's double-overtime win at Texas A&M, as he had two kicks over 40 yards and one more that pinned the Aggies inside their five-yard line.
Redshirt freshman kicker Alex Pettersen returns for his second year on the squad. He won the starting job for the 2002 season opener against Illinois, but was able to gain a redshirt after giving way to Matheny in game two. He'll look to challenge Matheny for playing time in 2003.
In the return game, Mizzou appears to be in good shape, as it returns its top punt returner (Marcus James) and kick returner (Shirdonya Mitchell). James ranked 6th in the Big 12, and 25th nationally, last year with a punt return average of 13.6. He returned one for an 80-yard score at Iowa State, which marked the first traditional punt return for a score by a Tiger since 1992. Mitchell, the fastest Tiger on the squad, emerged into a top-line kick returner in 2002. He returned 16 kicks last season, and ranked 5th in the conference, and 26th in the NCAA with an average of 24.1 yards. He had a long of 89 yards last season (non-scoring at Texas Tech), and just missed becoming the first Tiger since 1982 to run back a kickoff for a score. Even though he didn't score, his return was the longest kickoff return at MU since 1976.
"We got into the top half of the league last year in special teams, so that was very encouraging," said Pinkel. "But we still have to improve overall some more. Our kick scoring, that's an area where we have to improve. Some teams in our conference got four or five touchdowns, and we need to get to that level. I think if you look at our net punting game, we went from in the 100s to 19th in the nation. The difference from the first year to last year was huge, nearly four and a half football fields - that's a huge difference in field position during the course of a game. We had two critical punts returned for touchdowns against us against Nebraska and Kansas State, and we had one the year before, and that's got to stop. We haven't had one blocked, so that's good obviously, but there's enough there that we have to work on," he said.
"Brock Harvey is going to be back, and we have a lot of confidence in him there," said Pinkel. "We eventually went with Mike Matheny last year, and we feel he did a pretty good job. We improved in our kickoff team and our punt team even returned one for a touchdown. That's a good start, now we need to get more, one isn't good enough. Now, we have got to get in the top four, instead of just being in the top six. And we cannot have any critical plays that beat Missouri," he said.
