Tigers Continue Push Through Training Camp

Aug. 18, 2009

Columbia, Mo. -

The Missouri Tiger football team continued its push through the 2009 training camp with a physical morning practice on Faurot Field. An eerie fog hung over the field, and most of Columbia, for a good portion of the morning as the team worked out in full pads for over two hours.

The defense claimed a win on Tuesday, as they won more periods than the offense to claim the coveted black jerseys for tomorrow. Wednesday will bring two more practices, followed by the second major scrimmage of the fall on Thursday morning.

Here were some news and notes that came out of practice today...

Sophomore RT Dan Hoch left practice early with an injured left knee that was initially diagnosed as a sprain. An MRI was scheduled for later today as a precautionary measure. Later in the practice, WR Brandon Gerau also injured his left knee, and he's also scheduled for an MRI to determine the severity of the injury...
On the good-news front, WR Rolandis Woodland returned to practice in limited fashion after spraining his right ankle in practice Monday morning. Fellow WR T.J. Moe (foot) and TE Alex Sanders (hamstring) also practiced in limited fashion as they continue to work their way back from injuries...
Coach Gary Pinkel told reporters following the practice that two true freshmen have been told they'll be playing in 2009 -- RT Jack Meiners and LB Donovan Bonner...
Some highlights from 11-on-11 scrimmaging included:
- The defense was hitting hard from the get go, and in the first series, with the #1 defense going against the #2 offense, the defense forced fumbles on consecutive plays, with LB Luke Lambert separating a Tiger receiver from the ball with a hard pop on one play. The second fumble was recovered by LB Sean Weatherspoon...
- Later, with the #1 offense and #2 defense going at it, QB Blaine Gabbert and WR Jerrell Jackson had a good hook up for a gain of about 12 yards, and TB De'Vion Moore followed that with a quick burst off right tackle for 10 yards...
- Next, the #1 units squared off. Gabbert hit TB Derrick Washington for a gain of 10 yards on a swing pass and on the next snap he feathered a nice sideline pass to TE Andrew Jones for a gain of 20 yards. With the score for the period tied at 5-5 for the last play, Gabbert tried to connect with WR Jared Perry on a go route up the right sideline on a 3rd-and-9 situation. The pass was right on the money, but CB Carl Gettis had blanket coverage and jumped to knock the ball away. Safety Kenji Jackson dove to nearly grab an interception, but the ball fell to the turf...
- Gettis also stood out several times during the day for big hits he laid on receivers and ball carriers...
- Last, with the #1 offense and #1 defense competing again, Gabbert had a nice gain on a keeper that opened up thanks to a nice downfield block by Jones. After a Washington gain for 7 around the right edge, the defense forced an incomplete pass. Then, Moore took a handoff and burst through an opening to get downfield for a gain of about 35 yards. Gabbert and Washington hooked up again on a dump off route that Washington took for about 15 yards on a nice effort. Redshirt freshman CB Robert Steeples then broke up a pass with a big hit on the left hash to tie the score at 5-5 for the period, with one play left to decide the winning side. On a 3rd-and-10 situation, redshirt freshman DE Aldon Smith got a huge jump on the snap and got into the backfield in a hurry to force Gabbert to hurry a desperation pass that went incomplete, giving the defense a win...

Stay tuned to mutigers.com for continuing details of the 2009 Tiger training camp!

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Donovan Bonner

Brandon Gerau

Carl Gettis

Dan Hoch

Jerrell Jackson

Kenji Jackson

Andrew Jones

Luke Lambert

Jack Meiners

T.J. Moe

De'Vion Moore

Jared Perry

Robert Steeples

Derrick Washington

Sean Weatherspoon

Rolandis Woodland

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