Cale Garrett is 6-3, 230 pounds and a physical force in the middle of the Mizzou defense. Now imagine, if you can, a younger, smaller Cale Garrett walking into Mizzou's Memorial Stadium for the first time.

"The stadium was packed, and just the energy and I just remember instantly from then is when I fell in love with things and decided I wanted to play here, and one day if I ever got the opportunity that would be awesome."

Cale has now played in 16 games on Faurot field, and the dream came true and it never gets old.

"It's kind of full circle a little bit," Garrett said. "It's crazy you grow up watching the team and wanting to be out there on TV or watching big time games between big time teams like Georgia or other SEC powerhouses. I realized that I would love to play in that type of environment and having the opportunity to do that now is a blessing and something that's really cool, and something that I want to take every advantage of and soak it all up."

Under-recruited out of the small 8,300-person town of Kearney, Missouri, Cale follows the lineage of Kearney kids who made the most of their chance to wear a Mizzou uniform. For example, players like Brock Christopher, Beau Brinkley, Tommy Saunders, and now Cale Garrett. Garrett continues to tackle the challenges that come with being a Middle linebacker as much as he tackles opposing offensive stars.

"Usually teams will have an identity and then you're able to predict a little bit. It's never going to be 100% what they want to do."

He was the identity disruptor of opposing offenses with over 100 tackles as a sophomore, working to make his junior season even better.

"Just from a mental stand point I feel like my knowledge of the game has grown a little bit, but coach is always there to remind me that I've got a lot more to learn as well.

Barry Odom is there to teach him a lot of things such as life for Mizzou linebackers like Cale, playing for a head coach who once played their position and is top-10 in school history for career tackles.

"That's just where he is naturally comfortable, and he loves that position, and you can tell he spends a little more time on defense than offense. A lot of the offensive guys joke with us saying he is a lot quicker to point out the defenses achievements as well as flaws," Garrett said of his head coach.

As much as Garrett soaks up all the wisdom he has never watched film of his head coach during his playing days.

"He tells me I shouldn't, but other people tell me I definitely should check it out."