Tigers Preparing for All-Star Opportunities
1/8/2020 11:04:00 AM | Football
Games begin Jan. 12 with FBS Spiral Tropical Bowl
The turn of the calendar to a new year always brings with it one more opportunity for Mizzou Football athletes to showcase their skills on a national stage - even after their playing days as Tigers are completed.
The college all-star game circuit is about ready to hit, and with it, as many as seven Tiger standouts are scheduled to compete in the upcoming games. Here's a quick look at those who are scheduled to compete (as of Jan. 8th):
FBS Spiral Tropical Bowl
Game Info: Jan. 12 / Daytona Beach, Fla. / 9 a.m. (central) / Live streamed at topricalbowl.com/tv [Flo Football subscription required]
Veteran defensive backs Richaud Floyd and Ronnell Perkins are scheduled to represent Mizzou in this all-star game, slated for Jan. 12th in Daytona Beach, Fla. They will be the fifth and sixth Tigers to participate in this newer all-star game, which began in 2016. Defensive back Kenya Dennis was the first to compete, in the inaugural game in 2016, and he was followed by TE Sean Culkin in 2017, and by a pair of Tigers in 2019 - DL Rashad Brandon and DL Walter Palmore.
During his career, Floyd proved to be one of the top punt returners in Mizzou history, with three career punt return touchdowns, including one he took 71 yards for a score in 2019 in a win over SEMO. Floyd enjoyed a breakout sophomore season when he broke two punt returns for scores - including an 85-yarder on Homecoming in 2017 against Idaho, and later in that same year, breaking one for a 74-yard score on the road in a win at Vanderbilt. His punt return average in 2017 was 19.8 yards, which was best in the nation, but he didn't have enough returns to qualify for the official NCAA stat leader category. Floyd began his Tiger career as a wide receiver, and converted to defensive back prior to the 2019 season. As a wideout, he caught 22 passes in all for 302 yards and two touchdowns in 38 games, while he made two tackles in all.
Perkins wrapped up his Tiger career in 2019 by making 17 tackles on the season, and setting career-bests with six pass break ups and two interceptions. He made arguably the most impactful defensive play of the year when he jumped a goal line pass against South Carolina and returned it 100 yards the other way for his first career touchdown on Sept. 21 that was a key to Mizzou's 34-14 win over the Gamecocks. Perkins had a season-high five tackles against Florida, and turned in multi-tackle games in six games overall, including each of the last four. He added an interception in Mizzou's Sept. 7 win over West Virginia. For his career, Perkins tallied 105 tackles in 47 games, including 7.5 tackles for loss and one quarterback sack, while he was credited with 10 pass break ups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two interceptions.
East-West Shrine Bowl
Game Info: Jan. 18 / St. Petersburg, Fla. / 2 p.m. (central) / NFL Network
A record five Tigers are scheduled to showcase their talents in the historic East-West Shrine Bowl, which is set for Jan. 18 in St. Petersburg, Fla. This will mark the 95th annual Shrine Bowl, and the quintet of Tigers scheduled to compete include CB DeMarkus Acy, QB Kelly Bryant, OL Yasir Durant, WR Johnathon Johnson and OL Tre'Vour Wallace-Simms. The most Mizzou players to play in this game previously was three, achieved three different times - in 1943 (G-Mike Fitzgerald, FB-Don Reece, HB Bob Steuber), in 1962 (G-Tom Hertz, E-Conrad Hitchler, E-Jim Johnson) and just last year in 2019 (OL-Paul Adams, DT-Terry Beckner, Jr., TE-Kendall Blanton).
Acy developed into one of the top cornerbacks in the SEC during his time in a Tiger uniform, and he was named 2nd-Team All-SEC by the league coaches as a junior in 2018 when he had three interceptions and broke up 13 passes while making 30 tackles for an eight-win team. Injuries limited Acy in 2019 to 10 games played, but he still managed 15 tackles on the year, to go with five pass break ups and a recovered fumble. He enjoyed a breakout season as as sophomore when he made a career-high 48 tackles and five tackles for loss. He ended his Mizzou career with 99 tackles in all and three interceptions.
Bryant was one of the most highly coveted graduate transfers in the off-season, and he was a major recruiting win for Mizzou when he chose to play his last season in a Tiger uniform. Injuries kept Bryant from showing his true abilites during the year, but he still managed to throw for 2,215 yards and 15 touchdowns, while rushing for 242 yards and one score despite not being 100 percent for much of the year. Bryant was outstanding in his Tiger debut, when he threw for a career-best 423 yards at Wyoming, and when he led the team to a five-game win streak, which included three-touchdown passing games against West Virginia and Troy.
Durant was a three-year starter at left tackle for the Tigers, where he made 34 starts from 2017-19. Mizzou went a combined 20-14 in those starts, and the Tiger offensive line was among the nation's best in both 2017 and 2018, paving the way for record-setting offenses. Mizzou led the nation in 2017 in fewest tackles for loss allowed and ranked sixth nationally (first in the SEC) in the same category in 2018. As a junior in 2018, Durant was part of a line that helped the Tigers produce one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the nation. That season, Mizzou was one of only three Power 5 offenses to throw for at least 279 yards per game, while rushing for at least 200 yards per game. The other two programs in that same category were national champion Clemson (279 passing/248 rushing) and CFP semi-finalist Oklahoma (322 passing/247 rushing).
Johnson was a four-year contributor for Mizzou on offense and special teams, and he ended his Tiger career ranking as one of the most productive receivers in program history. Johnson leaves Mizzou ranked sixth on the school's receiving yardage list, with 2,190 yards, while his 153 career receptions put him eight all-time at MU. Johnson entered the 2019 season with a shot at breaking the school record of 2,778 receiving yards held by former All-American Danario Alexander, but injuries hampered his senior year, as Johnson was limited to just eight games played. He won SEC All-Freshman team honors in 2016 when he caught 24 passes for 435 yards and two touchdowns, and was a big contributor to MU's back-to-back bowl teams, when he caught 41 passes for 724 yards and six touchdowns in 2017, followed by 59 catches for 737 yards and five scores as a junior in 2018. He had a top performance in 2019 with an eight-catch, 110-yard outing in a Homecoming win over Ole Miss. His top career performance came in the 2018 Liberty Bowl, when he made nine catches for 185 yards and one touchdown, which came on a scintillating 86-yard fourth-quarter catch-and-run that broke a program record for longest touchdown pass reception in a bowl game.
Wallace-Simms was a standout on the offensive line for the previous three seasons at guard, playing on both sides of the line and winning first-team All-SEC honors as a junior by the Associated Press - making him the first Tiger offensive lineman to win first-team AP honors since standout Justin Britt in 2013. Wallace-Simms was an iron man as a Tiger, as he played in all 50 games the past four years, starting all 38 contests in his final three seasons. In 2018, he played more than 1,000 snaps and was not docked with allowing a quarterback sack nor committing a penalty in 13 games at right guard. That season saw Mizzou's offense rank 13th nationally (third in the SEC) in total offense (481.8 avg.), 18th nationally (third in the SEC) in scoring (36.6 avg.) and 18th nationally (third in the SEC) in third down conversions (46.4%). Mizzou's offensive line ranked sixth nationally (first in the SEC) in 2018 in fewest tackles for loss allowed, and eight nationally (first in the SEC) in fewest sacks allowed.
Stay tuned to MUTigers.com for updates if more Tigers are selected to play in college all-star games.
