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You can mark it on your calendar every year: the first Sunday of fall camp means Fan Day, and Tigers were out in full force on Faurot Field Sunday afternoon.
Here's a look at how the second day of practice was covered during and immediately afterward:
As most of you know, Mizzou is headed to Shreveport, La., to face North Carolina in the Advocare V100 Independence Bowl later this month. What you may not know is that, 35 years ago, the Tarheels played a coincidental part in what is now one of Mizzou's most cherished traditions.
The last time the two squads met was on Oct. 2, 1976. But this story begins one week earlier, in Columbus, Ohio.
Last Saturday's last-minute thriller over Texas Tech came down to a dramatic goal-line stand, and when the fluttering ball nestled into the loving arms of Michael Sam for the game-winning interception at the Tiger 4-yardline, my vertical jump, measured normally at about six inches, must have increased to well over 9 ½ inches. From my perch just behind the south end zone on the field, that ball hung in the air seemingly forever, but when Sam corralled it, there were lots of high fives and hugs taking place on the sideline, and in the stands, I'm sure.
The way we won that game got me to wondering, when was the last time the Tigers won a game on a goal-line stand? If it seems like it's been a little while, you're right, it has been, at least in terms of a true goal-line stand. The last time Mizzou won a game with a defensive stop on a play that originated from inside the MU 10-yardline was back in 2004 at Iowa State. The other instances I have found from the Big 12 era include two other overtime games - 1997 at Oklahoma State and 1996 vs. Oklahoma State in Columbia. Again, this is only on plays that were snapped from inside the MU 10-yardline, and don't count game-saving/game-ending interceptions or other types of plays such as the 2008 Alamo Bowl when William Moore batted down a desperation Hail Mary by Northwestern in the endzone to end that overtime win. It also doesn't include another last-minute win in 2008, when Brock Christopher intercepted a Baylor pass on the Bear 34-yardline with 1:40 to play to preserve a 31-28 win. There are many other last-minute wins over the years, but I'm talking about the ones which truly count as a goal-line stand.
Here's a look back at those instances, dating back through the Big 12 era...
2011 vs. Texas Tech - Leading 31-27 (after trailing 14-0 in the 1st quarter, and 27-17 entering the 4th), Mizzou saw Tech march downfield quickly into the redzone, and with a full complement of time outs, the Red Raiders had a 1st-and-10 at the Tiger 11-yardline with :44 seconds left. A short pass in the left flat went for four yards and Tech was forced to used its first timeout (a key development) as two Tigers were there to stop the play for a four-yard gain to the MU 7, with :37 seconds left. What happened next would send joy throughout Memorial Stadium, as Tech QB Seth Doege's attempted pass over the middle was deflected at the line of scrimmage by the big paws of DT Dominique Hamilton and intercepted at the 4-yardline by DE Michael Sam. Mizzou took three knees, as Tech used their two remaining timeouts, but the third snap burned the clock and gave Mizzou its sixth win to attain bowl eligibility for a school-record 7th straight season...
2004 at Iowa State - This was Brad Smith's junior season, and the year had turned into a disappointing one. The Tigers opened the year 4-1 but a five-game losing streak ensued to knock that record to 4-6 and put the team out of bowl contention (the schedule was only 11 games that season). With nothing left to play for but pride, the Tigers went to Ames, Iowa, to take on the Iowa State Cyclones, who needed only a win to claim the Big 12 North Division title outright and gain a berth into their first-ever Big 12 Championship Game. The Cyclones were heavy favorites, but the Tigers were game from the start, and held a 14-7 lead midway through the 4th quarter before ISU tied it up, and then later missed a 24-yard field goal to force overtime. In the extra period, Mizzou had the ball first, and got as far as the Cyclone 7-yardline before having to settle for a 25-yard field goal from Adam Crossett to take a 17-14 lead. Iowa State took four plays to reach the Mizzou 3-yardline, where they had a 1st-and-goal and tons of momentum, just three measly yards away from their first conference title of any kind in football since 1912. Mizzou safety Nino Williams crashed hard on a run by ISU RB Stevie Hicks to hold him to no gain on 1st down, and then safety Jason Simpson forced Hicks out of bounds on the edge on 2nd down for what was a three-yard loss. Facing 3rd-and-goal from the 6, QB Bret Meyer tried to hit TE Jon Davis in the right corner of the end zone, but Mizzou's A.J. Kincade snagged the ball for an interception to end the game, dash Iowa State's title game dreams, and send the Tigers out on a high note in what was a tough last month of the season...
1997 at Oklahoma State - One of the classic games in the last half-century of Tiger football, as the Tigers went to Stillwater and upset the 12th-ranked Cowboys in double overtime by a 51-50 score. It was a game of huge momentum swings, as the Tigers gave up the first score of the game but then scored 30 straight points to hold a commanding 30-7 lead after a 23-yard touchdown run by Corby Jones to open the 3rd quarter. But the Cowboys wouldn't go away, and they put up 30 straight points of their own to take a 37-30 lead with about two minutes to play. Jones answered though, and hit Ricky Ross on a 38-yard TD pass with around :30 seconds left to send it into overtime. After the teams traded TDs in the first overtime period, Mizzou got the ball first in the second OT session, and took a 51-44 lead on a 15-yard run by Corby Jones, followed by Scott Knickman's PAT. The Cowboys answered with a 6-yard TD run to pull to withing 51-50, and here's where the goal-line stand came into play: OSU chose to go for two points and the win. The Cowboys lined up for two in a swinging gate formation, but as OSU's Tony Lindsey dropped to pass, he was flushed out of the pocket by Tiger DE Marquis Gibson. Fellow linemen Donnell Jones and Brian Cracraft were able to hem Lindsey in and tackle him short of the goal line as he tried to run it in for the game-winning score. Instead, the Tiger defense had made a game-winning stop to improve to 5-3 on the year and win on the road against a ranked opponent - a feat which wouldn't be accomplished by a Tiger team until 2011...
1996 at Oklahoma State - Mizzou claimed a 35-28 win in the first overtime game ever played at MU. The overtime rule had been put in place for the 1995 bowl game season, and it was adopted in full for the 1996 season. Had it not been in place, this game would have ended in a 28-28 tie when the Cowboys tied the game up at 28-28 on a 15-yard TD pass from Tone Jones to Andre Richardson with :37 seconds left in regulation. Mizzou got the ball first in overtime and scored in three plays, as Corby Jones ran for four yards, and that was followed by a 13-yard run by Brock Olivo, and then an 8-yard score by Olivo for a 35-28 lead. Oklahoma State took over, needing a TD and PAT to tie, or a TD and 2-point conversion to win. They quickly got into position, as they reached the Tiger four-yardline. Eventually, OSU faced a 4th and goal from the 4. On the 4th-down play, the Tigers caught a break when Jones threw the ball in the flat toward a wide-open Richardson, who only had to catch the ball and waltz into the endzone. Richardson, however, just flat out dropped the ball, and when the pigskin fell harmlessly to the grass, the Tigers were victorious in their first overtime game. Fast forward to 2011, and Mizzou's 10 alltime overtime wins is most in the NCAA...
What do Crimson Tide, Badgers, Buckeyes, and Wolverines all have in common? According to a new national report issued from The Media Audit, each is a team belonging to some of the top college football towns in America. According to The Media Audit, 77.1% of adults in Birmingham, Alabama regularly follow college football on TV or radio. As a result, Birmingham ranks as the top metro market among college football fans.
Madison, Wisconsin, home of the University of Wisconsin's Badgers, ranks second in the national poll, with 74.1% of the metro area's adults who regularly follow college football, followed by Columbus Ohio (73.5%), Little Rock, Arkansas (71.9%), and Ann Arbor, Michigan (71.5%). Among all U.S. adults, 47.4% regularly follow college football, a figure that represents more than 68 million fans across The Media Audit's 80 measured markets.
Collegiate football fans make ideal targets for many advertisers, including automotive, home improvement, and travel and leisure. According to the same study, 22.3% of college football fans are homeowners earning more than $100,000 in annual household income, and 26.5% have liquid assets in excess of $100,000. As a result, these fans can afford luxury automobiles and frequently travel. Among these same fans, they are 35% more likely than the general population to be planning the purchase of an automobile priced over $30,000 and 16% more likely to already own a luxury vehicle such as a BMW, Mercedes Benz, Lexus, Infiniti, Jaguar, or Porsche. Furthermore, college football fans are 18% more likely to be planning a cruise in the next two years, and 42% more likely to be frequent domestic air travelers.
Rounding out the top ten college football markets are Toledo, Ohio (71.3% regularly follow college football on TV or radio), followed by Omaha, Nebraska (70.7%), Jacksonville, Florida (68.9%), Boise, Idaho (68.8%), and Columbia-Jefferson City, Missouri (68.1%), home of the University of Missouri Tigers.
Studies were conducted in 80 metro markets between January 2010 and March 2011 among more than 104,000 respondents. For more information, contact The Media Audit.
Greetings from Mizzou, can't believe that we're already at the end of the 2011 spring camp! As all good Tiger fans know, camp concludes tomorrow (Saturday, April 16th) with the annual Black & Gold Spring Game. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Faurot Field, so be sure to come out and join in the fun! It's about the most affordable event you could possibly see, as it costs only $3 per person, or three canned food items, which go to benefit the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri (a great, great organization that does amazing work).
It's rainy today (Friday) in CoMo, but all of that will be gone tomorrow, and the temperatures are expected to be in the 50s for the game, so it will be a great day to come see just what this team is made of. Plus, there's a great sale going on at the Tiger Team Store (beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday), and then after football is over, there's exciting action just across the street at softball and baseball. The 9th-ranked Tiger softball team hosts 14th-ranked Oklahoma at 3:30 p.m. at University Field, and that's followed closely by our baseball Tigers taking on rival Kansas at 4 p.m. at Simmons Field/Taylor Stadium.
Now, on to the scoring system for tomorrow's Black & Gold Game. I'm pleased to disclose that our coaches have decided to make the scoring system much less complicated than the past several years. The game still won't be a traditional football game per se, but it will be much closer to a standard day than previously.
The first half will feature the #1 offense and the #1 defense (called Mizzou1) competing against all other strings (Tiger2), with the reserves starting the game with a 14-0 lead (something I think we should automatically do for all home games in the future). Standard football scoring will apply for the first half, with touchdowns, field goals, extra points, safeties, etc., being the rule. The teams will square off in two 10-minute quarters for the first half.
At halftime, the score will go back to zero-zero, and the game will switch over to an offense-vs.-defense scrimmage, as has been done for the past few years of Black & Gold Games. In this format, a unique scoring system is used to determine the winner. The second half will consist of two 8-minute quarters.
The scoring for the offense in the second half will be confined to traditional scoring - no more bonus points for first downs, big plays, etc. For the defense, they will score points in a few ways, but again, everything is much more streamlined than in the past, which should make it more enjoyable for fans. Here's the scoring system:
2nd-Half Scoring System
Defense (Black Jerseys/Gold Pants)
Offense (Gold Jerseys/Black Pants)
Hope to you see you at Faurot Field tomorrow! Gates open at 11:30 a.m., and there are a lot of fun activities for the kiddos (inflatable games, face painting, meet Truman, etc.) in the North Concourse of the stadium from the time the gates open, up until kickoff.
I had a chance to catch up with Head Football Coach Gary Pinkel this week to talk over some things related to spring ball, which begins Tuesday, March 8th already. Hard to believe that spring camp gets going this soon, it seems like we just barely got done with the 2010 season, and here we go again!
Below is a sneak peek of the preview that we'll have on the website Tuesday. This isn't the full preview, we're going to hold off on the position-by-position breakdown until next week, when I get the final pre-spring depth chart. As you can see below, Coach Pinkel is very eager to get out on the practice and see just what this group can do -- he's excited about all the experience coming back, that's for sure.
Before we get to the preview, for you number enthusiasts, here's the jersey changes that I've been given from last year:
There's one position change to note at this point, as redshirt freshman Matt Hoch (the younger brother of senior OL Dan Hoch) has decided to move to the defensive line, where he'll try his wares at defensive end. He played last year in his first year of the program at tight end, and definitely made good impressions with his work ethic and hard-nosed nature.
From an injury standpoint, OL Elvis Fisher (shoulder), DT Dominique Hamilton (foot), LB Luke Lambert (knee), LB Will Ebner (foot), DE Marcus Malbrough (shoulder), TE Beau Brinkley (shoulder), Corey Sudhoff (shoulder) and LB Adam Burton (knee) will not participate in contact initially. Head Athletic Trainer Rex Sharp said that Hamilton, Ebner, Lambert, Malbrough and Sudhoff could be cleared for some drills, possibly after spring break (which ends April 3rd).
Here's the first part of the preview...
Mizzou Football Spring Camp Preview
While most of America is focused on the excitement of "March Madness" this time of the year, the University of Missouri football team is setting its mind on this fall's 2011 season. The Tigers, who have won 40 games over the last four years (which ranks as 10th-best in the NCAA from 2007-10), begin spring practice this Tuesday, March 8th as they look to follow up on a 10-3 season from a year ago.
Mizzou has a lot of proven players returning to the fold in 2011, including nine starters on offense, and six starters on defense (plus three others who either have started or have played starter-like snaps). And throw into the mix the fact that one of the nation's top placekickers over the last two years - senior Grant Ressel - is back for his third season, and Tiger fans certainly have a lot to look forward to this fall.
Count Head Coach Gary Pinkel, who will enter his 11th year of prowling the Tiger sideline, as one of those who are eager about the upcoming season.
"I'm excited about this team, there's a lot of seniors, a lot of good players, a lot of guys who are very committed to this program," Pinkel said. "It's exciting to see that and be a part of it. Now, the challenge for us is to make sure our seniors have the best years they've ever had. A year ago, we won 10 games, and most every senior had their best year. That's important if you want to achieve your goals and reach your potential. That's where it starts in the spring," he said.
As the Tigers take to the field, it comes on the heels of a tough and demanding winter conditioning program which followed the heartbreaking loss to Iowa in the 2010 Insight Bowl. Whether the Tigers, who have been to a school-record six-straight bowl games under Pinkel, win or lose a bowl game, Pinkel's approach to the spring is always the same.
"For us, it's always business as usual, I always take a hard-hat approach, let's get back to work," Pinkel said. "Coming through our Winning Edge program, which is our Tuesday and Thursday morning workouts, and our Monday-Wednesday-Friday weight lifting - that's what we've been doing since we got back in January, and that's gone really well. I think we've matured and grown as a team, we're faster, stronger, quicker and a lot of the young players, after going through the Winning Edge program we have in place, they understand a little more about the intensity level at which it takes to compete at this level. As far as goals, our goals have not changed since we got here - to win a Big 12 championship, compete for a national championship, and to go to a bowl," he said.
When Pinkel and his staff took over in December of 2000, their biggest challenge was to build the depth to where it would sustain a consistent winner. Even though that goal has been achieved (as the six straight bowls will attest), the work there is never done. However, Pinkel does feel good heading into this spring camp about the talent he and his coaches have assembled.
"One of the great things about our football team I think we have more depth at most every position, and that only leads to the competition being greater than it's ever been," Pinkel said. "I think the beauty of how we do things here, unlike a significant number of other places, is that kids get opportunities here, and they know that the best person is going to play, that there's no pecking order. Just because 'Johnnie' has been here, he doesn't have anything handed to him, the guys who deserve the right to play are going to get the job," he said.
With the wealth of talent coming back, it's a pair of early defections to the NFL that most outside observers will focus on - likely first-round draft picks Blaine Gabbert and Aldon Smith. Gabbert threw for over 3,000 yards in his two seasons as a starter for the Tigers, and would have been a senior in 2011, while Smith terrorized opposing offenses the last two seasons as one of the nation's top defensive ends, and chose to bypass his final two years of eligibility.
Even with those losses, Pinkel feels that things are in good shape heading into the spring.
"We've got battles all over the field, but people certainly look at the importance of quarterback," Pinkel said. "Whoever wins the job, the good news for him, is that he's going to have an offensive line that's probably as experienced as any offensive line I've ever coached. Plus, he's got everybody else back, including all of the receivers and running backs. I've never had a first-year quarterback have this much experience around him. All these other guys need to pick their games up to the highest level, to increase that guy's chance for being successful. It will be very competitive, James Franklin is the starter going in, but Ashton Glaser and Tyler Gabbert are competing and it's all good, I'm all smiles because I like competition," he said.
With the veteran supporting cast coming back, will that change to focus of Mizzou's spread offense? Not necessarily, but Pinkel also declares that leaning on an effective running game wouldn't be a bad thing for a first-year quarterback.
"In our offense, we throw the football, that's what we do," Pinkel said. "That being said, with all the proven performers we have back at tailback and offensive line, we'll have to see how it goes, we really will make more of those types of decisions when we get into August. I don't think there's any question about it, with a young quarterback, being able to run the ball well will take a lot of pressure off that position," he added.
As you likely saw yesterday, the final top-25 polls came out for the 2010 college football season, and your Mizzou Tigers finished 18th overall in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches' polls. That marks the third time in the past four seasons, and the 17th time overall in MU's history, that the Tigers have finished a season with an A.P. national ranking. The #18 ranking is the 11th-highest final poll position for the Tigers, in terms of the Associated Press rankings, which has been what we have always used for historical reference.
Four times in MU history, a Tiger team finished with an equal or higher ranking than the 2010 team, despite having the same, or more losses, than the 10-3 team which just wrapped up the season. Most recently, in 1978 (a team loaded with all-time historical talents such as Phil Bradley, James Wilder, Kellen Winslow, etc.) finished 15th overall with an 8-4 record under Warren Powers, while the 1973 team under Al Onofrio finished 8-4 but ranked 17th. In 1968, Dan Devine's team went 8-3 and still finished in the top-10 (ranked 9th), but the ultimate instance was 1959, when Devine's second MU team went 6-5, but still ended ranked 18th overall.
Here's a look at the years when Mizzou finished in the final Associated Press rankings (with the season record in parentheses). The AP rankings began in 1936, and through 1960, they included 20 teams in the rankings. Interestingly, from the 1961 through the 1967 seasons, the AP scaled back to having only 10 teams ranked for the season (for reasons I'm not sure about), otherwise, there are a handful of Dan Devine teams which likely would have been added to this list (three times from 1961-67, MU finished ranked in the final United Press International poll - 12th in 1962, 16th in 1963 and 18th in 1964 - but were just outside of the scaled-back AP rankings, although MU did receive votes in the final AP poll in 1962. Just not enough to merit a top-10 ranking).
MIZZOU'S SEASONS RANKED IN THE FINAL ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL
· 2010 - 18th (10-3)
· 2008 - 19th (10-4)
· 2007 - 4th (12-2)
· 1998 - 21st (8-4)
· 1997 - 23rd (7-5)
· 1981 - 19th (8-4)
· 1978 - 15th (8-4)
· 1973 - 17th (8-4)
· 1969 - 6th (9-2)
· 1968 - 9th (8-3)
· 1965 - 6th (8-2-1)
· 1962 - RV (8-1-2)
· 1961 - 11th (7-2-1)
· 1960 - 5th (11-0)
· 1959 - 18th (6-5)
· 1949 - 20th (7-4)
· 1941 - 7th (8-2)
· 1939 - 6th (8-2)
Obviously, with the season over, things slow down a bit on the football front, but rest assured the team is hard at work on off-season conditioning and getting ready for the upcoming spring season (which wraps up on April 16th with the annual Black & Gold Game), while the coaches are working tirelessly to finish off another exciting year of recruiting (which wraps up with National Letter of Intent signing day on Feb. 2nd).
As the 2010 Tigers received an invitation to Tempe, Ariz., for the Dec. 28 Insight Bowl against Iowa, a crop of former Mizzou stars made key defensive contributions in the NFL. Another former Tiger led his team in receiving as the season enters is final quarter.
-- By Ryan Schmitz, Mizzou Media Relations Student Assistant
Just updated the numbers related to most wins in the nation from 2007 to the present in college football, and our Tigers stack up very well among the best of the best. Here's a look...
| School | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | Total | |
| 1. Boise St. | 10 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 46 | |
| 2. Alabama | 7 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 42 | |
| 2. Florida | 9 | 13 | 13 | 7 | 42 | |
| 2. Ohio St. | 11 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 42 | |
| 2. TCU | 8 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 42 | |
| 6. Utah | 9 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 41 | |
| 7. Oklahoma | 11 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 40 | |
| 7. Texas | 10 | 12 | 13 | 5 | 40 | |
| 7. Virginia Tech | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 40 | |
| 10. Missouri | 12 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 39 | |
| 10. LSU | 12 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 39 | |
| 10. Oregon | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 39 | |
| 10. USC | 11 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 39 | |
| 14. BYU | 11 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 38 | |
| 14. Penn St. | 9 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 38 | |
| 16. Cincinnati | 10 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 37 | |
| 17. West Virginia | 11 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 36 | |
| 17. Wisconsin | 9 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 36 | |
| 19. Oklahoma St. | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 35 | |
| 19. Texas Tech | 9 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 35 |
Here's a look at how some former Tigers in the NFL performed last week.
-By Keegan Goudie, Mizzou Media Relations Student Assistant
On Saturday night, Nov. 20, FOX Sports Midwest has a conflict in the St. Louis, Dallas-Fort Worth and Oklahoma markets, as they are televising the St. Louis Blues, Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder games, respectively, in addition to Mizzou/Iowa State. Cable customers outside of those markets will see the Tigers on their normal FSN Midwest/Southwest channel. In St. Louis, DFW and Oklahoma, and on DirecTV, Dish and AT&T u-Verse, however, the Mizzou game will air on FSN Midwest/Southwest's secondary channel.
MIZZOU FOOTBALL WEEKLY NOMINEES & NOTES
Team Notes
· Missouri improved to 8-2 on the season and snapped a two-game losing streak with its 38-28 win over Kansas State, giving the Tigers a 5th-straight win over the Wildcats. Missouri has won at least eight games for five consecutive years. The Tigers won eight games last season as well, but the five consecutive years with eight or more wins is a program best...
· After a back-and-forth first half, the Tigers broke open a 21-14 halftime lead by scoring 17 straight points after halftime to pull away for a 38-14 lead. Ten of those points came as a result of turnovers forced by the Tiger defense, including a sack/fumble returned for a TD by junior DE Jacquies Smith and another fumble that led to a field goal. Mizzou's defense gained four turnovers on the day against a Wildcat team which came into the game ranking 15th nationally in turnover margin. Kansas State's first six possessions in the second half netted 45 total yards, before a couple of Wildcat stat-padding drives ended in TDs in the final seven minutes to account for the final score...
· Missouri's senior class, which played its final home game at Faurot Field, is now tied with the 2009 senior class as the winningest class in school history. The group has now won 38 games, and they'll go for number 39 this Saturday night at always-tough Iowa State, in a 6 p.m. game which will be televised on FOX Sports Net...
· Mizzou will be going for win #9 on the year Saturday in Ames, a win total that has been reached only six times in MU's previous 119 years of existence (began play in 1890). The 9-win seasons include: 1899 (9-2); 1960 (11-0); 1969 (9-2); 2007 (12-2); 2008 (10-4). Head Coach Gary Pinkel, with two 9-win seasons, is currently tied with College Football Hall of Fame Coach Dan Devine for most 9-win seasons in MU history, and a win Saturday would make him the first Tiger coach with three. He's already the only MU coach with two double-digit win totals...
· Missouri won its fifth consecutive game vs. Kansas State. All five of those wins have been by double figures for the Tigers, including today's 10-point win. Missouri is 60-31-5 all-time vs. the Wildcats. The 60 wins vs. K-State is the most vs. any single opponent for the Tigers. Missouri has won 59 vs. Iowa State...
· Mizzou continued its strong play vs. Big 12 North opponents. The Tigers are 15-3 vs. the likes of Nebraska, Kansas State, Iowa State, Colorado and Kansas since 2007. That's the best winning percentage vs. the Division by any Big 12 school during that stretch...
· Mizzou flashed great balance offensively in Saturday's win. The Tigers threw for 208 yards and two scores and rushed for 232 yards and two TDs en route to 440 total yards of offense. Mizzou averaged a solid 6.1 yards per carry on its 38 rushes against the Wildcats. Over the last two games Missouri has rushed for a combined 492 yards, including a season best 260 yards last week at Texas Tech...
· Missouri's defense made some big plays on Saturday, recovering three fumbles, including one for a score. The Tigers also had an interception, recorded four sacks and seven total tackles for loss...
· After its four-sack day, the Tiger defense now leads the Big 12 Conference, and ranks 6th in the NCAA overall, in QB sacks, with its average of 3.00 per game...
· Mizzou's defense held K-State below its rushing average of 201.22 ypg coming in (ranking 20th entering the game in the NCAA), as K-State ran for 187 yards. Star TB Daniel Thomas was held to 66 yards, well below his pre-game average of 122.4 ypg...
· MU's players of the week are junior QB Blaine Gabbert and sophomore DE Aldon Smith (see following notes for details)...
· Sophomore WR T.J. Moe enjoyed the first multi-TD game of his young career. Moe caught scores of 25 yards (first quarter) and four yards (fourth quarter) and now has six receiving TDs on the year, tops on the club. He ended the game against Kansas State with 5 receptions for 36 yards, while also carrying the ball twice for 32 yards and attempting one pass (incomplete)...
· Junior DE Jacquies Smith scored his third career touchdown, as he returned a K-State fumble 53 yards in the third quarter to help break open the contest. Smith scored two TDs in 2009. He returned an interception 43 yards vs. Furman and then recorded a 24-yard TD reception on a fake field goal vs. Colorado. Smith had two total fumble recoveries on the day (including a crucial cover of a K-State fumble at the MU 2-yardline right before halftime) and now has three for his career...
· Brad Madison added to his team-leading sack total with 1.5 QB stops. He now has 6.5 sacks on the year, just ahead of Aldon Smith. Smith had 1.5 sacks as well and now has 4.5 sacks on the year. Madison now ranks 2nd in the Big 12 Conference, and 34th overall in the nation, with his 0.65 sacks-per-game average. The Tigers now have 30 total sacks this season after having 31 all of last year...
· Senior S Jasper Simmons led the charge defensively for MU, as he recorded a season-high 10 tackles vs. K-State. He also made an athletic interception early in the 4th quarter, which was his 2nd of the season and 3rd of his career...
Offensive Player of the Week
Blaine Gabbert - QB, Jr., 6-5, 235, Ballwin, Mo.
· Blaine Gabbert helped lead the Tigers to a much-needed win Saturday, as he accounted for 297 yards of total offense in Mizzou's 38-28 win over #24 (BCS) Kansas State. Gabbert was an efficient 17-of-25 passing for 208 yards and two TDs (one interception), while also ran for a season-high 89 yards (only five shy of his career high) and a TD, which came on a season-long 32-yard scoring run...
· Gabbert had his most efficient day of the 2010 season, related to QB rating, as his 156.29 passer rating eclipsed his previous season-best of 152.42 against Miami (Ohio)...
· Gabbert came out of the gates on a mission, as he completed 7-of-8 passes for 62 yards and 1 TD in the 1st quarter...
· The win improved Gabbert to 16-7 as a starter at Mizzou...
Defensive Player of the Week
Aldon Smith - DE, Soph., 6-5, 260, Raytown, Mo.
· On a day where the Tiger defense had a lot of worthy candidates, Aldon Smith stood out for the impact play he made from a position he's not technically supposed to be playing. A defensive end by trade, Smith lined up at every position on the line during the course of the game, and on one play in the 3rd quarter, he got free from the tackle position to sack K-State QB Carson Coffman and force a fumble that was returned 53 yards for a TD by fellow DE Jacquies Smith. That play extended MU's lead to 28-14 with 5:34 to play in the 3rd quarter, and started a run of 17 consecutive points for Mizzou that broke open a tight ballgame...
· Smith ended the day 3 tackles, including 1.5 QB sacks and the forced fumble. He also broke up a pass in the 4th quarter - all of this in spite of the fact that he's still not 100 percent, as he's playing with pain still associated from his cracked fibula back on Sept. 18th against San Diego State. The 1.5 sacks were the first for Smith since returning to the lineup on Oct. 23rd against Oklahoma, after missing three games following the injury. His last QB sack prior to K-State was vs. San Diego State, and he now has 4.5 on the season...
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Clearances have been determined for FSN's broadcast of Mizzou's final home game vs. Kansas State. Kickoff from Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field is set for 11:30 a.m. Mizzou grad Joel Meyers will call the game, and will be joined by analyst Dave Lapham and sideline reporter Jim Knox.
Week 9 was an exciting one for several former Mizzou players who now play in the professional ranks. Two Tiger alumni made key contributions on offense, while two more played well on defense and another earned his first significant experience in the NFL.
By Ryan Schmitz, Mizzou Media Relations
The topic of Mizzou's offense and its performance near the goal line was a popular one this week in media circles, and for understandable reasons, as the Tigers were forced to kick a 23-yard field goal last Saturday at Nebraska after getting a 1st-and-goal from the 1-yardline. It was the second straight game where MU had a 1st-and-goal situation but couldn't punch it in for 6, and instead had to settle for a chip-shot field goal.
With that, I took a look at the numbers from the 2010 season to see how we've done all year long when we've been close to the goal line. This is not a simple regurgitation of our red zone numbers, because those show that we have scored 32-of-36 times we've penetrated the opponents' 20-yardline, a success rate of 89% which ranks as 17th-best in the nation. That breaks down to 20 TDs (12 rushing, 8 passing) and 12 field goals.
I have one problem with how the red zone numbers are calculated: it accounts for any single snap inside the 20, even if it comes on 3rd and long from the 19-yardline. Against Illinois this season, we had a situation like this. In the 2nd quarter, we drove from our 48-yardline to the Illinois 29-yardline, where we faced a 3rd-and-12. Blaine Gabbert hit T.J. Moe for 10 yards to the Illinois 19-yardline, and on 4th-and-2, we tried a 37-yard field goal, but the kick missed. Because T.J. got 10 yards on the 3rd down play, and not 8 (to the 21-yardline), it goes down as a missed conversion from the red zone.
In my estimation, true red zone numbers should reflect situations where you have a 1st-down snap inside the 20-yardline. Then, you get a true feel for just how successful your offense is at converting on those opportunties from close in.
My research shows that we have had 31 opportunties of 1st-and-10 OR 1st-and-goal from inside the 20-yardline. We've scored 28 times (90%), including 17 TDs (11 rushing, 6 passing) and 11 field goals. The three non-conversions came on an interception in the endzone just prior to halftime against Miami, Ohio, and that was followed by us taking a knee late in the game against Miami, Ohio, as well as an interception thrown on the 15-yardline late in the game against Colorado, when the outcome was already decided.
So, back to the earlier thought about how we've done close to the goal line?
Breaking things down even further, I count that we have had 15 1st-and-goal situations this season. We've been able to punch in for 6 points on 11 of those chances, and got field goals on the other four that came up short of the endzone. Naturally, you'd like for every time to be a touchdown, but that seems like a pretty reasonable result. The last three weeks, though, have been concerning, because we have managed only three TDs in seven 1st-and-goal situations in games at Texas A&M, at home against Oklahoma, and at Nebraska. That's why the coaches and team are working very hard this week to get better in this area.
Here's a breakdown per game on how we've done on 1st-and-goal situations...
By Keegan Goudie
As the NFL season nears it midway point, we take another look at the former Tigers in the NFL.
--By Alma Burke, Mizzou Media Relations
Danario Alexander is no stranger to Missouri Football. The former Tiger wide receiver left an incredible mark on the team, setting records and leading Mizzou to Championship games, including the Cotton Bowl in 2007 and Alamo Bowl in 2008. After graduating last year, Alexander fulfilled a lifelong dream of playing in professional football, when he signed with the St. Louis Rams in August. In a recent interview with Alexander, he expresses how playing for the Missouri Tigers help prepare him for his newfound success as an NFL player.
By Ryan Schmitz, Mizzou Media Relations Student Assistant
While Mizzou fans continued to savor Saturday night's momentous win over Oklahoma, many former Tigers made key contributions Sunday in the professional ranks. Here's a glance at the Mizzou alumni who played this week in the NFL.
MIZZOU FOOTBALL WEEKLY NOTES
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
QB - Blaine Gabbert, 6-5, 235, Jr., Ballwin, Mo.
· Blaine Gabbert was spectacular once again for the undefeated Tigers, as he helped lead Mizzou's first-ever win over a #1-ranked team (any major poll) as MU downed #1 (BCS) Oklahoma, 36-27 Saturday night in Columbia, Mo. The junior finished 30-of-42 for 308 yards and a score...
· Gabbert was at his best in crunch time, as he completed 8-of-9 passes for 95 yards and one TD in the 4th quarter. Oklahoma led, 21-20, heading into the 4th quarter, but he led a crucial 5-play, 72-yard drive to begin the quarter which ended in a 38-yard TD pass to WR Jerrell Jackson for a 26-20 lead (the two-point try failed). That score put the Tigers up to stay in what was MU's first win over Oklahoma since 1998 (breaking a string of seven consecutive losses to the Sooners)...
· Gabbert also ran for 26 net yards on the night, including a sneak for 2 yards on a 4th-and-1 at the OU 45-yardline in the final minutes which helped Mizzou milk the clock...
· In his last two games Gabbert is a combined 61-of-89 for 669 yards, four TDs and zero interceptions...
· Mizzou's passing offense ranks 16th in the NCAA through 7 games, averaging 286.43 yards per contest, while Gabbert also ranks 16th individually in passing yardage, at 271.29. He is 26th nationally in total offense (271.29) and 39th nationally in passing efficiency (137.85 rating)...
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
LB - Zaviar Gooden, 6-2, 225, So., Pflugerville, Texas
· Was part of an impressive defensive charge which held Oklahoma well below its season averages in most categories during MU's 36-27 win. Finished the game with 5 tackles, but made one of the biggest plays of the night when he stepped in front of an out pass to notch his first career interception in the 4th quarter. That play, which came at the OU 22-yardline with Mizzou leading, 26-21, set the Tigers up for a field goal with 9:44 left which would prove to be the winning score of the game...
· Gooden's efforts helped the Tiger defense hold OU RB Demarco Murray to a season-low 49 rushing yards, some 61 yards shy of his season average coming in (110.5). In all, Mizzou held Oklahoma to just 99 rushing yards, well below their season average of 155.33 coming in...
· In his first year as a starter, Gooden is tied for the team lead with 45 tackles through 7 games, and he leads the team with a pair of recovered fumbles on the season...
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
WR - Gahn McGaffie, 5-10, 185, So., Galena Park, Texas
· Set the tone for Mizzou's win over #1 (BCS) Oklahoma Saturday night when he returned the opening kickoff of the game for an 86-yard touchdown and a quick 7-0 Tiger lead just :14 seconds into the game...
· The longest kickoff return by Mizzou in 2010 prior to McGaffie's feat was 39 yards (twice by Marcus Murphy)...
TEAM/PLAYER NOTES
· Mizzou jumped to #7 in this week's Associated Press Top-25 poll, and #8 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, thanks to the big win over Oklahoma...
By Keegan Goudie, Mizzou Media Relations Student Assistant
Here's a look at what some former Tigers did last week in the NFL.
Mizzou has its third FSN-televised game of the season this Saturday at Texas A&M. The broadcast begins at Noon Eastern/11 am CT with Steve Physioc, Dave Lapham and Jim Knox on the call from College Station. Affilliates are listed below.
By Ryan Schmitz, Mizzou Media Relations Student Assistant
Several Mizzou Tigers who used to shine on Saturdays are now showcasing their talents on Sundays. As Week 5 of the NFL season concludes, we take a look at the Tigers in the NFL.
We have specific affiliate information for FSN's telecast of the Colorado-Missouri game on Saturday. In addition to the affiliates listed below, the game will air on an alternate FOX Sports Midwest channel in the St. Louis DMA, Cape Girardeau, Illinois and on DirecTV and AT&T U-verse because of the St. Louis Blues season opener taking place at the same time. The Colorado-Missouri game will air on the primary FOX Sports Midwest/FOX Sports Kansas City channel on cable TV outside St. Louis.
The Missouri Tiger football team finished preparations for its final fall scrimmage tomorrow morning with a Wednesday afternoon practice in shoulder pads and shorts on the Kadlec Athletic Fields in Columbia. The Tigers worked out for just over two hours with minimal contact in order to keep people fresh for the scrimmage, which Coach Gary Pinkel said would be much shorter than the previous two held this fall.
Coach Pinkel said that starters wouldn't see the field much on Thursday.
"We might play them (starters) six or eight plays, maybe 10 or 15 plays," he said. "What the format is, pretty much we'll have one full quarter like a normal game, then we'll make sure we get enough reps from each group and then we'll add plays at the end if we need to. We're going to cover a lot of our kicking game too," he said.
Junior TE and accomplished long snapper Beau Brinkley missed practice Wednesday after he suffered a sprained left shoulder late in Tuesday's practice when he dove for a ball and was landed on by a defender. Brinkley's time table for a return isn't currently know, but Coach Pinkel wasn't ruling anything out at this time.
"He's got a sprained shoulder, they'll take care of him, our trainers and we'll just see what happens," Pinkel said. "Hopefully we can get him back. Jared Perry had the same thing and played an entire season with it, didn't miss a game so we'll see what happens, but Beau's a pretty tough guy," he said.
With Brinkley unable to go, sophomore DE Brad Madison takes over primary snapping duties for the team.
Stay tuned to www.mutigers.com for a recap and stats of Thursday's scrimmage.
Lindsay Petersen, Mizzou Media Relations Student Assistant
The Missouri Tigers held their first practice since school started on the Kadlec Athletic Fields Tuesday afternoon. It was a pleasant afternoon with temperatures in the lower 80's and a refreshing breeze which added to the energy on the field.
After two days free from practice, the Tigers definitely looked fresh, and the energy and enthusiasm was evident from the start. It was a highly-competitive practice that went down to the wire, and it was the defense which claimed the overall win. Tuesday represented the final day of camp competition, and with the score tied coming into today, the defense claimed the camp championship, with each defender getting specially-made T-shirts from Director of Equipment Operations Don Barnes right after practice to celebrate their win.
"Great competition today," said Head Coach Gary Pinkel to mutigers.com. "We talk about competing every single down, the only way that happens in games is if you do it every single day in practice. You can't just turn it on when the stands fill up, you have to bring it every single day, and that's part of the learning process for a team," he said.
Perhaps the biggest news of the day came after practice when Coach Pinkel indicated that WR Jerrell Jackson is back on the board as possible for playing in the season opener against Illinois on Sept. 4th. Jackson was originally expected to miss the Illinois game, and possible one or two others, after breaking a bone in his left wrist early in camp. Coach Pinkel said that nothing is settled just yet, but the fact that Jackson was able to run some pass routes Tuesday and catch the ball is a good start.
Coach said that nothing is being ruled out. "We'll see," he said. "We'll find out. It's encouraging though. It's certainly a question mark now, this was news to us yesterday. It's a possibility," he added.
When the Tigers moved on to 7 on 7, the defense took an early lead as S Matt White knocked B. Gabbert out of bounds on a fake hand off to TB Derrick Washington keeping the offense from gaining any points. TB Marcus Murphy was able to run the ball a few yards for the offense before being stopped by S Kenronte Walker. The defense continued to dominate until D. Washington was able to carry the ball for a 10 yard gain and points for the offense. WR Rolandis Woodland had an amazing leap and dive catch that he caught from B. Gabbert while being heavily covered. In the final drill of the period the offense and defense were tied up 8-8, but it ended with the defense winning as they held back D. Washington on a carry.
The offensive and defensive lineman went on to practice 1 on 1 drills. OL Tim Barnes had a great block against DL Terrell Resonno as he brought him to the ground. DL Aldon Smith had a good practice when he went around OL Elvis Fisher to get the QB dummy. A. Smith has been very successful during two-a-days practices on 1 on 1. The offense ended up being successful as OL Austin Wuebbles overpowered DL Dominique Hamilton to give the offense the point and win.
During 7 on 7, R. Woodland made a catch from B. Gabbert for a 5 yard gain as he headed into the sidelines. B. Gabbert then made a pass to WR T.J. Moe who grabbed the ball but was immediately tackled by LB Zaviar Gooden. QB James Franklin also had a great pass that went long to WR Bud Sasser with an instant tackle by K. Walker. Franklin then threw a touchdown pass to Sasser which helped the offense stay in the game. Next, QB Jimmy Costello threw a pass intended for WR Jaleel Clark, but instead DB Trey Hobson intercepted in the endzone on a play where the athletic Hobson made a nice read and he leaped high to haul it in. B. Gabbert came back into the game and threow a touchdown pass to WR Wes Kemp, and then another amazing touchdown pass to TE Michael Egnew who had a great catch while being highly covered. TB Marcus Murphy had a great catch when he caught a low pass by J. Costello that nearly touched the ground. The defense continues to block the offense from scoring any more points as DB Carl Gettis makes great coverage against WR L'Damian Washington. The defense wins this set 42-40.
After a few more individual drills, the Tigers move on to 11 on 11. During the first round, a pass over the middle was nearly an interception to LB Jeff Gettys. QB Ashton Glaser made some points back for the offense when he ran a few yards to avoid defensive pressure and threw to R. Woodland for a 10 yard gain. LB Will Ebner made a good tackle on Sasser to keep him from completing a pass and on J. Clark even after returning from injury. LB Luke Lambert made a great tackle on D. Washington as he knocked him down from the side and freed the ball. K. Lawrence tried to keep the offense afloat with a long touchdown run of over 50 yards near the end, but the defense won the first round of 11 on 11.
During the second round of 11 on 11 the offense started out good as B. Gabbert made a several yard gain on a run. Next, R. Woodland made a flying jump and caught the ball for a touchdown with heavy coverage in the endzone. The defense dug in though, as D. Hamilton pressured Franklin to the sidelines, and pressured QB Tyler Gabbert to overthrow. On the last play of the period, with the score at 7-6 in favor of the defense, B. Gabbert threw on the run as he was avoiding pressure, and the ball went into the awaiting arms of Carl Gettis for the defensive win.
On the final 11 on 11 drill, R. Woodland helped the offense get a head start when he made a fantastic catch for 15 yards. A. Glaser then threw the ball to Sasser for a 10 yard gain with J. Gettys and K. Walker on the coverage. The offense continued to stay ahead as B. Gabbert completed several passes and hand offs to WR Gahn McGaffie, M. Egnew, and L. Washington for the win on offense.
The Tigers will hold another practice Wednesday afternoon, which will be the final rehearsal for the last scrimmage of camp, set for Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Check back at mutigers.com tomorrow for more practice updates.
With just two weeks until the 2010 season opener against Illinois, the Missouri Tigers held a practice at Faurot Field Saturday morning that lasted a little over two hours. Head Coach Gary Pinkel lightened it up a little bit, as the team practiced in shorts and shoulder pads, meaning there was no live tackling, only upper-body thudding allowed.
Pinkel stressed to the team after practice that while Saturday's work was shorter, it is time for everyone to feel the urgency as the opener quickly approaches.
"We just put shoulder pads on," Pinkel said. "We back off a little bit, but it's hard for our guys to back off because everything is so competitive, so when we're in shoulder pads, there's really not competition from a point standpoint. I thought it was a good practice overall. Last year we went to shoulder pads, the three previous years we just went shells, we just felt we wanted to lean on the physical side of continuing to prepare. It's 14 days 'til kickoff, so that's the message to everybody," Pinkel said.
With two consecutive days free from practice coming up, several injured Tigers were given the day off, to help them get further rested, with hopes of returning to the field for next Tuesday's practice. Sitting out today included LB Will Ebner (hamstring), OL Dan Hoch (toe), TB De'Vion Moore (ankle), CB Kevin Rutland (back), LB Adam Burton (knee), WR Kerwin Stricker (groin) and WR Jimmie Hunt (ankle).
Here were a few highlights of today's 11-on-11 scrimmaging...
TB Derrick Washington had a couple of nice gainers on sweeps around the edge against the #1 defense. DT Brendan Donaldson, subbing for Terrell Resonno on one play, got into the backfield for a touch sack of QB Blaine Gabbert. On the next play, Gabbert connected with WR L'Damian Washington on a well-timed out, but then CB Carl Gettis continued his solid play in camp by blanketing WR Wes Kemp downfield and batting a pass away that was on the money from Gabbert, who had to throw on the run after being flushed from the pocket by pressure from the defensive line. Later on, Gettis picked Gabbert off down the sideline as there appeared to be miscommunication between Gabbert and TE Michael Egnew on the route. Egnew broke it inside while Gabbert threw to the outside, and Gettis was there to snag the ball easily. Next up, senior LB and co-captain Luke Lambert broke free for a touch sack...
QB Ashton Glaser took some snaps with the #2 offense Saturday and hit WR Rolandis Woodland on a nice slant that Woodland took for close to 20 yards before being ruled down. When the threes took the field, defensive line mates Brayden Burnett and Marvin Foster combined for a sack and forced fumble in the backfield...
The day closed with work on the two-minute drill, and the defense got stops all three times. When the #1 offense went up against the #2 defense, Gabbert moved the team downfield nicely, but eventually was picked off by freshman CB E.J. Gaines as he was on the run avoiding pocket pressure. Next up, the #1 defense stymied the #2 offense, holding them to four downs and out. Last, the #3 defense stopped the #3 offense as LB Jeff Gettys picked off QB Ashton Glaser over the middle to bring an end to the day...
Mizzou will be off both Sunday and Monday, with the latter marking the first day of fall classes at Mizzou. The Tigers will return to the field Tuesday afternoon, as they prepare for the final scrimmage of fall camp, which is set for Thursday afternoon.
Stay tuned to www.mutigers.com for continuing coverage of Tiger camp!
Football Video
- Tigers Eat Dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings
- Freshmen Paint the Rock M at Faurot Field
Lindsay Petersen, Mizzou Athletic Media Relations
Today's practice took place indoors at the Dan Devine Pavilion, due to a storm that rolled through mid-Missouri Friday morning. It was another good practice for the Tigers as the competition got tough between the defense and offense. In the end, the score was tied, and coaches ordered a three-play overtime session between the #1 offense and #1 defense to determine the winning side for the day. The defense claimed wins on all three plays, to take the day, and tie up the daily competition at five wins aside.
"It was a pretty competitive practice, I love practices like that," Pinkel said. "When the practice was over, we were tied for the black shirts, so what we did was like a little three-play playoff, with the one offense and one defense, and the one defense won, so defense won today, and you get better as a football team when you compete like that. I always tell my players that if you get a lockerroom full of competitors, regardless of their ability level or not, they can do a lot of damage, so we're excited about that," he said.
Summer Workout Series Video
- Corerback Carl Gettis
By Lindsay Petersen, Media Relations Student Assistant
On another unusually cool August morning, with temperatures near 70 degrees, the Tigers set out for another practice Wednesday on Faurot Field. This practice was another positive one for the Tigers, especially for the offense because they were able to win back the black jerseys after the defense wore them for two days. The result evened the count during fall camp to four wins apiece for the offense and defense.
Summer Workout Series Video
- Catching Up with Wes Kemp
Contributing writer, Lindsay Petersen
The Missouri Tigers hit Faurot Field for a two-and-a-half hour practice Tuesday morning, under unseasonably cool and overcast skies in Columbia. With temperatures hovering in the 70s, the Tigers got after it in a very competitive practice that came down to the wire, with the defense winning the final two periods to claim a win for the second straight day. That marked the first time in camp that a side has won consecutive days, and it moved the score to 4-3 overall in favor of the defense.
Summer Workout Series Video:
- Catching up with Kevin Rutland
- Tigers Spend Time at Galactic FunZone
Lindsay Petersen, contributing writer
On another early morning on Kadlec field, the team had one of their best practices yet. With cooler temperatures, the team adjusted to the new depth chart. The players were intent on gaining back their starting spot or keeping the one they had.
After today's session, Coach Pinkel told media that he was pleased with what he saw on the field.
"Overall I thought this was the best practice we've had this entire camp," Pinkel said. "I'd like to think we did a lot of good things in the scrimmage, but we weren't happy about a lot of things also, we came out and got a lot better football team, we need to continue to do that. The leadership was better, the enthusiasm level was better, and continue to hopefully improve," he said.
On Friday morning, the Missouri football team held its final practice prior to the first scrimmage of fall camp. Friday's workout was conducted in shoulder pads and shorts, and was a non-contact session to keep people fresh for Saturday's scrimmage, which will begin around 8 a.m. at Faurot Field. With no tackling allowed, no score was kept today between the offense and defense, as the focus was on final preparations for Saturday's big day, which will feature around three hours of scrimmaging - an estimated 50 snaps per unit, according to Coach Pinkel.
The Missouri football team hit Faurot Field for the first time this fall, as they were put through the paces of a two-and-a-half hour full-pad practice Thursday morning in humid but mild temperatures in Columbia. The latest injury news was the talk in the media overnight and into this morning, as starting WR Jerrell Jackson has been lost for approximately four weeks due to a broken scaphoid bone in his left wrist. Jackson was out at practice today doing what he could on the sidelines, but was mostly forced to be a spectator and a player-coach for his teammates.
Summer Workout Series Video:
Today was the first cool day of practice for the Tigers with temperatures in the upper 70s, thanks to a storm front rolling through mid-Missouri. This was a nice break during the sweltering Missouri heat that has been in the 90's during most of two-a-days. Coach Gary Pinkel likes the hot days to help build mental toughness for the team, but the weather change was certainly appreciated by the players, who turned in a very competitive practice Wednesday at the Kadlec Athletic Fields.
Back in practice today was Luke Lambert. He began the day in a red bib but after warm-ups he was able to take it off and begin practice as normal. Will Ebner did some drill work, but later returned to the sidelines working separately with trainers to keep his hamstring healthy. Coach Gary Pinkel said that a hamstring is not something that can be messed around with and it needs to be watched very carefully. Tailback De'Vion Moore, who had a minor concussion Tuesday, was held out of contact drills today as a precautionary measure, but he's expected to return tomorrow.
The Mizzou Tiger football team held a workout Tuesday afternoon in shoulder pads and shorts in scorching 95-degree heat (heat index of 107), to conclude their first day of two-a-days. The full pads come back on Wednesday morning, with a single practice scheduled, as the team continues to ramp up for its first full scrimmage this Saturday morning.
With no full contact to report, we'll keep this report short and to the point on the injury front. Not practicing this afternoon were LB Will Ebner (hamstring), LB Luke Lambert (knee), TB De'Vion Moore (concussion) and SS Jarrell Harrison (knee). Lambert and Moore's injuries, sustained this morning, were minor in nature, and it is hoped that they can return for Wednesday morning's practice. Ebner is still on a day-to-day plan, and hopes to return as soon as possible.
Harrison didn't practice this afternoon after he injured his right knee in the morning session. An MRI exam was done this afternoon and the test revealed torn meniscus, which will require surgery. Team Trainer Rex Sharp indicated that the surgery could be performed by Team Physician Pat Smith as early as this Friday, and that if all goes well, Harrison could be back in time for the Sept. 4 season opener against Illinois.
Morning Practice Report from 8/10/10
Mizzou Practice Video
- Summer Workout Series: Blaine and Tyler Gabbert
On brutally hot and humid morning in Columbia, the Mizzou football team got after it again in a long and grueling practice conducted in full pads on the Kadlec Athletic Fields. A day after the defense claimed the black jerseys for winning practice, the Tiger offense came out determined to get even. They did just that, as the offense won most of the battles on Tuesday and claimed an overall win, giving them the black jerseys for tomorrow.
The heat was downright oppressive, with the heat index well over 100 degrees, but the team gutted through to put together a solid effort. It might not have been as crisp from start to finish as Coach Gary Pinkel would have liked, but it wasn't hard to understand why.
Recent Football Video
- Elvis Fisher's Fan Day Experience
Monday morning brought the first full-pad practice of the season for the Missouri Tiger football team. That addition helped make Monday's two-and-a-half hour session extra physical with some big plays on both sides of the ball.
With pads being introduced, it also marked the first day of competition for the black jerseys, as various drills and scrimmaging situations were scored throughout the day - with the coveted black jerseys being awarded to the side of the ball with more wins.
The Mizzou football team added shoulder pads to their practice wardrobe for the first time in fall camp, as the Tigers went through the paces of a two-and-a-half hour workout Saturday morning at the Kadlec Athletic Fields in Columbia. Per NCAA rules, full pads cannot be introduced until practice five, which is Monday, but the shoulder pads added to the excitement of the day. Head Coach Gary Pinkel told reporters afterward that he liked what he saw.
Mizzou Football Practice Report - Day Two
Video:
"I thought we picked the intensity up from yesterday which was good," head coach Gary Pinkel told reporters after practice. "The reason we count down days until our opening game is so we don't waste a day. I thought today was good. They worked hard and had some tough conditioning at the end, which was tough on them all, but overall I thought they did a nice job
Lindsay Petersen, contributing writer
The first day back to football camp was a warm one for the Missouri Tigers, but filled with hope for a new season. The severe heat wave which had kept the heat index well over 100 for the past week in Columbia broke a little bit Thursday, which made the afternoon practice much more bearable for the Tigers, with temperatures in the high 80s.
After all the hubbub of the conference realignment landscape over the past week or so, it sure is refreshing to actually talk about football for a change. And even though we're in the middle of summer, we're not very far away from the start of two-a-days, which start in early August!
The team is going through voluntary summer workouts here in Columbia, with everyone taking some level of summer classes to keep them working toward their degree plan. The workouts, by all accounts, are going very well. We'll work on a more detailed report soon, but according to junior WR Brandon Gerau, who we caught up with earlier this week, things are accelerated from previous years. "We're already past where we were last year at the end of the summer," he said. Gerau said that one big conditioning test involving sprints was completed at the beginning of workouts, and that same test wasn't done until the end of last summer. "That makes us feel good that we're way ahead of the pace we set last year," he said.
One thing that fans always enjoy looking at is what number their favorite Tigers will wear. The jersey numbers have been set for the fall, and while things can possibly change between now and then, here's a look at what numbers the newcomers will be wearing...
· Nick Demien, OL -- #78
· Kony Ealy, DL -- #97
· Daniel Easterly, DB -- #14
· James Franklin, QB -- #1
· Tyler Gabbert, QB -- #7
· E.J. Gaines, DB -- #31
· Anthony Gatti, OL -- #70
· Matt Hoch, TE -- #89
· Tristen Holt, DB - #46
· Jimmie Hunt, WR -- #88
· Henry Josey, TB -- #41
· Marcus Lucas, WR -- #85
· Mitch Morse, OL -- #65
· Marcus Murphy, TB -- #43
· Jared Parham, LB -- #36
· Darvin Ruise, DB -- #12
· Bud Sasser, WR -- #21
· Xavier Smith, DB -- #26
· Lucas Vincent, DL -- #96
· Kenronte Walker, DB -- #30
· Eric Waters, TE -- #81
· Braylon Webb, DB -- #49
· Greg White, TB -- #40
As you may have seen by now, Mizzou has added six games to its future football schedules over the next six years, beginning with a trip to Tempe, Ariz., to face Arizona State in 2011. In addition to a home-and-home series with the Sun Devils concluding in 2012 in Columbia, a similar series was added for Memphis in 2015-2016.
We often get questions from fans saying, "Why don't you play so-and-so?" or "Team X has an opening on their schedule - let's play them!" Mark Alnutt, Mizzou's senior associate AD for operations, says it's not that simple.
The Big 12 Conference office has provided Mizzou with the final television ratings for the 2009-10 college football bowl season, and it's always interesting to dig into the "science" of TV ratings. What the raw numbers show is that Mizzou's Texas Bowl appearance against Navy drew a rating of 2.47, which equates to roughly 2,444,617 households.
Now that the 2009 college football season has officially ended (and with it, the official NCAA stats are now finalized), I thought my first /sports/2015/3/19/GEN_2014010156.aspx entry could touch on the record achievements by Tigers this past season.
A master list of all the NCAA and MU records either broken or tied is at the end, but before we get to that, I wanted to touch on a couple of things which stand out…
