2024 TEAM SPOTLIGHT MISSOURI TIGERS

Missouri had its best offense since the 2018 season averaging 32.5 points per game. The majority of those players are returning. Led by QB Brady Cook, who enters his 3rd season and is coming off his best season. They should have better depth at the position with Drew Pyne, who is only two years removed from having 24 total touchdowns at Notre Dame. They lose 1st team all-SEC running back Cody Schrader. They brought in Marcus Carroll who had 1,350 rush yards at Georgia State. Carroll had the most rushing attempts as a zone runner and Schrader was number 2 in zone attempts. They also brought in Nate Noel who had over 3,000 rushing yards at Appalachian State. An undersized player back but has the speed to provide some explosiveness. They bring back all their receivers led by all-American Luther Burden. He will be one of the frontrunners for the Biletnikoff Award. Theo Wease was a great transfer and thrived at contested catches for Missouri. Mookie Cooper had his best season and sophomore Marquis Johnson provides them a deep threat with 29.5 ypc. Freshman All-American Brett Norfleet will head into his sophomore season with confidence he carved out a role as the season went along. A big reason for this team's success a season ago was its offensive line. They lost their left side in Delgado and 4th Rd DC Javon Foster. They brought in Marcus Bryant from SMU who was 1st team AAC in 23 and had an even better year in 22. They also added arguably the best offensive lineman in the transfer portal in Oklahoma's Cayden Green who can play left tackle or guard. Another player that they are high on is JUCO Jayven Richardson who will be a valuable depth piece at both guard and tackle.  Connor Tollison showed major improvement from the 2022 season. Armand Membou is a potential 1st round pick and Cameron Johnson earned 2nd team Sec a season ago. The line should continue to be a strength. 

DEFENSE

The biggest challenge for the Tigers this season will be replicating their 2023 defense that gave up 20.5 PPG. They lost 1st Rd draft choice Darius Robinson. They brought in five-star freshman Williams Nwaneri and transfers Zion Young (Michigan State) Darris Smith (Georgia) and Eddie Kelly (Georgia Tech). I expect Darris Smith with his quickness and length will be one of their better pass rushers. They also lost a rotation of defensive tackles in Josh Landry, Jayden Jerningan, and Realus George. They do return Johnny Walker 2nd on the team in pressures and Kristin Williams who led all defensive tackles in snaps. They brought in some transfers Chris McClellan (Florida) all C-USA Sterling Webb (New Mexico State). At linebacker, they lost Ty’Ron Hopper and Chad Bailey. Both were banged up a season ago and this year's starters were the team’s 4th and 5th leading tackler. Triston Newson is due for a breakout year. He started the last three games and had 34 tackles in those games. Chuck Hicks is coming off his best season and is close to getting his PhD as he enters his 7thyear. The unit that will be the toughest to replicate will be the secondary. Jaylon Carlies, Kris Abrams Draine, and Ennis Rakestraw formed one of the best secondaries of the past couple of seasons and all were drafted in April. They return Joseph Charleston who has been a starter the past two seasons and star Daylan Carnell who was 3rd team all-SEC. They brought in Toriano Pride who spent the past two seasons at Clemson. He played in 4 games in 2023 and got his 1st start at Wake Forest. In that game, he broke up 3 passes and had 7 tackles. He has the talent to eventually be a high draft choice. Drayden Norwood got valuable playing time a season ago making five starts. Marvin Burks will have the task of stepping in for Jaylon Carlies the team's leading tackler in 2023. Burks played in all 13 games as a true freshman and while he is not the size of Carlies he has better quickness and range and should be in store for a big season. The unit is returning several guys that have played, and this is a unit that should have good depth. 

OUTLOOK

Mizzou is coming off an exciting year beating Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl and reaching 11 wins for the first time since 2014. The team suffered two losses to Georgia on the Road and LSU at home. Defensive coordinator Blake Baker left for LSU, where he became the highest-paid assistant coach in college. They also lost kicker Harrison Mevis who had some big field goals a season ago. Blake Craig red-shirted last year and was the #6 kicker in the 2023 class. The Tigers have a favorable schedule and should be favorites in all their games except on the road to Alabama. They also have A&M on the road and are a team that I think will surprise people this year.  Their toughest home test right now looks like Oklahoma. If they can win 2 of those three games, they have a good chance of going 11-1 in the regular season making to the college football playoffs.