No one will ever confuse Missouri for a linebacker factory of sorts, a moniker that deservedly belongs to schools like Penn State and USC, but the Tigers have produced their fair share of solid playmakers at the position over the past few years.
Sean Doyle was an all-conference performer for three straight seasons from 2000-02; James Kinney garnered All-American buzz and Butkus Award candidacy during his senior season of 2004; and Dedrick Harrington made the switch from safety to earn All-Big 12 honorable mention as a linebacker in 2006.
And as the program has grown under Gary Pinkel, the linebacker position has steadily become infused with more and more talent. Entering a season in which so much uncertainty abounds, the linebacking corps in 2009 will bring at least a semblance of familiarity. Two starters return from 2008, at the weak side and in the middle, leaving an open casting call at fall practice to determine who will occupy the strong side.
Depending on how you choose to look at it, the battle for that final spot could be a real plus. The linebacking corps is as deep as it's ever been in Columbia, which means that whomever emerges with the starting strongside job will be supplemented by an assembly of capable backups.
Linebacker should (emphasis on should) be one of the stronger areas on the entire Missouri team in 2009. Pinkel knows what he'll get out of tackling robot Sean Weatherspoon, and junior Luke Lambert has the look of a star getting ready to break out. As far as the third spot goes, you could plug in any name from the depth chart and this would still be a solid corps, which is a testament to the position's depth.
But the best news? With the exception of Weatherspoon, who will be a sure-fire first-round pick next April, every player on the depth chart should be back for 2010.
Linebackers
Sean Weatherspoon (6'2", 245 lbs., Sr.): It will be a sad day when Weatherspoon plays his final game in the Black and Gold. After receiving a favorable evaluation from the NFL following his junior campaign, "Spoon," arguably the best linebacker in school history, decided to improve his draft stock and return for his senior year. That's when all the preseason accolades started to accumulate.
A consensus preseason All-American selection, Butkus Award candidate, and All-Big 12 pick, Weatherspoon is not only the most talented player on the Tigers' defense, he is its most outspoken. He plays with a passion and a fire few can match, and he will not hesitate to transfer that energy into telling his teammates when they are doing something wrong.
Setting up camp at his familiar weakside linebacker spot, Weatherspoon will be entrusted by defensive coordinator Dave Steckel to make a majority of the pre-snap reads and adjustments. Versatile enough to play the pass just as effectively as he does the run, Weatherspoon—who has averaged 136.5 tackles and four sacks each of the last two seasons—should benefit from Missouri's switch over to a 4-3 defensive alignment, which will allow for a considerable amount of freedom on the edges of the defense.
Weatherspoon is the face of the Tigers' defense. In fact, some may contend he has taken over as the leader of the team, with a close runner-up being sophomore quarterback Blaine Gabbert. That's debatable, but this is not: After last season's debacle, which has consequently led to many national publications predicting Missouri to finish in the bottom half of the division, Weatherspoon has set the tone for 2009 by placing an enormous chip on his shoulder.
If he gets enough help around him, it's conceivable that Weatherspoon could post one of the best seasons for a linebacker in college football history, which would certainly make him MU's first-ever All-American linebacker and all-time leading tackler.
Luke Lambert (6'3", 235 lbs., Jr.): Unfortunately for him, Lambert was often brought to the sideline when the Tigers employed a five-man secondary last year, giving way to Weatherspoon and Brock Christopher. But that's not to say the junior from Brookfield, Mo., is short on talent.
Like Weatherspoon, Lambert figures to benefit from the new 4-3 scheme, which figures to keep three linebackers and a pair of two-deep safeties on the field for a majority of the game. When Lambert did see the field, he showed why he was one of the more highly touted recruits from the state of Missouri in 2007, posting a sack to go along with 46 tackles last season, including a season-high eight against Colorado.
Penciled in as the starting middle linebacker for 2009, Lambert, though slightly smaller than his predecessor, Christopher, is tough enough to take on bigger blockers at the point of attack and quick enough, with his 4.6 speed, to run outside the hashmarks.
Andrew Gachkar (6'3", 230 lbs., Jr.): Flanking Lambert on the other side will likely be Gachkar, who is currently listed atop the depth chart at strongside linebacker because of his speed. While being recruited out of high school in Overland Park, Kansas, in 2007, Gachkar recorded one of the fastest shuttle times in the country, even outperforming a large number of wide receivers.
It's that kind of speed that has the Missouri staff excited about Gachkar's ability to turn and run with receivers downfield, which he'll be asked to do frequently in Steckel's new alignment. Of course, much could change between now and the Sept. 5 season opener, especially during fall practice in August, when one or two unexpected players always seem to creep up from the far reaches of the depth chart, but as of now the job belongs to Gachkar.
Josh Tatum (6'1", 235 lbs., Jr.): If you enjoy falling victim to hype, then Tatum is your player. Currently buried on the two-deep, Tatum is far from cracking a starting role, but that could change in the blink of an eye considering all the talent he has to offer.
With the exception of Weatherspoon, the 21-year-old Tatum just may be the most seasoned defender on the Missouri roster—and he hasn't even played a down of Division I college football. Originally a member of USC's 2005 recruiting class (he also received offers from Miami, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Oregon), Tatum—rated as the nation's No. 7 outside linebacker prospect—redshirted his freshman season at Los Angeles while rehabbing an injury to his knee before transferring to San Francisco City College, where he become of the best junior-college linebackers in the country.
When Missouri showed interest, Tatum soon bit, signing a letter of intent last December. A player with tremendous strength and blazing speed, Tatum figured to be shoo-in to make the Tigers' roster almost instantly, but a nagging back injury prevented him from participating for much of the spring. Now listed as Missouri's third-string middle linebacker, Tatum faces an uphill battle as fall practice arrives, but a player of his caliber and natural talent could change that in a hurry.
As has been Gary Pinkel's mantra each summer, players pursuing starting jobs will have to earn them, regardless of talent level, and Tatum is no exception. But if the reviews out of Southern Cal are any indication, Pinkel may have no choice but to put Tatum on the field the first chance he gets.
**UPDATE** Head coach Gary Pinkel announced Monday morning (8/10) that Tatum may be forced to file for a medical redshirt for the 2009 season due to lingering problems resulting from back surgery in May. If allowed to redshirt, Tatum would have to sit out the entire season but would still have two years of eligibility left in Columbia.
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