Head coach Gary Pinkel talks to reporters following Monday morning's practice
Gary Pinkel, Aug. 10 from Dave Matter on Vimeo.
After entertaining their faithful at the sixth annual Fan Day at Faurot Field on Sunday afternoon, the Missouri Tigers got back down to business on Monday morning, suiting in full pads for the first time in preseason camp with a session inside the Dan Devine Pavilion.
With the arrival of Tuesday came sweltering humidity and sunshine, which don't exactly seem like the most enjoyable conditions to hold camp's first two-a-day workout, but I digress.
A few notes from the Tigers' last three practices:
- As noted before, the Columbia Daily Tribune's Dave Matter has reported that juco transfer linebacker Josh Tatum may seek a medical redshirt for the 2009 season. Tatum is yet to participate in camp drills after undergoing surgery on his back in May.
- Gary Pinkel and his coaching staff have been sporting a unique T-shirt each day at practice. Monday's read "Everybody has a plan" on the front, with "Until they get hit" running across the back. Another poignant statement was made on the first day of camp, when the shirts read: "LEAD THE NATION"..."IN TURNOVER MARGIN."
- Sophomore free safety Kenji Jackson (strained calf), freshman wide receiver T.J. Moe (foot), freshman defensive tackle Marvin Foster (knee) all missed at least the afternoon session of Tuesday's two-a-day workout. Jackson wore a protective boot on his left foot, while Moe, who underwent surgery on his foot in February to repair an injury sustained in high school, was held out of practice all day on Tuesday as a precaution. Foster twisted his right knee while cutting during the morning session on Tuesday and was expected to undergo an MRI, the results of which should be known on Wednesday.
- Freshman wide receiver Kerwin Stricker dislocated a finger on Tuesday morning. He sat out the remainder of the session but was allowed to participate in drills later in the day.
- All signs point to a very solid season from the boys up front. Matter's got a very nice piece on MU's talented offensive line, which seems to be prospering from the coaching tandem of Bruce Walker and Josh Henson. Thus far, early returns on the line's two new starters—right tackle Dan Hoch and left guard Austin Wuebbels—are extremely favorable.
- At this rate, there's no way coaches will be able to keep true freshman running back Kendial Lawrence from seeing the field this season. He seems to make at least one eye-opening play every day. Power Mizzou has a recent Q & A session with the exciting youngster.
- The presumptive starter at the cornerback position opposite Carl Gettis prior to preseason camp, junior Kevin Rutland has been validating that prediction up to this point.
- Not that the two true freshmen quarterbacks, Blaine Dalton and Ashton Glaser, have been invisible, but with each passing day it appears sophomore Jimmy Costello is further securing his place as this team's No. 2 quarterback.
- Defensive end Ty Phillips, a freshman from East St. Louis High School who was deemed academically ineligible last week, will not enroll in a junior college as some have speculated. Rather, Phillips will take night classes with the hope of improving his core GPA in time to enroll for the 2010 winter semester, which begins in January.
- Meanwhile, in California, the Holy Grail (i.e. 2009 defensive tackle prospect Sheldon Richardson) is reportedly expected to redshirt his first season at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, giving him three seasons of eligibility with Missouri beginning in the spring of 2011. That is, of course, assuming his upholds his commitment.
- The open tryouts continue for the replacement for Jeremy Maclin. Among those returning punts in practice on Tuesday: freshman receiver L'Damian Washington, redshirt freshman safety Kip Edwards,sophomore receiver Jerrell Jackson, and junior corner Carl Gettis. Please don't take any stock into this, as I have not seen any practices in person, but my money for the punt returner job is on Jackson, who resembled somewhat of a poor man's version of Maclin a season ago. On kickoff return, a job which is obviously also up for grabs, it would be interesting to see what Washington could do in open space with the ball in his hands. He's a wiry guy but supposedly glides with little effort. At 6'4" and just a tad over 180 lbs., you have to wonder whether his body could take some of the abuse, but Washington, with the possible exception of Moe, has arguably been the most impressive true freshman thus far in camp.
- Combined with the daily highlight reels produced by Kendial Lawrence, the early struggles of sophomore running back Gilbert Moye, a converted safety who has had a tough time holding onto the football, are killing his chances of winning the No. 3 back job.
- Not much from presumptive starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert lately. I say "not much" with tongue in cheek, because the sophomore has been doing all the little things necessary to avert mistakes against the No. 1 defense, including side-stepping the pressure of defensive ends Brian Coulter and the Smiths, Jacquies and Aldon, and consistently delivering catchable balls to his receivers.
- Finally, a bit of a personal observation: More than any other season, including the previous two, Missouri's preseason camp just seems to have the look of a legitimate football program. And by legitimate, I mean one to be reckoned with. I don't know if it's all the fancy lincensed Nike apparel, Darth Vader-like tinted visors on every other helmet, the results of one of the program's most rigorous offseasons in the strength and conditioning program, or my own delusions, but this assembly of players in particular appears to be Pinkel's greatest collection of talent to date.
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