Missouri appears on upswing
Tigers poised for nice season despite NCAA sanctions
Since a 1-5 start to his second season left him 5-13 at Missouri, Barry Odom has not only saved his job, but solidified his position as his alma mater’s head coach. The Tigers are 14-6 since and especially have shined down the stretch, going 10-2 in November.
Missouri has a lot of the pieces in place to build on the momentum during Odom’s fourth season, but there likely will be little reward for the effort. The NCAA banned the Tigers from the postseason following revelations a rogue tutor helped athletes complete coursework. The case is under appeal. Regardless of the result, Missouri is expected to be a tough matchup for everyone on its schedule.
Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel ranked all 130 FBS teams in the country entering the 2019 season. The Sentinel staff will take a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 130 to our projected No. 1 team.
Today at No. 23: Missouri
Coach: Barry Odom (19-19, entering fourth season; 19-19 overall)
2018 record: 8-5 overall, 4-4 in Southeastern Conference; tied for fourth in East Division
Look back: For the second straight season, Missouri finished with a flourish after some early struggles. The Tigers followed a solid 40-37 win at Purdue with a three-game skid, including a two-touchdown home loss to Georgia, a two-point heartbreaker at South Carolina and a blowout loss at Alabama.
Missouri would lose just once the rest of the regular season, and that 15-14 loss to Kentucky was shrouded in controversy. The Wildcats threw the winning touchdown on the final play during an untimed down that
Offensive starters 7
Offensive starters lost: 4
Defensive starters 6
returning: returning:
Defensive starters lost: 5
Key losses: QB Drew Lock, RB Damarea Crockett, WR Emanuel Hall, LB Terez Hall, DT Terry Beckner Jr., OT Paul Adams
Top returnees: RB Larry Rountree, TE Albert Okwuegbunam, WR Johnathon Johnson, LB Cale Garrett, G Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms, DT Jordan Elliott, CB DeMarkus Acy Strengths: Missouri will not replace star QB Drew Lock, who threw 72 touchdowns and just 21 interceptions during his final two seasons before landing with the Denver Broncos. But Clemson transfer Kelly Bryant’s arrival will soften the blow significantly. Bryant does not have Lock’s skill set in the passing game, but he has dual-threat capabilities to build around. Bryant and tailback Larry Rountree, coming off a 1,216-yard, 11-touchdown season, will form a formidable backfield.
Bryant will line up behind an offensive line with three returning starters, led by 2018 All-SEC guard Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms.
Weaknesses: Missouri could use someone to stretch the field in the passing game following the graduation of Emanuel Hall, who averaged 22.4 yards a catch last season. Replacing right tackle Paul Adams, who started 38 games, is another priority.
The Tigers’ D-line is rock