COLUMBIA - Tre Williams always wanted a big brother to look up to.
One day during his junior year at Rock Bridge High School, he found his big brother at J T's Cutz in Columbia. He just didn't realize at the time the person who would become an older brother for him was Missouri defensive end Charles Harris.
The current Tiger freshman knew who Harris was on the field, recognizing his No. 91 jersey, but not when he walked into the barbershop.
"I just walked in and he just saw a long, tall guy and he asked me if I played football," Williams said, "and I answered his question I said, 'Yeah,' he said, 'Where?' and I said Rock Bridge. He said, 'Well, I play for Mizzou.'"
The two quickly became friends after exchanging phone numbers. Williams grew up a Tigers fan, but knowing he would have Harris as a future teammate made the decision to go to Missouri even easier. Harris even attended his signing day ceremony.
Now, Harris has taken Williams under his wing as the freshman defensive end tries to earn playing time in 2016.
Williams was 235 pounds when he arrived at Missouri, and is currently up to 255. He said the extra weight allowed him to develop a bull rush and be more of a versatile weapon.
Still, he knows he has a long way to go. While Williams said he is adjusting to the playbook and defensive scheme, he admitted he is still at the bottom as a freshman and needs to work his way up. Yet he still expects to play.
"If he can handle all the different things, and he's ready, dang right you're going to use him," defensive line coach Jackie Shipp said of Williams.
Here are some other notes from Monday's practice:
Four players dealt with hamstring issues: Wide receiver Emmanuel Hall, cornerback T.J. Warren and running back Ryan Williams each had right hamstring issues, while wide receiver Chris Black had a left one. Warren said he hurt his hamstring in the summer, and coach Barry Odom held him out when it flared up. Odom said Warren could have played if it was a game week, but does not want to overexert the young corner. Black, who was plagued by injuries at Alabama, attempted to practice but was kept out as a precaution. Odom is not concerned about Black's injury.
Other injuries include linebacker Brandon Lee with a right shoulder sprain, while Trey Baldwin (concussion) and A.J.Harris (left wrist) were limited.
Defensive tackle A.J. Logan said he has dropped some body fat and added muscle, but is still around 320 pounds. The change has helped him feel faster and hopes to be down to 310 by the end of camp. Logan and Ricky Hatley are the starting defensive tackles, with Terry Beckner Jr. and Josh Augusta rotating in about every five plays.
Augusta is at 370 pounds right now, but hopes to get down to 345. Defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross is confident "Juggernaught's" weight will be able to hold up all season.
"He's been a big man all his life," Cross said with a smile. "He's working hard, he puts in extra conditioning and his teammates rally behind him, I think that's the biggest thing they pull him, they get him going."
Defensive end Marcell Frazier said he's been receiving advice from former Missouri defensive end and current Denver Bronco Shane Ray, particularly what Broncos teammates DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller have told Ray. Cross said Frazier is "absolutely" someone who will continue Missouri's strong recent history of defensive linemen.
Despite being held out Monday, Warren is still optimistic about winning a starting job. He described himself as a balance between a cover corner and tackling one, but prefers coming up and being physical. He also said former defensive back Kenya Dennis took him under his wing last season as a mentor, and he is using that advice to ascend the team's depth chart.
"When I came in here, he was my big brother, he was a big mentor," Warren said. "He told me all the time, 'With your size you can do a lot' so I ran with it."
Quarterback Drew Lock singled out Ray Wingo as a wide receiver who has caught his eye this camp. He also added Johnathon Johnson and Justin Smith as players who have stepped up.
"Justin Smith has gone from ground level one to gym master," Lock said Sunday. "He's a changed wide receiver. He caught a ball, posted someone up, stuck his hands out and caught it like a man would. That's not something you normally don't see from him last year."
Odom said he fine with playing two quarterbacks in the same game this season. The incumbent Lock has backup Marvin Zanders nipping at his heels for playing time.
"For us to be a good running football team, our quarterback run game is going to have to be a part of that," Odom said, "whether it's Drew or if it's Marvin or whoever is playing the quarterback at that time they have to have the ability that we're going to be able to get some running yards out of our quarterback."
Missouri added two walk-ons in kicker Nick Bartolotta and safety Cameren Rivers. Rivers transferred from Missouri Valley College, while Bartolotta comes from Kansas.
Rivers is eligible to compete in the fall since he is an NAIA transfer, while Bartolotta is going through the waivers process to become eligible after coming from an FBS school. Since he was a non-recruited walk-on at Kansas, that should be approved.