Missouri to hold Black and Gold scrimmage

Missouri head coach Barry Odom talks to players before last year's spring game at Faurot Field.
Missouri head coach Barry Odom talks to players before last year's spring game at Faurot Field.

COLUMBIA - Paul Adams understood why Missouri's offensive line was the team's biggest question mark last year.

All five starters from the season before had moved on from a unit that struggled all season. It motivated the returning linemen, and the unit responded by putting together a strong season.

This spring, every starter returns. This time they are motivated by improving Missouri's 4-8 record from 2016. Missouri has a chance to show off that improvement at 1 p.m. today in the team's annual Black and Gold Scrimmage.

"It's going to be a lot of fun," Adams said. "Finally just showcasing our talents even more, just picking up where we left off to show people watching the game showing people what we're all about."

Plenty of familiar faces on offense from a season ago will be on the field for second-year offensive coordinator Josh Heupel, headlined by junior quarterback Drew Lock.

Lock and the offense scored 31.4 points per game a season ago while averaging 500.5 yards per game. J'Mon Moore was statistically one of the Southeastern Conference's best receivers a season ago, while fellow starters Dimetrios Mason and Johnathon Johnson made solid contributions as freshmen.

Dropped passes, however, might have been the biggest hinderance a season ago. Improving that metric has been Johnson's top priority in the off-season.

Odom estimates Johnson has the fewest drops so far this spring.

"You can never say your hands are too good," Johnson said. "I always try to work on my catching, make sure I look everything in, just try to do everything perfect."

While the offense returns most of its pieces from a season ago, the defense underwent some change during the off-season.

Gone are defensive linemen Charles Harris, Josh Augusta and Ricky Hatley, as are linebacker Michael Scherer and cornerback Aarion Penton. The defensive line also will not have Terry Beckner Jr., Markell Utsey or Marcell Frazier available for today's game.

"It has an effect on you, but it just means you've got to step up," defensive end Jordan Harold said. "You've got to go harder, you've got to bring more to the table, step your game up more and more each day."

New to the unit is defensive line coach Brick Haley, who comes to Missouri after stints at Texas and LSU. He replaces Jackie Shipp, who was fired right before Missouri's game at Tennessee last season.

So far, so good for Haley, who has drawn rave reviews from players.

"It's been a real good adjustment," Harold said of Haley. "He came in and he just made us feel a sense of comfort and since he's been here he's been nothing but great."

It's hard to miss Haley when Missouri practices.

Often standing on pad sleds or snapping a football by using a stick he holds, Haley is loud and animated during drills. He often barks out many not-safe-for-work words, except for when he checks to see if media members are filming him.

"He's fiery but in a good way," Harold said. "He gets after us but he shows us he cares about us."

Brian Odom, brother of head coach Barry Odom, is also new to the coaching staff as outside linebackers coach. Last season's safeties coach, Ryan Walters, is now coaching the entire secondary after cornerbacks coach Greg Brown left for Auburn at the end of the season.

Having just one voice in the cornerbacks room has been helpful for the Tigers.

"I'm comfortable with Coach Walters," safety Kaleb Prewitt said. "I like it just because the secondary kind of works as a whole anyway, you don't break it up into corners and safeties so we want everyone working together on the same stuff to be on the same page."

Also worth watching for the Tigers is the kicking battle between Tucker McCann, Nick Bartolotta and Andrew Carr. McCann started the season as starting kicker as a true freshman, but only connected on 6-of-12 field goals and missed four extra points. Ben Tesson and Turner Adams didn't fare much better when given the chance.

Who backs up Lock also has yet to be decided as last year's backup, Marvin Zanders, transferred to Virginia after the season. 

Redshirt freshman Micah Wilson was listed as the top backup on the team's initial depth chart, followed by redshirt sophomore Jack Lowary and redshirt freshman Hayden Rymer.

None of them have taken a snap for Missouri, though Lowary did start in junior college for Long Beach City College. All three are likely to see the field today.

"I want Jack to play well, I want Micah to play well," Odom said. "I want them to run the offense efficiently, make the right decisions, take care of the football."