Missouri football lost 14 key contributors from its 2023 team that went 11-2, and spring practice offered the first glimpse at how the Tigers are going about replacing those losses.
Before spring practice started, the Columbia Daily Tribune identified five crucial position battles that stood out above the rest, and with Missouri’s Black & Gold game wrapping up the Tigers’ spring schedule Saturday, here’s how they’re shaping up:
Missouri football has ongoing position battle at running back
With star tailback Cody Schrader off to the NFL, transfers Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll seem to have cemented their position ahead of in-house talents Tavorus Jones and Jamal Roberts.
Both were on separate teams for the Tigers’ game, but Noel and Carroll took the respective “first-team” reps with their teams.
For either Noel or Carroll to grab the role of feature back by the horns, it may take until Missouri’s season begins on August 31, but MU coaches aren’t ruling out a by-committee option either.
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“We could be running back by committee,” running backs coach Curtis Luper said about what he’s seen from his room during the spring. “It could be whatever our players determine it to be because they’re the ones that are going to really dictate to us who plays and how much they play.
“So we have an open mind about it. We had an open mind last fall. If you would have asked me this time last year, I had no idea that the year would turn out the way it did.”
Luper also added that the dynamic of Noel’s speed and pass-catching ability combined with Carroll’s strength between the tackles reminds him of the thunder-and-lightning dynamic Larry Rountree and Tyler Badie had in 2020.
Nov 19, 2022; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/5-key-missouri-football-position-224143500.html
Author : Columbia Daily Tribune
Publish date : 2024-03-17 22:41:43
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