9 players Missouri State football has developed into building blocks for Conference USA future

Not much will get Missouri State football coach Ryan Beard more excited than talking about the growth in his younger players as he looks to the future of his program.

It’s hard to blame him.

In the transfer portal era of college athletics, Beard continues to preach that Missouri State is a “grassroots program” and the development of younger players is beginning to bear fruit for something sustainable.

Most of Missouri State’s standouts four weeks into the 2024 season have been with the program for at least three years or have been Bears since their freshmen years.

It differs from when Bobby Petrino became Missouri State’s football coach in 2020 and the Bears quickly rebuilt through the transfer portal. MSU has turned into a place where players can develop.

More: How concerning is Missouri State football’s ability to run the ball with FBS on the horizon?

“It’s a testament to one thing that I believe in and the staff believes in,” Beard said. “It’s a testament to the staff we have here and those guys being able to believe in the vision we’re showing and the way to get it done.”

Here are examples of those who have developed and will have chances to contribute to Missouri State football for the next several years:

Clark is on pace to break Missouri State’s single-season passing record and is ranked fourth in the FCS in yards per game. He’s in his third year with the program after transferring from Minnesota and his second year as a starter. He began his MSU career as a backup behind Jason Shelley and will end it next year as a starter at the FBS level.

Jayden Becks, RB

Becks played as a true freshman and has seen his role grow as a sophomore. He’s been a big-play threat every time he’s touched the ball with great speed, making him the “lightning” to Jacardia Wright’s “thunder.”

Jmariaye Robinson, WR

The Bears brought in a handful…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/9-players-missouri-state-football-081824749.html

Author : Springfield News-Leader

Publish date : 2024-09-25 08:18:24

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