Every week, PowerMizzou.com publisher Gabe DeArmond answers questions from Tiger fans in the mailbag. This format allows for a more expansive answer than a message board post. Keep your eye out each week to submit your question for the mailbag or send them to powermizzou@gmail.com. On to this week's inquiries.
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MummaMizzou asks: I saw a tweet showing Da’Ron Davis was on the bowl game roster, is he eligible to play in the bowl game? And if he is how much do you think he will play?
GD: He was there briefly, but now is gone. And, no, he can't play...nor is there any way he should. He's not even practicing yet. He told me he'll get to campus when everyone reports for second semester in early January.
mglassma asks: Give us a couple names of guys currently committed to us in football who are generating quite a bit more buzz than their star ranking(Meaning the coaches are very excited about them and think they are a hidden gem)? Who starts at defensive end in 2018? Name one player on the football team that you can beat in a 40 yard dash?
GD: The commits who I would say are regarded as underrated would be Jatorian Hansford, Trajan Jeffcoat, Tyrus Wheat and Tyrone Collins. I've heard a lot of good things about all of them.
At defensive end, I'm guessing Chris Turner and Tre Williams are your starters, but at least one and probably two true freshmen will play.
I doubt I can beat anybody in a 40-yard dash. I probably could have beaten Terry Beckner Jr the day after he tore his ACL...but I'm not sure about that.
TigerinCincy asks: Dave Matter reported that BO was interviewing OC candidates daily over the next week or so. However, the only person that was identified as a definite candidate was Fisch. Who else is in the mix? Is JJF calling plays for the Texas Bowl?
GD: The truth is, we aren't sure. We've heard Dan Enos and Graham Harrell tied to the job and have confirmed that they're at least under consideration. Fisch is getting the most publicity because Matter and I saw him at practice. I'm told there will be four or five interviews (including Fisch) this week. But I don't know who any of the others are for certain right now. Finley is a candidate. They said it will be a committee approach in the bowl game, but I'd assume he will be the one actually making the final play calls.
jrl3m8 asks: I tend to agree with the sentiment regarding the early signing period, and moving it to August or September. 6 weeks doesn't do a whole lot and everyone involved seems to think it's not beneficial. What are the chances it actually gets moved, and how long of a process would it be to move it? Next year? 3 years?
GD: The American Football Coaches Association meetings are January 7-10. If they want to change it, I would think they could talk about it there and I don't know why it would be able to be changed for next year. But maybe that's naive.
mexicojoe asks: What does the Head Referee make officiating college football?What about SEC conference basketball officials?
GD: Google told me that football referees can make up to $3,000 per game, so if they work 15 games they can make $45 thousand a year. The same source told me college basketball officials make between $1,000 and $2,500 a game and they obviously work a lot more games during the course of a year.
mtb088 asks: Approximate timeframe for the first 2019 basketball commitment?
GD: You'll usually see someone jump on board in the spring. But considering the higher level of talent Missouri is pursuing, it might take a little longer this year.
ZouMac1 asks: If Jedd Fisch is indeed the hire, I'd love to see a post breaking down his offensive tendencies (run/pass %, pro-style vs. spread, TEs attached vs. not, RPOs, etc.). Same I guess regardless of who the hire is, but it seems like Fisch has been more flexible based on personnel and the HC than many OCs.
GD: Whoever is eventually hired, we will definitely delve into his offensive approach and style.
ZouMac1 asks: Sorry if this has already been answered: what is Santos doing until he joins the bball team next season?
GD: We don't really know. He's not playing basketball, but that's about the extent of what we've found out so far.
fourholesn1 asks: I love Kevin Puryear but it seems like Jontay is the better player, do you see him taking over Puryear's starting position sometime this season? Any news on Phillips' injury?
GD: I think Puryear will continue to start. He's worked hard and is playing pretty well, so I think he stays in the starting lineup. And bringing Jontay off the bench gives you a nice spark. You want to play the best lineups, which isn't necessarily your five best players starting the game. As far as Phillips, by the time this runs, we'll know what's going on since Missouri plays on Tuesday night.
TigerinCincy asks: How would you rank the remaining Anderson players on the roster? Have you heard rumblings about any other players that are planning to transfer?
GD: I'd go Barnett, Puryear, Geist, Phillips, VanLeer, Smith in terms of ranking the holdovers. There are always rumblings about players transferring, but it's our policy not to speculate on that because we don't want to poison the well for a kid who decides to stick it out.
WlsnLouis asks: Name an in-state football and basketball recruit that did not attend Mizzou that you would have liked to cover given the career he had at another school?
GD: In football, I'd say Ezekiel Elliott. He was really damn good and always had something to say and I think he'd have made Missouri really good.
In hoops, I'll go with Tyler Hansbrough. I mean, he's regarded as probably one of the five or ten best players in the history of college basketball. Who wouldn't want to cover that?
rlt002 asks: What's the word on that Canadian guy? Sambu I think?
GD: Justin Sambu is who you mean. With Hansford and Jeffcoat committed, he's off the board I believe. Haven't heard his name in a while.
cnswift14 asks: Does Mario McKinney have a committable offer?
GD: My impression--and I want to be clear I haven't been told this--is that the staff likes him but may be looking at some other guys as well. So could he call and commit today? I'm not positive, but I think they'd probably take him. That said, if someone else jumps on board first, the spot could disappear.
ZonaTiger asks: Let's assume Drew Lock comes back next year. (Hopefully) That will be the last year of a Pinkel recruited QB for Mizzou. Pinkel has long stated he would always have a great QB at Mizzou, and he certainly did as evidenced by Smith, Daniel, Gabbert, Franklin, Mauk & Lock.That being said, what are the opinions of our Odom recruited crop of QB's? Typically you hear rumblings of players that impress. Anything to share as to indicate the future of Mizzou QB's post Pinkel Era? Is this an area of concern?
GD: I've heard some good things about both Micah Wilson and Taylor Powell. I'm not sure the feeling is that they'd be ready to run things if Lock leaves now, but I think with another year it would be a competition and the staff would be comfortable with the winner. That said, they'll chase a big-time QB for the 2019 class and if he comes in and wins the job, so be it.
amhorrell asks: do you monitor these threads all day? How many hours on non writing do you spend actually on the website a day?
GD: Absolutely. I'm not going to pretend I read every single thing posted, but the first thing I do in the morning is check the board and the last thing I do at night is check the board. The message board actually takes up much more time than the writing to be honest, on a day-to-day basis. When I have free time, I'm scrolling through the board (and Twitter) to make sure I'm not missing anything.
cln475 asks: Who do you think is the highest unsigned basketball target for 2018 is?
GD: Courtney Ramey. But I don't think they'll get him.
I_Hate_the_Cornhuskers asks: What is your New Years resolution?Are you as buff as @bgd8rd says you are?
GD: I don't do resolutions. And, actually, even more so.
Mizzou Pride asks: OVER/UNDER (Bowl game edition)
GD: Carries from D. Crockett in the bowl game: 6--Under
Touch down passes for D. Lock 3.5--Under
Carries for I. Witter 16--Over
Carries for L. Rountree 8.5--Over
Drops for J. Moore 1.5--Under
Drops for J. Johnson .5--Over
Touchdowns for Alex O .5--Under for Alex O., over for Albert O.
TFL for Beckner 1.5--Over
Sacks for M. Frazer 1.0--Push
mufootball1 asks: In your opinion, how important is winning the Texas Bowl? How much momentum do you think will be gained with a win and the team finishing with 7 consecutive wins after starting 1-5?Would a win over Texas in a bowl game be pretty much the perfect ending to a season that started 1-5?When the team was sitting at 1-5, would you have thought it was more likely that you would be covering a bowl game or a coaching search?
GD: Outside of two or three, the result of bowl games is pretty meaningless. It would be a nice end to the season and continuing the momentum, but I'm not a believer in momentum carrying over from one year to the next. All offseason we heard about the positive momentum from winning two of the last three last year and Missouri came out and stunk up the joint for six weeks. It would be a nice reward for the players and coaches and 8-5 sounds better than 7-6, but in eight months, nobody outside of the two teams and fanbases is going to remember who won this game without looking it up.
As far as your final question, coaching search. No question.
jrl3m8 asks: Who are the top guys remaining on their board? Does Eddie Smith only have an offer if Vincent Gray doesn't sign early?
GD: Eddie Smith, Johncarlo Valentin, Michael Thompson, Jahmir Johnson and Messiah Swinson. And Smith has an offer regardless of what happens with Gray.
mufootball1 asks: Jahmir Johnson and Johncarlo Valentin.......what’s the latest and does Mizzou have a preference if only getting one of these two OL?
GD: Nothing new. Visited Tennessee last weekend and now we wait. Missouri would definitely take both. Not sure if there's a preference if they can only get one, but they've been on Valentin longer.
mcangus52 asks: What happened to the promised enhanced coverage of the women's basketball team? 11 wins in a row currently ranked hard to find anything about them on here
GD: They've only played five home games and I believe we've covered four of them. We're not going to travel to cover women's hoops. My women's hoops writer is a student who's working at the Missourian this semester and will be home for Christmas break. When the SEC season starts and she's back in town, it will increase.
Chilly_Tiger asks: Who wins the SEC in Basketball this year?
GD: Texas A&M. My darkhorse is Arkansas.
Graphic Edge Guy asks: 1) Best Mizzou signing day story ever?2) Biggest signing day get?3) Biggest signing day miss?4) Best current recruit nobody is talking about?5) Best guess for a signing day surprise?6) Best guess for a disappointment?7) QB signee guess for this class?8) Early signing date helps or hurts Mizzou?9) Prediction for Mizzou's new OC?10) Your best Christmas gift ever?
GD:
1. Charles Harris
2. DGB
3. Ezekiel Elliott, though we were pretty sure before signing day
4. We talk about them all.
5. Verdis Brown...but I don't think there will be one.
6. Verdis Brown, now that Ronnie Perkins already told us he's signing with OU
7. They'll sign one
8. Neither. It just is. I don't think it helps or hurts individual schools
9. Jedd Fisch
10. We spent Christmas two years ago in Cancun. That was pretty okay.
