Battling for position
Fall camp starts for the Tigers on Thursday, August 4th. Missouri returns 17 starters, but there will be plenty of competition not only for starting spots, but also further down the depth chart. PowerMizzou.com continues our free camp previews by focusing on five position battles that should heat up in camp:
Backup Quarterback: Does Ashton Glaser hold on to the spot or is he passed up by Jimmy Costello, who has filled the role before? Can Corbin Berkstresser do enough to earn the spot and some potential playing time? The starter is set. Question marks about behind him.
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The Wide Receiver Position: We feel confident T.J. Moe, Wes Kemp and Jerrell Jackson will start. Beyond that, there are at least eight players who could battle for the next three to four spots in the rotation. Easily the most crowded position entering camp.
Defensive Tackle: It's the Sheldon Richardson question. Will he get here? If so, is he good enough to make the two-deep…or the starting lineup? What about Marvin Foster and Lucas Vincent? Both young players will battle for a second-string spot, but Jimmy Burge won't surrender without a battle.
Tailback: Kendial Lawrence is the current starter, but De'Vion Moore will want the job back. Both Henry Josey and Marcus Murphy have a year of experience under their belts and could make some serious noise. Does anyone split from the pack or is it a four-man committee once again?
Return Man: Marcus Murphy has the inside track to remain the kickoff return man, and could handle punts as well. But we're expecting at least half a dozen players to get looks throughout fall camp as Missouri looks for a dynamic weapon in the return game that they've been missing since Jeremy Maclin went pro.
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