Camp Notebook: Aug. 6

On Saturday, Missouri senior football players were available before practice. Here are the news and notes from that media session.

Under Gary Pinkel, players would vote on four captains, which would be announced the first day of preseason camp. Barry Odom, however, made a change to that long-time procedure.

"I want to continue to see how our leadership develops over the next few weeks," Odom said, "and I expect a great team full of leaders."

So the specifics of Odom's captain plans are a little murky, and Odom left the door open for underclassmen to get more of a shot to be captains, too.

"It could change week to week," redshirt senior tight end Sean Culkin said. "It could be a freshman, it could be a four-year guy, it could be a junior, it doesn't matter. It's someone who does everything right off the field and then on the field. He's leading by example, he's stepping up and being a vocal leader. He's helping the younger guys that need it and then he's also showing a standard of what it is to be a Mizzou Tiger football player. He hasn't said that there's a certain captain, but I feel like there are a lot of people who could fit that role just by how they live on a day-to-day basis."

Culkin -- who was one of three players to represent Missouri at SEC Media Days -- would probably have been a safe bet to be a captain under Pinkel's system. Even though Odom has changed those plans, Culkin said he's all for it.

"The more leaders you have, the better team you're going to have," Culkin said. "If you get a younger guy to be a leader, say from that freshman class, then that freshman class is going to be better. Those guys can set the example for fifth year guys that still haven't got it, you know? So I'm all about it."

After talking to mainly experienced players over the first two days of open sessions, scouting reports on the newcomers have emerged.

Here's what Culkin said about the freshmen tight ends, Brendan Scales and Albert Okwuegbunam:

"Initially, in summer ball, they’re fast learners. Athletic guys, big bodies that can definitely have a role in the run game but also you see them out there making plays, catching the ball and moving fast. I think the future is bright, should be high for those guys. I think they’re going to have a great career here at Mizzou and we’re all excited.

"Both are fast learners. Albert is a taller guy, a little bit more lanky. Honestly, they’re both similar in the fact that they both can handle the run game but then are also athletic enough to be in the pass game. Scales is a little bit, probably bigger I guess you could say, probably stronger, so he can handle some run-game stuff, but Albert is a lanky guy that can kind of stride it out. Not to say they both couldnt do the opposite, but they got a lot of talent for sure."

And here's more from Culkin, on running back Alex Ross:

"He’s a bigger guy. And he can also move really fast, so I think he’ll be great at that. Just kind of, when you got to stick you foot up and get north and south, get those extra yards, I think he’s a bigger guy, an athletic guy who can do that. He’s definitely going to help us out for sure.

"He’s cool. I think he was a little shy at first, but any guy coming in that situation, you were at a program for four years and your last year stepping in to all new faces, all new everything, right. I’ve gotten to know him over time, especially in camp, you know everybody. He’s a funnier dude that’s got a little personality to him that once you get, he’s cool. He’s also serious. He just loves football."

Donavin Newsom talked about all three newcomers at running back -- Ross, Damarea Crockett and Nate Strong:

"Quick. Explosive. Know how to take on blocks, like if a linebacker blitzes or a d-lineman gets through, they know how to get in there and stay solid.

"Bigger backs, yeah. Almost. But, like I said, we’re all working together, so once offense gets their stuff together, defense is gonna get our stuff together and then all together we’re going to be one."

And, while he's not a newcomer, redshirt freshman cornerback T.J. Warren is still a bit of an unknown to Missouri fans. Warren was the starter opposite Aarion Penton for the spring game, and Warren remains No. 1 on that side for now.

Here's how Penton described Warren:

"TJ is very physical. He has a motor, too, to be more heavy set, like 200, but when the pads come on, big hands-on guy, physical, stout and a hard hitter. Similar to KD (Kenya Dennis), how strong he is and style, like I said, he also has a motor. They try to go up top, he can get back into hip coverage and make a play on the ball."

And, finally, here's Penton talking about newcomer Christian Holmes, another cornerback:

"Holmes, Christian Holmes got an interception yesterday in practice. He jumped a route. He’s pretty good. Not weight wise, but tall. He’s pretty tall, got long arms. Can run real well."

Since January, Eric Laurent has gone from walk-on to scholarship player and, currently, one of the top-3 receivers on the team. Expect there to be plenty of stories written about Laurent over the next few days, but here are some quick-hits about what Laurent brings to the table.

"He knows how to read the defense," Donavin Newsom said. "He knows how to find the open spaces and his hands are remarkable. Anything you throw to him is a catch, basically."

That's a big advantage, says Laurent. He transitioned from quarterback to receiver after his freshman year, and his time as a quarterback gave him a leg-up in making that move.

"So that’s why I feel like my knowledge is one of my key aspects," Laurent said, "because playing quarterback, you need to know what everyone on the field is doing, you need to know what the linemen are doing, you need to know how to read coverages.

"Going from quarterback to receiver, that is what I brought and that was a step-up from a lot of the other guys who, you know, they played one position, they know what to do when the cornerbacks up or when to come forward, but I know what the guy next to me is doing, which helps me understand what is going to happen."

What can Laurent add to an offense that is looking to rebound in 2016? It's actually something the group didn't have a year ago -- consistency.

"The fact of the matter is he’s not the fastest guy, not the most athletic guy," Michael Scherer said. "He’s going to find a way to get open and he’s going to catch the ball when it comes to him. He’s going to give us that steady possession receiver that you know when the ball goes to him, you’re going to get a couple yards.

"That’s something we need, because we got guys running down the field that you can throw it up to. Eric’s that steady possession receiver that’s going to be able to catch whatever you throw at him."