Missouri returned to the practice field for its 12th fall camp practice Thursday morning. Here are the news and notes from the practice, including an expansive injury report.

Missouri has had a few injury scares during the course of fall camp, but for the most part, the Tigers had managed to avoid losing any players to significant injuries that could cause them to miss multiple weeks of the regular season. That changed Wednesday. Head coach Barry Odom said that tight end Brendan Scales broke the fifth metatarsal in one of his feet during Wednesday’s practice. Scales underwent surgery Thursday morning and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

Odom said the injury is particularly painful to swallow because it had been a breakout offseason for Scales. The redshirt junior earned praise from the coaching staff after both spring practices and summer workouts, and during camp practices in which Albert Okwuegbunam and Daniel Parker Jr. were sidelined with injuries of their own, Scales became the starter at the position.

“I hate it because he had made so much great ground up, was definitely going to help us,” Odom said. “... He was turning the corner.”

Scales was not the only pass-catcher to miss Thursday’s practice due to injury. Okwuegbunam has been sidelined for about a week now as he continues to recover from a knee sprain suffered earlier in camp. Okwuegbunam initially returned to the field the day after the injury, but he has since missed the past five practices. Parker, too, has been slowed by a nagging injury to his left shoulder, though he returned to practice in a limited capacity both Wednesday and Thursday. Parker had surgery to repair a torn labrum in the shoulder during the spring. Senior receiver Johnathon Johnson has also watched the past two practices from the sidelines while wearing a walking boot around his right ankle. Odom said Johnson sprained a toe on his right foot, but the injury is “very, very minor.”

A host of defensive linemen have been banged up in recent days as well. Defensive end Trajan Jeffcoat continues to be sidelined with his left arm in a sling due to an elbow injury sustained on Aug. 2. Odom said Jeffcoat is “more week-to-week than day-to-day,” so he could be in danger of missing the season-opener. Tre Williams has missed the past three practices due to a sore shoulder. Like Parker, Williams had surgery to repair a torn labrum in the shoulder earlier in his college career. Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott also sat out Thursday’s practice, though Odom said that was largely precautionary. Finally, Chris Daniels has been a non-participant for the past several practices, working out on his own on the sidelines. Odom said he is healthy but needs to improve his physical conditioning.

“He is on the same plan as I am,” Odom said of Daniels, “weight loss.”

The rash of injuries at tight end has created an opportunity for several underclassmen to grab playing time with the first team True freshman Niko Hea has taken advantage. Asked about which newcomers might be in line to shed the redshirt, Odom identified Hea.

“I would be really surprised if Niko Hea doesn’t play the entire season,” Odom said. “Just the things that he’s done from the day he stepped on campus, so impressed with his maturity level, with the things that he does, the way he can help us in different roles in kicking and tight end. Just a talented guy.”

Hea, a product of CBC high school in St. Louis, earned similar praise from tight ends coach A.J. Ofodile on Tuesday. His path to Missouri was a bit unique, as the Tigers didn’t offer him a scholarship until a few days before the February signing period. Ofodile said Thursday that he’s glad Hea managed to stay under the radar, and that Missouri thought to look for him.

“He had a monster senior year,” Ofodile said. “Didn’t have the same junior year, so he was late on the scene, and a lot of people had moved on. A lot of people don’t do senior evals. We’ve had a lot of success with senior evals over the last few years. That’s kind of been one of our cornerstones, and he’s a good example of that: A kid who, if you’re patient and you have good standards of what you’re looking for athletically, you don’t settle, you keep looking and you find them, sometimes right under your nose.”

In addition, the coaching staff is looking to bolster its depth at tight end by introducing a new player to the position. Offensive lineman Angel Matute worked with the tight ends during Thursday’s practice. The position is not entirely new to Matute, who began his football career as a quarterback before playing high school for his first season at Mt. San Antonio community college and, eventually, transitioning to tackle. However, both Matute and Ofodile said the move is not yet permanent.

“It’s more of me learning it right now just in case something happens, an emergency situation,” Matute said.

Missouri fans don’t have to look far to find a blueprint for how the Tigers could use Matute, who is also trying his hand at center during fall camp, at tight end. Ofodile compared Matute to Samson Bailey, who began his career on the offensive line but last season lined up at tight end in jumbo packages.

“Last year we had Sam Bailey who was able to come in and get in some jumbo sets and give us some physical play there,” Ofodile said. “Having a 300-pound guy at the point of attack versus a 250-pound guy is always going to be a little bit different feel and a little bit of an advantage. So just trying to get (Matute) prepped and ready for some bigger sets and some of those things.”

Missouri’s most significant injury scare of fall camp came last week when quarterback Kelly Bryant hobbled off the field during an 11-on-11 drill, eventually being carted to the locker room. Bryant ended up being fine, but after the practice, Odom said the scare illustrated that the backup quarterbacks are always a play away from being “the guy,” so they have to stay ready.

The Tigers did a bit of work with their contingency plan Thursday as Taylor Powell took snaps with the starters during the two-minute drill portion of practice. (And yes, before you ask, Bryant is still healthy.)

“We have to be smart with how we do that, because we’re a play away from him from being the guy,” Odom said of Powell. “The more that he can get an opportunity with the timing and the offensive line and all those type of things — today was the day we wanted to get that in, and he did a nice job.”

Odom said that, if the season started today, Powell would be the team’s number two quarterback behind Bryant. However, he hasn’t closed the door on the backup quarterback competition, saying he’s been pleased with the play of Lindsey Scott Jr. as well.

“I don’t want to eliminate Lindsey from the mix because he’s done some great things,” Odom said. “We’re getting to the point that both of those guys could go in and effectively run what we need to to try to win a game.”

The SEC’s coaches released their picks for the preseason all-conference team Thursday morning. Eight Missouri players made the cut, including three on the all-league first team. Those first-teamers were Okwuegbunam (who Tuesday was named a preseason first-team All-American by CBS Sports), guard Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms and linebacker Cale Garrett. Cornerback DeMarkus Acy was voted to the second team. Last year, he earned second-team all-conference honors at season’s end. Finally, running back Larry Rountree III, offensive tackle Yasir Durant, defensive tackle Jordan Elliott and kicker Tucker McCann earned third-team honors.

Missouri’s next two practices, which include a scrimmage scheduled for Saturday, are closed to the media. We will catch up with the team again on Tuesday, August 20 at 9 a.m.