Camp notebook: August 8

Coaches hope competition breeds depth on offensive line

After Missouri’s offensive line allowed the fewest sacks and tackles for loss in the SEC a season ago, it would stand to reason that the five starters from that unit, all of whom are back on the team this year, have the inside track to starting in 2018. But offensive coordinator Derek Dooley doesn’t want his players — or the media — to think of those returners as entrenched in their starting spots.

Asked Wednesday about the depth behind the five returning starters, Dooley had a question of his own for the reporters present: How many players on the line earned all-SEC honors in 2017? (The answer is zero.) Apparently, in Dooley’s mind, that’s the threshold a returning player must attain to be earmarked for the first string the following season.

“If you haven’t made all conference yet, then it’s open season,” Dooley said. “That’s how I feel. … Until we start having all-Americans and all-conference players, it doesn’t matter that you started. You might have started by default, because we didn’t get anybody better than you. Doesn’t mean you’re good.”

Despite Dooley’s rant, it appeared the five returning starters on the offensive line are still occupying those positions, at least as of the fifth practice of fall camp. Barry Odom and Drew Lock both praised the way the returning starters have worked together thus far. The biggest question facing the line, where injuries are common, likely isn’t who will start, it’s whether there are enough serviceable backups on the roster to allow the unit to repeat its strong 2017 season even if a starter or two has to miss time.

Odom said his goal is to have eight starting-caliber players on the offensive line. He was candid about the fact that he doesn’t feel the group is there yet.

“I don’t feel comfortable at all with the depth there,” Odom said. “We’ve got some guys that have the ability to go play in that next group, but we’ve got to get them there. Really, you’re only as good as the next guy in, because something happens there, then the next guy’s activated.”

Part of the concern about the backup linemen stems from the fact that only two players aside from the five returning starters, Samson Bailey and Jonah Dubinski, have played meaningful college snaps. Sophomore guard Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms pointed out that there are some things you can’t learn about playing in the SEC until you actually line up across from a future NFL defensive lineman.

“You got guys that are out there trying to get paid,” Wallace-Simms said. “They’re out there trying to put you on their highlight tape.”

However, despite Odom’s concerns and the lack of experienced backups on the line, several players expressed confidence that the second unit is game-ready, largely because of the approach Dooley described. The players who served as backups a season ago believe they have the opportunity to unseat the returning starters, and the players say the competition has benefitted the entire position group.

“If you go out and bring you’re A-game every day, it’s going to make the guy in front of you play even better, and it’s going to elevate everyone’s game,” redshirt freshman Case Cook said. “… Competitive depth is what makes a team good. If you’ve got guys behind you that will step in and take your job immediately, that’s what makes a great team.”

Odom specifically mentioned Cook and fellow redshirt freshman Hyrin White as two backups who have stood out so far during camp. Cook made it clear that his goal is to unseat one of the returning starters at guard. That’s the exact mindset Dooley wants.

“If you’re out-performing a guy who started last year, we’re going to play the better player,” Dooley said. “And (players) need to know that. As coaches, we have to be honest about it. If there’s a young guy playing better, he’s going to play.”

Coaches to weigh ‘hits,’ rule changes in deciding kick returner

Last season, running back Larry Rountree III and wide receiver Johnathon Johnson served as the team’s two primary kickoff returners. Entering 2018, both players find their names atop the offensive depth chart. Odom was asked Wednesday whether the Tigers will continue to ask the two players to return kicks since they’ll likely play significant roles on offense.

Odom essentially said the kick return positions have yet to be filled. He said the staff wants to limit each player to a finite number of “hits,” and before it determines a returner, it will weigh the pros and cons of having Rountree and Johnson take those hits on special teams versus offense.

“You look at number of hits that those guys take throughout the course of 80 snaps of offense,” Odom said. “We’ve got some other guys that can (return kicks). I’d be open to seeing that.”

There’s a few other factors that could factor into the decision. Odom said the staff will try to account for the newly imposed rule that allows teams to signal for a fair catch anywhere inside the 25-yard line and start their possession at the 25. That could limit the number of hits returners take. He’s also eager to see a few of the newcomers give returning a shot.

“We do have some young talent that in high school, and obviously it’s different, but in high school they were really, really explosive in the return game,” Odom said. “So that might be a benefit for us.”

Injury report

One starter was missing from the Missouri defense Wednesday as linebacker Terez Hall watched from the sidelines wearing a red jersey and no pads. According to a team spokesperson, Hall injured his hamstring during Monday’s practice. Dubinski was also without pads, and Johnson wore a red pullover over his shoulder pads, though he did participate in drills. Odom said both players were fighting an illness.

In more positive injury news, defensive linemen Akial Byers, who had been limited due to a hamstring injury, and Rashad Brandon, who sat out of practice Sunday with a sprained ankle, both participated fully in Wednesday’s practice.