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Camp Notebook: Back at it

News and notes from the start of Missouri's preseason camp

More roster shake-up

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Barry Odom dismissed defensive end Walter Brady and defensive tackle Harold Brantley before the start of preseason camp, but Thursday’s first practice saw two more absences.

The first is a full-time departure. Offensive lineman Nate Crawford has decided to retire from football for medical reasons, Odom confirmed after practice. Crawford has had lingering back injuries throughout his Missouri career, which included two back surgeries in June 2015 and this past spring. He missed most of the spring season because of the back surgery, but until SEC Media Days, Odom was hopefully that Crawford would be able to return.

"Nate went through a couple of different back procedures, as everybody is aware of that," Odom said. "Here in the last few days, sit down with the medical staff again and decided that it was best, probably, at this time -- he had made some progress, but to get back, and for him long-term, best that he's medically, medically retired.

The other absence is to another offensive lineman. Redshirt freshman Tanner Owen is out indefinitely for medical reasons.

"Tanner's going through a couple things," Odom said. "We'll get a medical report here when we get finished, finishing up some things. He's got a couple things going on with (team trainer) Rex (Sharp), from that side of it. I don't have a timetable yet on it. I'll know more on it tonight."

The departure of Crawford and Owen’s absence means Missouri will have 10 scholarship offensive lineman for preseason camp, and that’s also with a caveat. Redshirt freshman A.J. Harris is currently limited from contact drills with a cast on his right hand, as he had wrist surgery in July.

"Expect him, you know, we don't want to rush it, but also for him to get back out today and do some work was great," Odom said. "I think he'll continue to do a little more as we go."


Tyrell Jacobs, who moved to offensive guard in the spring, also moved back to defensive tackle for preseason camp.

"He didn't do as well as we thought he would have done on that side of the ball," defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross said. "We thought, you know what? We better get him back. We have a couple guys coming off injury and we need to make sure we have enough depth building, not only for this year but for the future. We thought that would probably be best suited, for him to get back."

At this point, the departures and injuries across the line have caused a bit of a shake-up. Alec Abeln and Samson Bailey are both working at guard and center; Kevin Pendleton is at left guard. Odom said they'll continue to move pieces around to find the best five there.

Among the newcomers, Kyle Mitchell (who was cleared on Thursday by the NCAA), Tre'Vour Simms and Darvis Holmes are working at tackle. Trystan Castillo is working at guard. Offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said, because of their body types, he believes the newcomers are at the right positions, but everything is subject to change.

There's also another unexpected addition. Memphis graduate transfer Michael Stannard is on the roster, but did not practice on Thursday. Odom said he is still waiting for clearance from the NCAA. Stannard, listed at 6-2, 290-pounds, started eight games over his four years at Memphis, and appeared in 23 games total.

Moving on from Brady, Brantley

In his first media availability since the news of Brady and Brantley's dismissals, Odom instead chose to focus on the players still on the team.

"I feel that, I want everybody in our program, I want to have the opportunity to provide them the chance to be successful," Odom said. "I'm excited about the guys we have out here today, and I wish Harold and Walter nothing but the best. They've done a good job in their time at Missouri, and I wish them nothing but the best."

Defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross spoke more about the players, specifically calling Brady a starter before his dismissal.

"Walter was the starter, hands-down," Cross said. "Him and Charles (Harris) were the starting defensive ends, and now that spot is open. We've got about three or four guys who are going to compete for it, and we need to make sure that everybody's not sliding toward Charles.

"We need another threat over there. Someone will step up."

We'll have more on the defensive line going forward in an article Friday.

Quick hits

-- This will be in the article about the defensive line, but it's important to put here. DeMontie Cross was effusive in his praise for defensive tackle Terry Beckner, Jr., who apparently has no lingering limitations from the knee injury suffered against BYU in 2015.

"He made a few plays out here, guys, that made me go, 'Whoa,'" Cross said. "We did sit him out in the spring, but there was one play in particular where he met in the backfield with a back and I stood up like, who was that?

"He's an explosive, high-talent, high-motor type kid. We've just got to get him grooved back in, coming off that injury and make sure we pace him the right way."

-- Senior running back Alex Ross, a graduate transfer from Oklahoma, said his decision to transfer to Missouri was solely about his relationship with Josh Heupel: "Shoot, it happened in like a week. Made my decision in about a week... Coach Heupel. I've known him for a long time, he's a good guy. I like being around him."

(Ross also said Heupel is his second cousin, on his mother's side. I've asked some people both at Missouri and Oklahoma who said they've never heard that, but Ross said he was serious. If it's true, it's a good note on his career arc. And if it's a joke? Well, either way, he and Heupel are close. More investigation to follow.)

-- I asked Ross if anything's surprised him about Missouri so far. His response? There are more hills than he expected.

-- Josh Heupel has used a two-quarterback system before. At Oklahoma in 2013, Heupel used Trevor Knight and Blake Bell in different situations. He hasn't named a starter yet at Missouri yet, and there's speculation about a potentially similar situation with Drew Lock and Marvin Zanders. Here's his philosophy on that hypothetical:

"It depends. We haven't done it, and then we had issues in short yardage and goal-line packages, so we went to using Blake Bell back there, who was a special skill set. At the end of the day, it's our job to find guys who can play at a championship level, find roles for them that can grow and compete for a championship. The best 11 are going to be out there, and then the next three, four, five guys, if they're in a position to help us, we've got to find something that they can do to helps us go win ball games.

And, for a potential timeline about settling on a starting quarterback, here's what Heupel said:

"Whenever the guy earns it. That's the most important thing. For the guys inside the locker room, you've got to have the trust, they've got to have the faith of those guys and understand that they earned the job and nothing's been given to them. Whenever a guy separates himself, then I think that's the right time to make the decision."

-- Odom said 2016 signee Jerod Alton is still finishing up one class, but said, "I think he has the chance to be here pretty quick, the way it sounds."

More coverage from Thursday's practice

Photo gallery | Video interviews

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