The Missouri Tigers had a lot of defensive production to replace from the 2024 team that won 10 games and capped off the season with the Music City Bowl.
The Tigers lost their primary pass rusher and defensive tackle, two of their three main linebackers and a handful of rotational safeties. The only position that wasn’t hit by graduation was cornerback.
So the Tigers hit the transfer portal … hard. They brought in two productive linebackers, a new primary pass rusher and a handful of safeties.
And now that spring practice has begun, defensive coordinator Corey Batoon has been impressed by what he’s seen.
“It’s a totally new DNA,” Batoon said. “So you’ve got new pieces working with each other. There’s competitive balance in most of the position groups and those are the things you want to see in those 14 opportunities that we have.”
Starting up front, the Tigers are replacing edge rusher Johnny Walker who took the lead in the room by playing 555 total snaps with returning edge rusher Zion Young next at 486 before a big drop off to returner Eddie Kelly at 224.
“Johnny was a tremendous leader, he played so many snaps,” Batoon said. “Zion being a new guy last year, that wasn’t his role. I think this year, just in the offseason, he’s more comfortable in the things that we’re asking him to do. I’m seeing him play faster, seeing the improvement that he’s made.”
Along with Young, the Tigers will rely on a returner they have never seen in game action in Darris Smith, who transferred last season but was injured in camp and unable to play, as well as Khalil Jacobs who was hurt in the Tigers’ fifth game last year.
“Those injuries were really tough,” Batoon said. “Khalil Game 5, he had done a really nice job for us as a transfer student, had a big role in our third-down package, so it was tough to see him go down. And then Darris had a really good spring this time last year and it’s still kind of, you see the things that you remember that you saw. So, anxious to see those guys because all they do is create more competitive depth.”
And they’ll rely on a host of new players highlighted by Damon Wilson, one of the top-rated transfers in the country this year, along with Nate Johnson and Langden Kitchen and joined by freshman Javion Hilson, the No. 1 weakside defensive end recruit in the country.
“From a depth standpoint, we were a little light at defensive end a year ago,” Batoon said. “So we knew we were going to get in the portal. Very happy with what those guys have brought in. … The ceiling is a lot higher, I think, as a position group, in terms of us being disruptive and creating more havoc.”
Behind that group, the Tigers thought they would have to replace all three of their primary linebacks, so they hit the portal and brought in impressive sophomore Josiah Trotter and graduate Mikai Gbayor.
But along with those additions, the Tigers got a surprise return from Triston Newson, who was given an extra year of eligibility along with every player who was set to run out after last season and spent at least one year at the junior college level.
“It’s been really cool,” Batoon said of having Newson back. “And he’s looked at it as a blessing. He’s come in with big smiles, basically, he always does."
“With him coming back, there’s tremendous competition,” Batoon added about the linebacker room.
And that’s all in front of the part of the team with the biggest overall turnover at linebacker.
With the loss of Tre’Vez Johnson, Sidney Williams and Joseph Charleston to eligibility and the loss of Phillip Roche to the transfer portal, the Tigers had work to do to fill the room.
They added a trio of transfers in graduate Jalen Catalon, junior Mose Phillips and sophomore Santana Banner, as well as freshman CJ Bass to join returners Daylan Carnell, Marvin Burks, Trajen Greco and Caleb Flagg.
“We lost the three seniors last year who had tons of snaps here and so we were looking to bring in some veteran guys that have played a lot of snaps,” Batoon said. “So far, three days into it, I’m very happy with what they’re doing in regards to how they come to work every day. The mindset, you know, to get better, and the urgency shows in terms of being veteran players.”
The Tigers will continue to work in their new players through spring camp and Batoon and the staff will decide which ones fans will see the most come fall. But so far, all those new faces have impressed since joining the team.
“There’s so many new pieces,” Batoon said. “... A large chunk within the two or three deep that are new bodies, right? And so, we’ve got to assimilate those guys into the brotherhood and that’s been a big part of what we’ve done in the off season. … It’s just building that cohesion and learning what Death Row is about.”
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