Missouri is exactly seven weeks away from its season opener versus Murray State on Aug. 29, but also five days away from its appearance on Day 2 of SEC Media Days in Dallas.
Mizzou will kick off Day 2 alongside Georgia, Oklahoma and Tennessee. PowerMizzou will be on hand to provide complete coverage of Missouri's day.
Here are key storylines and or questions we expect to come up.
1. How will the Tigers arrange the left side of the offensive line?
Missouri lost two key cogs on the left side of the offensive line with All-American left tackle Javon Foster and longtime left guard starter Xavier Delgado exhausting their eligibility. But the Tigers probably couldn't have had a better offseason replacing the pair.
The first splash came last December when Cayden Green transferred over from Oklahoma. He appeared in over 500 snaps across 11 games as a true freshman in 2023, mostly at left guard. Green, the 12th overall transfer in the Rivals transfer tracker, has tackle flexibility and seemed to be a lock to replace Foster at left tackle through spring ball.
That was until the team got 6-foot-8, 318-pound Marcus Bryant from SMU. Bryant, the 130th overall transfer, was an All-American Athletic Conference first-team selection in 2023 at left tackle.
The assumption is that Bryant will start at left tackle and Green will go back to left guard. However, with the talent the team has in the starting lineup alongside of them and some of the depth coming off the bench, there could be several ways Missouri could go with the line.
2. Who has the inside track to the starting running back gig?
Replacing All-American running back Cody Schrader was never going to be easy but Mizzou appears to have two running backs it's very fond. The question is who does it favor more to start?
Marcus Carroll formerly of Georgia State is almost the same type of running back Cody Schrader is down to the height and weight. The former finished as the nation's 10th leading rusher, seven spots behind Schrader, with 1,350 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Nate Noel formerly of Appalachian State left the program as the eighth all-time leading rusher and recorded 834 yards and five touchdowns in 2023. In 2021, he rushed for 1,126 yards and four touchdowns.
Noel dazzled throughout spring ball with his speed, agility and receiving chops. Carroll also had a good spring outing and his likeness to Schrader along with the production he put up last year helps Mizzou be able to project how he could fare this year.
The team has talked about a running back-by-committee approach. That could be true but only one can start. It's possible the game script can help determine who starts and when if the two are both valued as starters after fall camp.
3. What heights can the offense go to in 2024 with the returning production and a second year under Kirby Moore? What can we expect more or less of?
According to ESPN's Bill Connelly, Missouri has 71% of returning production this season, which ranks in the top 20 of college football.
In the offensive starting lineup, the team returns three offensive linemen, the quarterback, the tight end and all three starting wide receivers.
In fact, the team's top seven receivers from a year ago are back.
When you combine that with a returning Kirby Moore as the offensive coordinator the team could look to build on a season where it was 28th in total offense (434.3 yards per game) and scoring offense (32.5 points per game).
4. How does the switch from Blake Baker to Corey Batoon change things?
In January, defensive coordinator Blake Baker joined Brian Kelly's crew in Baton Rouge at LSU. Later that month, Mizzou hired Corey Batoon from South Alabama.
During spring ball, Batoon said he was more or less trying to help players develop and that he would focus on the playbook after camp. Like Baker, Batoon also runs a 4-2-5 defense with three safeties and will learn the playbook that's in place and add wrinkles to it as he goes along in his first season in Columbia.
But every coach is different.
The major thing Batoon has mentioned doing is adding a Joker-type role to the defense. That's when a pass-rushing EDGE can drop into coverage if need be. We saw glimpses of this with Isaiah McGuire and Trajan Jeffcoat in 2022 and Johnny Walker in 2023 with little success.
5. How does the team replace three starters in the secondary?
Cornerbacks Ennis Rakestraw, Kris Abrams-Draine, and safety Jaylon Carlies all heard their names called during the 2024 NFL Draft.
The group combined for 107 starts from 2020-23.
The idea is that Clemson transfer Toriano Pride will occupy one starting cornerback spot and Dreyden Norwood, the team's CB3 the last two seasons, will occupy the other.
However, Marcus Clarke was the only player other than Abrams-Draine to record multiple interceptions last season for the Tigers, and the veteran played well when given playing time. Could he push for one of the top two corner spots?
Safety is a little more interesting because there are several ways Mizzou could go about it.
Marvin Burks had a really solid freshman campaign last year and as the headliner of the class of 2023 (in terms of star ranking), the team could be looking at him to step into a full time starting role. They could also go the veteran route and allow someone like Tre'Vez Johnson to start alongside Daylan Carnell and Joseph Charleston.
Burks has the higher upside but it's not a given he will be the starter because Johnson played 445 snaps last year coming off the bench. For reference, Charleston played 556 snaps. The Tigers valued Johnson enough to let him be the first safety off the bench with the ability to play any of the three safety positions.
6. How does Missouri feel about the defensive tackle and EDGE depth?
Last year, Mizzou had four starting-caliber defensive tackles in Jayden Jernigan, Josh Landry, Realus George and Kristian Williams, and only the latter will return this fall.
Furthermore, Missouri lost its best defensive player in EDGE Darius Robinson and for both defensive line spots, there is one starter and one vacancy.
The Tigers were active in the portal and made several moves getting Chris McClellan, Sterling Webb, Darris Smith, Zion Young and Eddie Kelly.
McClellan has SEC experience coming over from Florida and at 6-foo-2 and 325 pounds he can plug up the middle. He could possibly be DT2. However, so could Webb, but behind them and Williams is where things get shaky. Have Jalen Marshall and Marquis Gracial finally come along? Can Sam Williams or freshman Justin Bodford somehow crack the rotation?
At EDGE, Young probably has the inside track to being DE2 but Kelly does something that Robinson used to in being able to play at defensive tackle and EDGE.
Smith is a freak athlete but where does he fit in? He hasn't played much in his career?
For the EDGE group, the top four options seem solidified it's more about who ranks where in the depth chart out of the four more than who will necessarily step up and take a spot.
It's also about whose reps will a freshman EDGE take if they break into the lineup even if they're not in the top four of the depth chart. For example, if Williams Nwaneri is going to get some snaps, whose snaps is he cutting into? Where can the team find reps for him?
It's a good problem to have, though. The wide receiver room had the same thing last year trying to get then-freshman Daniel Blood and Joshua Manning reps.
7. Could we see more of a committee approach at linebacker?
Chuck Hicks and Triston Newson came on strong to end the year and they seem like the favorites to start this year. But Mizzou made some moves in the transfer portal to really balance out the depth chart.
Miami (FL) transfer Corey Flagg had 48 tackles, six tackles for loss and a forced fumble in 12 games (two starts) a year ago. He has started 24 of 43 games in his career and is a viable starting option.
Khalil Jacobs played under Batoon last year at South Alabama and recorded 56 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception. Considering he was an impactful player for Batoon and knows him better than anyone else, he could find a way into the lineup sooner than later.
Hicks and Newson will probably remain the starters but will some of their reps be scaled back to allow Flagg and Jacobs get a healthy portion of the snaps?
8. How confident is the team in Blake Craig taking over for Harrison Mevis at kicker?
Missouri's all-time leading scorer Harrison Mevis decided to pursue the NFL and now it's up to redshirt freshman Blake Craig to take over the reins.
He has a strong leg but he's never kicked on Saturdays, but a sign of confidence for Craig should be that the the team didn't get another kicker in the portal. But do they think he will be someone who can make 80% of his field goals like Mevis did in three of his four seasons as the starting placekicker?
9. How does Missouri feel about their schedule?
An SEC schedule is an SEC schedule. There aren’t really any east ones. But the way Missouri's schedule shapes up this season (and by extension in 2025) it sure is favorable.
Mizzou won't face Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee or Texas.
The Bulldogs, Rebels and Longhorns all finished in the top 10 of the final AP poll and the Volunteers finished No. 17.
This season, the premier SEC games for Missouri (as of now) appear to be Texas A&M (Week 5), Alabama (Week 7) and Oklahoma (Week 9).
Most people believe Missouri should finish 10-2 or better. That may be enough to get in the CFP but it also may not be.
As the schedule stands, Missouri can't afford any non-conference losses and will probably be favored in 10 or more games this season. So, if the Tigers fall short in any games they’re favored to win outside of one premier ones they may miss the College Football Playoff if other things shake out a certain way.
Are you…
Ready to leave the corporate Rat Race for the American Dream?
Looking for a side hustle while working your current job?
Wanting to diversify, build wealth, and/or leave a legacy?
Andy can help!!!
Andy is a franchise consultant (as well as franchise owner) and helps people find franchises that fit their skill sets, financial requirements, time to commit and more…. His services are 100% free and he’s here to help if you have any questions about business ownership.
Learn more about Andy and franchise ownership through these resources:
Service Based vs Brick and Mortar
Talk about this story and more in The Tigers' Lair
Make sure you're caught up on all the Tiger news and headlines
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for video and live streaming coverage
