8/7/2023 football Edit

Mizzou Football Notebook: Wease adjusting, top CB duo back for more

Jarod Hamilton • PowerMizzou

Staff Writer

On the offensive side of the ball, there are a lot of new additions and moving parts for the Tigers like Oklahoma wide receiver transfer Theo Wease.

He talked to the media on Friday about his time as a Tiger so far and being able to go up against one of the nation's top cornerback tandems in Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw, who also talked to the media last week.

Theo Wease talks fresh start in Columbia

It was an up-and-down four years in Norman for the former five-star and Oklahoma Sooner.

Wease had a solid sophomore campaign in 2020 that saw him rack up 37 receptions for 530 yards and four touchdowns only for him to miss all of the next season with a foot injury.

By the time he recovered from his injury, his head coach Lincoln Riley had already left for the job at Southern California.

Wease made the best of what he could out of his new situation with head coach Brent Venables at the helm, and finished the 2022 campaign with 19 receptions for 378 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

He entered the transfer portal at the end of November and less than two weeks later he joined the Tigers where he feels a lot more comfortable in an offense where he should have a much bigger role.

"(My role) it's not similar (to what it was at Oklahoma)," Wease said. "But, I'm excited 一it's way better. I'm able to play on both sides 一 outside or inside, (and) run every route on the route tree. Pretty much everything. It's a night-and-day thing."

Wease ran with the first team through the first week of practice and is expected to replace Luther Burden III on the outside as the starting x-receiver as Burden moves to the slot.

In Wease's eight months in Columbia, Burden has already made quite an impression on him on the field, but these two aren't strangers to each other. Wease was in Oklahoma and believes he was one of the people to get Burden to commit to the Sooners.

"I met him a couple of times and I want to say I was a part of the reason he committed to Oklahoma," Wease said jokingly. "But I know when I'm on the field with Luther, I can't get double-teamed, so that's definitely a plus. Luther is a great athlete, and I'm trying to help him get to the next level every day. He's probably the second-best receiver I've played with. I've played with CeeDee Lamb."

Head coach Eli Drinkwitz has acknowledged the wide receiver group as the deepest position group on the team, and even though Wease is expected to have a starting role once the season comes around, he knows that it's a spot he'll have to earn every week.

"I've got to come to work every day," Wease said. "I've got guys that I'm telling them to take my spot. I'm not holding the keys or extra information that I know. I'm putting them on game and I want them to (try and) take my spot because that'll make everybody better in the room.

"They (all of the freshman wide receivers) all got a certain mindset and they want to work. It's not too many freshmen you see when they get on campus and want to put in extra work, extra film study and keeping their heads in the playbook. As an older guy, we love seeing that."

The praise didn't just stop with the wide receivers, though.

It was extended to Abrams-Draine and Rakestraw, who Wease feels thankful to be able to compete against on a daily basis in practice.

"I'm blessed to go against them every day," Wease said. "I embrace that to the fullest. Two great athletes. I just know when I'm lining up across from them I've got to come with it every day."

While Wease was extending praise to everyone else, it was Drinkwitz who extended some praise to Wease at the conclusion of the first week of camp for him finally settling into his role on the team.

"I think when Theo got here I think there was a lot of wanting to prove himself immediately and sometimes that leads to pressure and performance anxiety and he's really just gone to work," Drinkwitz said. "Either the first or second day (of camp) he got player of the day and I said I love it because I didn't hear him all day.

"I just saw him making plays and he's really matured. Now, he's back to talking and he's backing it up good."

Preseason All-SEC snub motivating Rakestraw

Rakestraw isn't a man of many words. He lets his play on the field do the talking for him.

After recording 35 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, 12 pass deflections (third-best in the Southeastern Conference) and an interception, it seemed like he had a good chance to be named to one of the preseason All-SEC teams.

But unfortunately for him, he didn't make the list. He was snubbed.

However, Rakestraw believes the snub is just a blessing in disguise, and any frustration that he feels about it will be taken out on opposing wide receivers.

"I thank them for not putting me on there I don't need a big head," Rakestraw said. "It just gave me something more to push for. So, I'm thankful for that. So, every receiver and everybody around has got to pay for it.

"I can play it two ways. I can let it affect me or let it make me get better. So, it's just going to let me get better."

The former Duncanville (Tex.) star has a new approach to fall camp this time around.

A year ago, he was trying to readjust himself after dealing with a knee injury that sidelined him for all but four games in 2021.

To start camp, Rakestraw entered 15 pounds heavier at 193 pounds and is more so focused on team success and helping the Tigers rack up more wins.

"The No. 1 goal is to get wins," Rakestraw said." That's what we struggled with a lot. We had some games that we were one play away 一 Georgia, and Florida was the same. So, we've been focusing on that and just being better than last year.

Interceptions will be a big thing for the cornerback room this season. Rakestraw and Dreyden Norwood were the only Tigers cornerbacks to record an interception in 2022 with both of them snagging one each.

"Things I need to work on are more interceptions," Rakestraw said. "I had a lot of PBU success but I need more plays with the ball, disrupt timing and help find ways for us to win."

If Rakestraw has a season similar to last year with a couple more interceptions he could find his way onto the postseason All-SEC team, and it could be all of the difference in the Tigers getting extra wins.

Kris Abrams-Draine on living up to expectations

Unlike his tag team partner, Abrams-Draine was named to the preseason All-SEC second team and has mixed feelings about it.

On the one hand, he has a boost of confidence considering people recognize him as one of the best in the sport.

On the other hand, he's expected to perform like an All-SEC player and it's not just him, his team and Mizzou fans who expect it. It's the entire SEC.

"Both for real (on having confidence or more pressure due to this honor) because you want to live up to what people saying but you can't really get in your way," Abrams-Draine said. "You have to keep your focus on one goal."

Abrams-Draine earned the honor after recording 48 tackles and 14 pass deflections (second in the SEC) last season.

But something he didn't record was an interception after recording three in 2021.

That's a personal goal for him but at the end of the day, he just wants to find a way to improve to help the team as best he can.

"That's one of my goals 一 to have more interceptions," Abrams-Draine said. "I'm just trying to have a better season than I had last year. So, whatever that means to everyone. That's what I'm trying to do."

"Something to prove" (STP) has been the team's source of motivation this whole offseason, and whether they're talking about individual, positional, or team goals, the mantra is what's Abrams-Draine and this team ready to attack the season.

"We're just trying to prove that we belong in the SEC, that we're a good team, and we can show everybody how good we are," Abrams-Draine said.