Advertisement
football Edit

Mizzou Report Card: Offense after the Early Signing Period

Since the Tigers defeated Arkansas in week 13 to clinch bowl eligibility, the team has undergone a number of roster changes.

Now that the Early Signing Period has passed and the transfer portal has closed for the time being it is time to hand out a position-by-position report card for Missouri's offensive additions and subtractions to see if the Tigers (on paper) have improved their roster.

Quarterbacks: There was a lot of speculation about what would happen with this position group come season's end and there wasn't a shortage of storylines.

Brady Cook didn't leave the program, although there was some chatter he would enter the transfer portal. Instead, he played in the Gasparilla Bowl and had a subpar game that saw the Tigers without a number of key players on offense and defense. It was then announced that Cook had suffered a torn labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder in week two against Kansas State and he played the whole season with the injury. He had successful surgery on the shoulder but will miss all of spring football.

Former four-star prospect, Tyler Macon, transferred to Alcorn State after only being featured in a handful of plays this past season, most of which were decoys used to try and bait a team into an offsides penalty on a third and short or fourth and short situation. He was pegged as the team's fourth-string quarterback and usually ran the scout team, so it was almost a certainty he would be doing that same job in 2023 if he stayed.

The team did add three quarterbacks to the roster; Miami transfer Jake Garcia, four-star recruit Gabarri Johnson and JUCO transfer Dylan Laible.

Garcia is a former four-star prospect and the 47th-ranked player in the class of 2021, and got playing time for the Hurricanes after their starter, Tyler Van Dyke, went down with an injury early in the season versus Duke. He completed 68 of 115 (59%) passes for 803 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions across eight games and four starts, in which he went 1-3.

He can push for the starting job, which is something he and the coaching staff obviously believe since he's transferring in. He comes from a similar spread offense and can make all the throws required to be an effective quarterback in this offense. Spring football will be a two-man race between him and Sam Horn.

Johnson will likely assume the role Horn had last season as the four-star redshirt quarterback. He is a good prospect for the future, but likely isn't going to be an impact player this season.

Laible is a walk-on transfer probably on the roster for depth at the position.

When Cook recovers from his injury it will be a three-man race in fall camp for the starting position. Considering Cook won the starting position a week into fall camp last season versus Jack Abraham entering his seventh year and Horn who was a true freshman, the camp battle this season should be more competitive with each player having a good case as to why they should start. The next several months on the practice field will determine who earns the opportunity though. GRADE: B+

Advertisement

Running back: There was one departure from this group with Elijah Young deciding to take his talents to Western Kentucky. Young didn't play much and had just 19 carries for 93 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and a fumble in 2022. For his career, he recorded 66 rushes for 333 yards and a touchdown.

From an on-the-field standpoint, losing Young isn't a significant loss and it actually opens up a spot for someone else on the roster to emerge.

Mizzou currently has Cody Schrader, Nathaniel Peat, Tavorus Jones, Taj Butts, BJ Harris, Michael Cox and three-star signee Jamal Roberts.

The only addition to this position group is Roberts, who helped lead his Saint Mary's (MO) team to a state championship by rushing for 1,899 yards and 29 touchdowns (11.1 yards per carry). He also was a track star and recorded a 10.94 in the 100-meters, but also helped bring home state titles in the 4x100 and 4x200 state championships.

Schrader was the team's leading rusher with 170 rushes for 746 yards and nine touchdowns despite being a walk-on transfer to start the season. Peat was second among running backs with 100 carries for 438 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a receiving touchdown.

Jones, Butts, Harris and Cox all had limited roles.

Schrader proved he is better when he is a part of a committee and Peat struggled with ball security.

Jones was a four-star true freshman last season who will likely garner more reps next season, but if the team is not looking at him or the other backs on the roster to be the feature back next season or a part of the committee it should consider adding another running back from the portal when it re-opens May 1-15. GRADE: C+

Wide receivers: The biggest loss for Missouri to the portal was all-SEC second-team selection Dominic Lovett, who posted 56 receptions for 846 yards and three touchdowns. He was the best offensive player on the team and when he wasn't getting the targets or was hurt there was a noticeable difference in the offense. Lovett transferred to division foe and reigning two-time national champion Georgia. So, his departure is a bit of a double whammy.

Barrett Banister's eligibility finally ran out after six seasons and Tauskie Dove transferred to Memphis.

The newcomers to this group were sizable ones as far as talent with Theo Wease transferring in from Oklahoma and Dannis Jackson coming in from Ole Miss. Mizzou also added four-star recruit Joshua Manning and three-star recruits Daniel Blood and Marquis Johnson.

The addition of Wease, the No. 44 available overall transfer by Rivals.com, will likely allow Luther Burden III to move into the slot, something he couldn't do because of the number of players who could play inside last season. In three seasons in Norman, the former five-star prospect caught 64 passes for 1,033 yards and 10 touchdowns. This past season, Wease caught 19 passes for 378 yards and four touchdowns. He also averaged 19.9 yards per reception meaning he can fill that deep-threat role Lovett had.

Jackson entered the transfer portal in early September, so he hasn't played since 2021 when he had 12 receptions, 244 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Despite not playing last season, he was still ranked as the No. 106 available overall transfer.

He's a fluid player who has a similar game to Burden in the aspect that he is more quick than fast and he doesn't have top-flight speed, but he does well in space and moving laterally.

At 6-2 and 195 pounds, Manning already has good size for an incoming freshman. He racked up 73 catches for 1,003 yards and 17 touchdowns for Lee Summit (Mo.) last season. He is good at high-pointing the ball, he is a good vertical threat and he can flip the switch and turn on the afterburners if there's enough space. Considering Wease, Jackson, Burden, Mookie Cooper, Mekhi Miller, Chance Luper, Peanut Houston, Logan Muckey and his brother Micah Manning all have more experience than him it's not likely he will play much. However, that was thought to be the case for Miller last season and he became a factor down the stretch last season.

Blood may have an easier path to the field than Manning despite the latter being a higher-rated recruit. Blood helped lead Destrehan (La.) to a state championship and had 20 receptions for 441 yards and 10 touchdowns, but he also added five punt returns for touchdowns. Burden was the Tigers' primary punt returner from week three onward, but if Mizzou wants to preserve its star wide receiver or if Burden misses some punt opportunities for whatever reason Blood could be a suitable replacement.

Johnson has family ties to the program with his dad, Domonique, having played for the school in 2005 and 2006. Marquis recorded 34 receptions for 1,178 yards (34.6 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns for Dickinson (Tex.) last season. Five of his 12 touchdowns came on deep post routes or vertical routes along the sideline. He is capable of making players miss and has good speed after the catch as well. His situation will likely be similar to Manning's. Expect them both to redshirt, but if either one of them finds themselves playing in a role remotely similar it wouldn't be the biggest shock in the world with the talent they're bringing.

Burden will lead the charge in the new youth movement for this position group and with the additions made to this group, it has not only gotten better for 2023 but for the future. GRADE: A

Tight End: This position was unquestionably the worst position group for the Tigers this season. Tyler Stephens, Kibet Chepyator and Ryan Hoerstkamp combined for 10 receptions for 116 yards and two touchdowns. They weren't much better when they were run-blocking as Stephens graded out as Mizzou's worst run-blocker for Mizzou at 36.5 while Chepyator was second-to-last at 37.1, according to PFF College.

The Tigers' first commitment from the class of 2023 came from four-star Brett Norfleet, who proved to be a great run blocker at Francis Howell (Mo.). At this moment, he is a better blocking tight end than a receiving tight end, but that doesn't mean he can't be a factor in the receiving game. He recorded 28 catches for 404 yards and seven touchdowns and helped lead Francis Howell to a Class 5A state championship.

Mizzou grabbed nine players from the transfer portal including a pair of wide receivers and an offensive tackle, but it didn't take a tight end in the initial 45-day portal window. So, considering Stephens led the way this past season with five receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown, then Missouri should probably get a tight end from the portal.

Getting a physical four-star talent at the position is a great start but considering Norfleet may not usurp Stephens, Hoerstkamp, Max Whisner and Gavin McKay to play in his true freshman season, then that doesn't do much to help the position in 2023. If he plays, even strictly to be a blocker then it's a different story. GRADE: C

Offensive line: Far too often this group was committing self-inflicted wounds, whether it was penalties, allowing tackles for loss and or sacks. Combine that with injuries and that makes for an inconsistent offensive line that had six different starting lineups in 2022.

The lone loss for this group was right tackle Hyrin White, who missed all of 2022 dealing with an achilles injury. He was granted a medical redshirt for the 2023 season and has since transferred to SMU.

White's likely replacement is Eastern Michigan transfer offensive tackle Marcellus Johnson, who started the last 32 games for the Eagles at left tackle. Since Javon Foster is returning instead of declaring for the NFL Draft, Johnson is likely to move over to right tackle.

The team's second-highest-ranked signee, Logan Reichert, out of Raytown (Mo.) is ranked as the 199th player in the Rivals250. At 6-8 and 345 pounds, he has the size to be inserted into the lineup this upcoming season, although that may be a little aggressive as far as a timeline. Reichert is joined in the recruiting class by 6-7, 275-pound Brandon Solis out of Lipscomb Academy (Tenn.). Neither one of them is likely to be a significant ontributor next season ahead of Valen Erickson, MaKyi Lee, Curtis Peagler or Tristan Wilson when it comes to the tackle spots.

On the interior of the line, Xavier Delgado is slated to return at left guard, Connor Tollison is coming back at center and Mitchell Walters is back at right guard. However, Tollison and Walters struggled the most of any linemen who played significant snaps last season and they're starting spots are not guaranteed. Center Bence Polgar transferred in from Buffalo and considering the NCAA ruled him ineligible for all of 2022, he could be seen as an "addition."

There appears to be good upside at the tackle spots in the next year or so, but there should probably be another addition via the portal on the interior of the line. GRADE: B-

Coaching: Possibly the biggest acquisition of the Tigers' offseason was adding former Fresno State quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Kirby Moore to fill both roles for them. Despite Bush Hamdan's three-game sample size at the end of the season, he didn't get named the offensive coordinator for the Tigers and instead took a pay cut to be the offensive coordinator at the alma mater him and Moore share, Boise State.

Moore not only takes over as the offensive coordinator, but he is now has usurped Drinkwitz as the main play caller. Last season, Fresno State finished 27th in passing offense at 270.6 yards per game, 52nd in scoring offense at 30.6 points per game and 53rd in the FBS in total offense at 402.8 total yards per game.

Moore was only the offensive coordinator last season, but he was the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach prior to that. Bulldogs' quarterback Jake Haener combined for 6,992 passing yards, 53 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and an 18-5 record during that time. GRADE: A

Stay up to date on all the Mizzou news with your premium subscription

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

Follow our entire staff on Twitter

Advertisement