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Monday Practice Report

Missouri now has just one practice left in Columbia in preparation for the Insight Bowl. The Tigers completed their sixth bowl workout on Monday morning and PowerMizzou.com has a rundown in today's report:
*Brad Madison did not practice for a second straight day after breaking his finger last Friday. Gary Pinkel said Madison would not practice until the team arrived in Tempe, but that doctors were "100% sure" he would be able to practice and play in Arizona.
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*Greg White got the bulk of the work as the scout team tailback. White looks like he has slimmed down since he hit campus and showed enough speed to get to the edge on a couple of goal line runs against the first-team defense.
*James Franklin made a really nice throw to Rolandis Woodland on the run for a gain of about 25 yards. Over the first six practices, Tyler Gabbert has made enough of a push that I'm not sure the backup job is set in stone headed into spring ball, but Franklin threw some nice passes today.
*Bud Sasser made a fantastic basket catch against man coverage on the outside. Continue to like what I see from him.
*The first-team defense staged a pick party against the scout team offense. Most of the interceptions came against the fourth and fifth-string quarterbacks, but Kevin Rutland did victimize Tyler Gabbert. Matt White and Andrew Gachkar added interceptions as well.
*Play of the day: It is no one play, but after practice, the Tigers had their annual "Big Man 7-on-7" game where the offensive and defensive linemen face off. Here were the highlights:
Tim Barnes played quarterback and actually showed off some nice touch on the deep pass. He hit Elvis Fisher for about a 20-yard gain and also had Travis Ruth in stride for a long touchdown, but Ruth dropped the ball-proving why he plays center and not tight end. Ruth told Barnes jokingly after practice, "Throw a better pass next time."
Aldon Smith showed off his athleticism and got his chance, finally, to play tight end. Smith went in motion and took a screen pass from quarterback Jacquies Smith. Aldon then cut back all the way across the field for about a 25-yard gain. "I was killing out there," he proclaimed after the workout. Smith failed to score a touchdown on the final play of the scrimmage and immediately proclaimed a flag was needed for pass intereference.
The biggest highlight came courtesy of redshirt freshman defensive tackle Lucas Vincent. Vincent got a hand in, knocked a short pass up in the air, caught it and spun away from a would-be-tackler for what would have been a pick six. No truth to the rumor the staff will burn Vincent's redshirt and play him at receiver against Iowa.
*Missouri's final bowl practice in Columbia is at 10:15 on Tuesday morning and PowerMizzou.com will have a full report. We will also continue daily previews of the Insight Bowl and will arrive in Tempe on December 27th to deliver complete coverage of the Insight Bowl the following night.
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