Camp Notes: August 1st

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Missouri opened up fall camp with a two-hour workout on the Kadlec Athletic practice fields on Tuesday morning. Or, as linebacker Eric Beisel called it, "The first day of the rest of our lives." It is the first of 20 practices, ten of which will be open to the media, during camp. Here are your news and notes from day one.

There were four scholarship players who were not at the first workout of fall camp. Defensive linemen Walter Palmore and Malik Young were not in attendance, along with wide receivers O'Shae Clark and DaRon Davis.

Palmore is en route to Columbia and will be ready to go shortly for the Tigers. Barry Odom said he will arrive at 4 p.m. and the team is hopeful he can practice on Wednesday. Young is currently waiting on the status of an NCAA waiver to determine his status.

"Still waiting on the clearinghouse with a test score," Odom said. "Hopefully get him here sooner than later. I think both those guys, get them in and get them trained, I think they can help us out up front."

The Tigers could use some help up front. The defensive line is a spot where Missouri has plenty of bodies, but few who have shown the ability to excel on Saturday so far.

"We got a lot of gelling to do up front, obviously," defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross said. "Got some new additions in there with (Kobie) Whiteside, Nate Anderson, Akial (Byers). We got a lot of guys who have got to get in the mix. Those guys have been the heartbeat of this program for a while and those guys have got to figure out a way to come together through this camp because we're relying on them still to lead us up front."

Davis did not qualify and is not expected to enroll this year at Mizzou. However, sources told PowerMizzou.com the Tigers are hopeful he can enroll at semester.

"We're working with him to try and find the right fit and then get him back here as soon as possible," Odom said. "Very disappointed, as he is and his family on coming up short there. But we've got a great plan on getting him back and stay in close contact with him through the next few months to try to get him back here as quick as possible."

Clark, meanwhile, has been indefinitely suspended for a violation of team rules. There is also no update on defensive end Nate Howard, who remains suspended after an arrest earlier this summer. Howard has a court date next week. In addition, a team spokesman confirmed that wide receiver Ray Wingo is not currently practicing due to a failure to meet academic obligations. There is no timetable for his return.

The following players did not take part or were limited in practice on day one: defensive tackle Rashad Brandon, offensive lineman Pompey Coleman, linebacker Brandon Lee and safety Ronnell Perkins. Lee and Perkins were limited while Coleman and Brandon were held out entirely.

Perkins has a hamstring injury. Coleman broke his leg during his senior season and recently had a second surgery. Odom said he will not practice "for some time."

Brandon's situation is a bit more murky. Despite enrolling at semester and going through spring football, he is now in NCAA Eligibility Center limbo.

"We got notification re-going through the paperwork, there was something they're working on with the Clearinghouse," Odom explained. "Kind of waiting on that call. We don't expect it to be anything that would hold him out for any length of time."

A quick update on the signing class of 2017. Here are jersey numbers, along with listed heights and weights for each player. We have also included new walk-ons here

Mizzou has a small group of players who are working at a hybrid linebacker/safety position. That group includes Kaleb Prewett, Tavon Ross, Grant Jones, Aubrey Miller and Brandon Lee.

The Tigers have talked frequently about being "multiple" on defense. These players offer the versatility to be 4-3 linebackers, but also to be more like safeties in the nickel package or when Mizzou goes with a 4-2-5 look.

"In this conference and today's game, even though you get a lot of spread, you've still got to stop the run," Cross said. "Those are kind of hybrid guys that we're using in there to give us a little bit more flexibility in coverage, but we ask them to give us support in the run as well."

Two of the more highly touted members of Mizzou's 2017 class were linebackers Aubrey Miller and Jamal Brooks. Miller is playing outside and Brooks inside. Brooks drew some praise from Cross after Tuesday's workout.

"The depth has allowed us to look at them slowly," Cross said. "Jamal's going to have to work his tail off to get some of those reps. As long as he can learn the playbook and not fall behind, which, again, day one's always a little bit simpler, we're gonna be fine. We're gonna have a hard time keeping him off the special teams because he's a physical style guy that does well in this conference."

One of Missouri's leaders and likely captains has been bringing the young linebackers along this summer.

"Obviously they have to adjust to the speed, but we have a great class of freshmen coming in here. It seems like they're fitting right in, they've proven themselves in the weight room this summer and they had a great first day," Beisel said. "I've been working with them first-hand, me and Terez (Hall), Cale (Garrett), Joey (Burkett), we all get in there and watch film together, we all work out together. We've been doing a lot of extra things together. Not extra. I call them necessary."

"He's a guy that's really taken this team, not only on the defensive side, but the team in general, and he's really been that vocal leader," Cross said of Beisel. "He's committed to the program, he's committed to his teammates and he's really kind of changed the leadership and the direction of what this program has been."

Beisel's expectations for the linebacking corps?

"We're going to be the most elite unit in the nation."

Other freshmen who drew a mention from the head coach on day one of camp were Larry Borom, Tyree Gillespie, Adam Sparks, Larry Rountree III and Taylor Powell. While Powell is likely headed for a redshirt as a quarterback, the others are early candidates to see the field as true freshmen.