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Practice Notes: August 9th

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Back at SEC Media Days in Hoover, AL, Missouri head coach Barry Odom talked about finding ways to get the ball into the hands of Damarea Crockett more often. That makes perfect sense after a freshman season in which Crockett ran for 1,062 yards on just 153 carries.

“In the screen game and different ways that we can get the ball in space, find ways, because he’s got some things skill set wise that are mismatches,” Odom said on Wednesday. “I think he can handle the workload a little bit more than he did last year as far as number of carries, volume, and what we’re asking him to do.”

“I feel like I’m much better,” Crockett said. “Way smarter. I feel like I’m physically more ready.

“To be completely honest, I was wore down a little bit, but that comes with playing football in the SEC. That’s where I feel I’ve gotten better as far as this year, just taking care of my body better so I can be better down the stretch.”

Crockett caught just five passes for 14 yards a season ago. Ish Witter had seven catches for 50 yards.

“I feel like I can catch pretty well,” Crockett said. “But at the end of the day it just comes down to coach Heupel and his decisions.”

“Both Ish and Damarea are great with the ball in their hands so why not try to get them the ball as much as possible,” starting quarterback Drew Lock said. “I think we do do a good job of going back and looking at plays from last season and finding new ways to get the ball to our skill guys, whether that’s shorter passes or checking the ball down to them.”

Both players will take the ball any way they can get it. And the Tigers aren’t shy about saying they’ll get it as much as possible.

“I expect them to have a bigger year than they did a year ago,” offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said. “Those guys are much more settled. They’re much better at pressing the line of scrimmage, which allows offensive linemen to stay on their double teams and delivers the offensive line to the block on the second level. That’s a big part of creating the big, explosive runs.”

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Crockett could be a bigger factor in the passing game for Missouri this season
Crockett could be a bigger factor in the passing game for Missouri this season (Mikala Compton)

                                      FRESHMEN BACKS ARE IMPRESSING

Those aren’t the only running backs in the rotation. Walk-on Dawson Downing entered fall camp third on the depth chart. While Nate Strong is also in the backfield, the biggest push could come from freshmen Isaiah Miller and Larry Rountree.

“Those guys are great, great backs,” Crockett said. “They both have really, really quick feet, they’re both quick guys. I really like them. They’re catching on to things.”

“Rountree’s really explosive. He’s got great quickness, but also he makes a move and puts his foot in the ground and gets vertical pretty quick, which is nice. And he’s also got some power,” Odom said. “Isaiah being here during (the spring), he’s got a little bit more experience because he was here earlier and he’s done some nice things as well.”

People around the program mention Rountree any time you’re talking about freshmen who could see the field. The 205-pounder says he’s ready for anything that Missouri might throw his way.

“I’m just getting the feel of the whole college thing. It’s different than high school, obviously, it’s a lot more intense,” Rountree said. “Honestly, right now, I’m just trying to get the whole offense down and mainly just find my role this year on the team. Whether it’s special teams or punt team, or whatever, I’m just trying to find my role on the team and be a better teammate.”

Rountree said North Carolina was his dream school, but the Tar Heels never came calling. Neither did any other Power Five program outside of Mizzou and Boston College. He said he’s not looking back at where he could have gone, but instead is focusing on where he ended up.

“I took my official visit here and I just fell in love,” Rountree said. “There’s something special about Mizzou.

“I’m not even homesick. I love it here.”

Now he’s set on proving everyone wrong as Missouri prepares to open its season next month.

Larry Rountree has emerged as an early candidate to skip a redshirt this season
Larry Rountree has emerged as an early candidate to skip a redshirt this season (Mikala Compton)

                                                 COMPETITION UP FRONT

The running game will only be as successful as the blockers leading the way. And the Tigers have high expectations for that group.

“I think if there’s one thing not to worry about it would be our offensive line. I’ve always been confident in them," Lock said. "From day one of last year I was getting those questions and there’s no doubt in my mind our offensive line is going to come to play every single day. There’s a lot of guys that feel like they should be on our starting offensive line. If someone goes down, someone gets hurt, we have a guy to plug in everywhere. Our offensive line is one of our most stacked positions.”

Mizzou returns four starters from last year’s offensive line that exceeded virtually all expectations. But that doesn’t mean any of them are assured of starting the opener.

“We got a lot of guys back up front, we should be better up front. There’s a ton of competition there. Just because guys are coming back doesn’t mean they’re going to be starting.”

Paul Adams and Tyler Howell seem entrenched as the starting tackles and Kevin Pendleton looks to have one guard spot locked down. But the other two starting spots appear to be very much up for grabs.

“It’s the same thing that Coach (Glen) Elarbee preached to me when he recruited me,” redshirt freshman Trystan Castillo said. “He doesn’t care who played the year before. He didn’t care who started last week, he didn’t care who started the day before. He’s going to take the five guys that compete and are playing the hardest.”

Castillo and Tre’Vour Simms, along with 2017 signee Yasir Durant, could all push some of the incumbents for playing time.

“We got a full boat of second group guys,” Heupel said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch the rest of training camp, the scrimmages in particular, and how they handle it.”

“It’s a lot different," Castillo said. "A year ago, I came in, I put weight on a lot faster than I wanted to, wasn’t really comfortable in my body yet. I think camp beat me last year. I had a couple of hard days. My brothers, the offensive line, they tried picking me up last year. I just wasn’t mentally ready. Taking that redshirt year really benefitted me.”

Castillo spent much of his redshirt year at guard, but switched full-time to center in the spring. He could provide a strong push to current starter Jonah Dubinsky.

“I want to play this year, I want to be a factor,” Castillo said. “At the end of the day it’s the coach’s decision. He’s going to put the best players in to make sure we’re in the best position to win ballgames. That’s what I’m here for.”

                                    AGBASIMERE MAKING MOVES

Franklin Agbasimere has added 30 pounds and should see action at defensive end
Franklin Agbasimere has added 30 pounds and should see action at defensive end (Mikala Compton)

Missouri’s depth—or lack thereof—at defensive end has been a hot topic of conversation. With Charles Harris on to the NFL and Nate Howard in legal limbo, there is plenty of playing time available on the edge. A converted linebacker’s name has emerged as a strong contender over the first week of camp.

“Tremendous first step,” Odom said. “Initially going into fall camp, was thinking we’d design some third down packages for him, but after seven or eight days, he’s going to be a really good first and second down player too.”

Agbasimere signed as a very raw 220-pound linebacker out of Montverde Academy in 2015. He's now listed at 245 and Odom said he’s between 250 and 255.

“If we played tomorrow, he’d play a lot,” the coach said. “He’s got a chance to be a really good player.”

                                                     INJURY UPDATES

There were a couple of new additions to the injury list. Safety Cam Hilton has a mild hamstring injury and defensive tackle A.J. Logan is being held out while going through concussion protocol. Safety Kaleb Prewett shed his red pullover and practiced at full speed on Wednesday.

Missouri's Thursday practice is closed to the media. Media will be able to observe on Friday before Saturday's first fall scrimmage, which is also off limits.

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