Missouri just finished up fall camp over the weekend and will start to turn its attention to its season opener versus South Dakota on Aug. 31.
With most positions likely being determined internally, let's project who the first team offense will be entering week one.
Quarterback
Players available: Brady Cook (Jr.), Sam Horn (R-Fr.), Jake Garcia (So.), Dylan Laible (Jr.), Gabarri Johnson (Fr.) Brett Brown (R-Fr.), Tommy Lock (R-So.)
Analysis: This was largely a three-man race from spring all of the way until last week among Cook, Horn and Garcia but now it's looking like it's just a competition between the former two.
This seems to reflect Cook and Horn having better camps than Garcia more so than Garcia having a bad camp. This indicates the quarterback room is in a much better spot than it was a year ago.
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz has said multiple quarterbacks will probably play in the first two games if he doesn't have a definitive starter which he doesn't yet.
Projected starter: Cook
Cook will take the first snap versus South Dakota but he and Horn may split the reps for the first game of two. It's hard to determine who will be the true starter when the team faces Kansas State in week three 一 it'll be easier to project the starter for the rest of the season once the first couple of games go by.
Running back
Players available: Cody Schrader (Gr.), Nathaniel Peat (Gr.), Tavorus Jones (R-Fr.), Jamal Roberts (Fr.), Anthony Favrow (R-Fr.), Bryce Jackson (So.), Michael Cox (Jr.), Christopher Kreh (R-So.)
Analysis: The top four backs will be Schrader, Peat, Jones and Roberts, but the only real question for this group is who will be the third-string running back?
Schrader and Peat are locked in as the top two backs, but Roberts has been pushing Jones for the third spot.
He's had a really strong offseason, and at 5-foot-11 and 197 pounds, he has a good blend of physicality and speed.
Jones has had a solid camp as well, and the story for him has been about putting everything together.
Projected starter: Schrader
Schrader will be the starter. He's not the most athletically gifted of the four but he's earned the trust of the team with his ball security and consistency.
Overall, this will be a running back by-committee team with the top four backs all seeing some carries throughout the season.
Wide receivers
Players available: Luther Burden III (So.), Theo Wease (Sr.), Mookie Cooper (Jr.), Mekhi Miller (So.), Peanut Houston (R-Sr.), Dannis Jackson (Jr.), Ja'Marion Wayne (R-Fr.) Joshua Manning (Fr.), Daniel Blood (Fr.), Marquis Johnson (Fr.), Logan Muckey (R-So.), Noah Flaskamp (Fr.)
Analysis: Burden is the face of the team. Enough said.
Wease had a really good spring camp and followed that up with a really solid fall camp. The coaching staff is excited about his length and athleticism and he should be a threat in the intermediate to deep ranges of the field.
Drinkwitz dubbed both Cooper and Miller as "Mr. Consistent" type of guys.
They'll be great complementary pieces with Miller being the second slot guy behind Burden and Cooper being someone who can do work on underneath and deep routes.
Jackson represents a player that is similar to Burden in play style. A receiver who can play inside or out, and may not be the fastest player but can make plays when he has the ball in space.
Houston and Wayne are really athletic players, but they were usually working with the reserves during camp.
Manning, Blood and Johnson all did well in fall camp and can possibly see the field. If we had to bet on who avoids the redshirt it would probably be Manning.
However, Blood and Johnson worked with Burden as punt returners during camp. So, if there's ever a time Burden or the Tigers don't want No. 3 returning punts, one of those two freshmen will have a shot to do the job.
Projected starter: Burden, Wease and Cooper
The only starter as of now who will have to watch out for their starting spot is probably Cooper with Miller being a viable option to start as well.
It's possible Miller does start some games later on in the season but for now, the nod goes to the former Ohio State Buckeye.
Tight end
Players available: Tyler Stephens (Sr.), Brett Norfleet (Fr.), Jordon Harris (Fr.) Max Whisner (R-Fr.), Ryan Hoerstkamp (R-So.), Shawn Hendershot (Jr.), Tucker Miller (R-Fr.)
Analysis: Heading into the offseason the thought around this position was it couldn't get much worse than it was a season ago.
Stephens, Kibet Chepyator and Hoerstkamp combined for 10 receptions, 102 yards and two touchdowns while the former two ranked among the bottom five players on the team in run blocking, according to PFF College.
Stephens has improved and was taking snaps with the ones for much of camp.
Luckily for the Tigers and their fans, it appears the future of the tight end position is already on the roster in Norfleet and Harris.
Every week it seemed like there was a positive report about the freshmen duo with the most surprising positive being their physicality in the run game.
Whisner has also been making strides as well with him taking incremental steps forward since the spring.
Projected starter: Stephens
Stephens was the main starter last season and he retains the starting gig (for now) after he was able to finish camp on a good note.
His experience helps him in this aspect to be the first tight end on the field next Thursday, but he will have to work really hard to not only keep his starting spot but to stay in the rotation with Norfleet, Harris and Whisner seemingly on the rise.
Offensive line
Players available: Javon Foster (Gr.), Xavier Delgado (Gr.), Connor Tollison (So.), Cam'Ron Johnson (Jr.), Armand Membou (So.), Marcellus Johnson (Gr.), EJ Ndoma-Ogar (Jr.), Bence Polgar (Sr.), Tristan Wilson (R-Fr.), MaKyi Lee (Sr.), Drake Heismeyer (Jr.), Mitchell Walters (Jr.), Valen Erickson (R-Fr.), Curtis Peagler (R-Fr.), Logan Reichert (Fr.), Brandon Solis (Fr.), Xavier Machado (R-Fr.), Jack McGarry (R-Fr.)
Analysis: Foster and Membou were the only linemen who went into camp with a spot reserved in the starting lineup. Foster enters 2023 as a preseason All-Southeastern Conference second-team selection and Membou is one of the Tigers' centerpieces for the next couple of years.
Tollison struggled big time last season and he still was in the spring, but that seems to be the Tollison of old. The new Tollison has gained weight, become a better snapper and has taken the role of the quarterback of the offensive line more seriously.
Delgado's left guard spot seemed to be the most 50-50 position battle on the line entering camp but he worked with the first team from the start of camp to the end of camp.
At Missouri's end-of-camp presser, Drinkwitz said there were still some position battles were still to be determined. Those positions are likely to be the two positions on the right side of the line.
Projected starters: Foster (left tackle), Delgado (left guard), Tollison (center), Cam'Ron (right guard) and Membou (right tackle)
As previously stated, Foster and Membou have their spots in the lineup solidified.
Membou was slated to be the right guard but the last two weeks of camp had him at right tackle, so that's where we guess he'll be moving forward.
Tollison retained his starting center spot a little after a week of camp.
Cam'Ron was brought into battle Tollison for the center spot, but after losing that battle he's been placed at right guard for most of camp.
Delgado seemingly retains his position after holding off Ndoma-Ogar and others.
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