Spring football preview: Safeties
Missouri will open its third spring under Barry Odom next month. Over the next two weeks, we preview spring ball position by position. Today, it's the safeties.
SPRING FOOTBALL 2018: Safeties
The Starters: Our final position preview features a group that will see two new starters take the field this spring. Last year’s starting strong safety, Anthony Sherrils, graduated. Starting free safety Kaleb Prewett was suspended indefinitely in January for an undisclosed violation of team policy. Prewett is still on the roster, but he has yet to be reinstated. In the absence of Prewett and Sherrils, the two returning safeties most likely to vie for starting spots are Ronnell Perkins and Cam Hilton. Perkins, a redshirt sophomore, totaled 27 tackles in eight games a season ago. Hilton, a junior, recorded 16 tackles and two pass break ups. Another returner, though not a safety, who figures to be in contention for a starting spot is DeMarkus Acy. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters recently hinted at the possibility of returning Acy, who was recruited as a safety but started all of last season as a cornerback, to his original position.
The Backups: Freshman Jordan Ulmer actually started Missouri’s season-opener against Missouri State as a true freshman a season ago, but was ultimately phased out of the regular rotation. If he can impress this spring like he did last preseason, he could compete for regular playing time. Tyree Gillespie also saw the field last year, but played primarily special teams. Due to the departure of Sherrils and the likely continued absence of Prewett, he figures to have a shot to crack the rotation at safety this season. Additionally, we mentioned Acy as a possible candidate to transfer positions to fill a need at safety; Joshuah Bledsoe and Tavon Ross were covered in the linebacker preview, but each has experience at defensive back. One or both could contribute in a hybrid strong safety-linebacker role if the situation calls for it.
Potential Storylines: This one is simple. What will the coaching staff have to do to find two starting safeties? Assuming Prewett does not rejoin the team by the end of the spring, both names that end up atop the depth chart will be different than the ones that ended last season there. Will the coaches ask Acy to move from cornerback? Will it rely on a newcomer? Both are possible.
Spring Prediction: Acy will make the switch from cornerback and occupy one of the starting spots. Perkins will end spring at the other, but his grasp on the spot heading into fall camp will be tenuous.
Help on the Way: The newcomer likely to make the biggest immediate impact is graduate transfer Khalil Oliver. Once he arrives on campus, Oliver will be eligible to play immediately and will have two years of eligibility remaining. During the 2016 season at Oregon, Oliver played in all 12 of the team’s games and racked up 46 tackles. He figures to be in the running for regular playing time at a minimum, and could work his way into a starting role eventually. Additionally, Missouri signed two defensive backs in its 2018 recruiting class who could help out at safety in Chris Mills and Jarvis Ware. Ware seems most likely to begin his college career at safety, but he won’t arrive on campus until after the spring.