Tigers lose two up front

 

Missouri announced serious injuries for two offensive linemen on Tuesday night. Starting left guard Travis Ruth is out with a torn triceps tendon suffered on Monday. Backup right tackle Taylor Chappell will miss significant time with a torn ACL sustained in practice Tuesday morning.

According to a release from Mizzou, Head Athletic Trainer Rex Sharp would not call either injury season-ending at this point, but there is no timetable on a return. Ruth is slated to have surgery on Thursday and begin rehab immediately. Chappell should undergo surgery in the next couple of weeks.

Ruth has battled injuries throughout his career at Mizzou. He missed four games in 2011 with various injuries. Ruth played in seven games and started nine, playing both guard and center a season ago.

With Ruth out, walk-on Max Copeland, who had been out of practice with a virus, but returned on Tuesday afternoon, is listed as the starter. However, he will be pushed by Evan Boehm, a true freshman from Lee's Summit West who has been working with the first and second-team and will now almost assuredly skip a redshirt season.

Chappell is a second-year player from Canadian, TX, who redshirted a season ago. He had been running first-team at right tackle while Justin Britt recovers from a Jones Fracture in his foot.

With Chappell out on Tuesday afternoon, redshirt sophomore Anthony Gatti was moved back to right tackle and worked with the first team. Chris Freeman, who left the team for 48 hours but returned on Tuesday morning, is backing up sixth-year senior Elvis Fisher at left tackle.


Ruth could apply for a medical redshirt and petition the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility as Fisher did a season ago. It is unknown at this point if Ruth will pursue the extra year.

Missouri returns to the practice field at 7:15 on Wednesday morning.

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