Mizzou has been playing football for 130 years. As we wait and hope that season 131 will start on time, we're going to take a look back through Tiger history and identify the best of the best.
Over the next six weeks, we'll pare down our list of 64 players (selected, seeding and put into regions by position) to the best player in Tiger history. And PowerMizzou.com subscribers will make the pick.
The brackets will be posted and explained below. Then, on our premium message board, we will start a poll for each matchup. The polls will remain open through the week, closing on Friday night. The winners will move on to the next round, we will update the bracket and publish a new story and new polls the following Sunday. After six weeks, we will have the best Tiger football player as selected by our subscribers.
There are no guidelines for the voting. You can vote for the player you think is the best, you can vote for your favorite player, you can vote based on what they did at Mizzou, what they did in the pros, who had the best hair or what high school they went to. It's your vote, do with it as you please.
Anyone can see the bracket in this story, but to vote, you'll need to be a subscriber. Sign up for your membership today and you won't be charged until September 1st.
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QUARTERBACKS AND RUNNING BACKS REGION
1) Chase Daniel vs 9) James Franklin: Two Gary Pinkel quarterbacks match up in our first contest. Daniel got more than 99% of the vote in beating Steve Pisarkiewicz in round one while Franklin beat Devin West in the closest of the 32 first round matchups. Daniel set pretty much every passing record in the books at Mizzou while leading the Tigers to a No. 1 ranking and a school record 12 wins in 2007, a season in which he finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting. Franklin was a three-year starter who threw for nearly 7,000 yards and ran for another 1,700. He accounted for 72 touchdowns and quarterbacked the Tigers to the 2013 SEC East title.
4) Brad Smith vs 5) Corby Jones: Two signal callers who drug Missouri out of the depths go head to head here. Jones, who got nearly 75% of the vote in beating Blaine Gabbert, took the Tigers to back-to-back bowl games in 1997 and 1998 after the Tigers hadn't played in the postseason in 14 years. He threw for nearly 3700 yards and ran for more than 2500 in his career. Smith, who beat backfield mate Zack Abron soundly in round one, put Mizzou back in the postseason after a four-year absence following Jones' departure. He rewrote the Missouri record book and led the rebirth of Missouri football. He was the first quarterback to throw for 8,000 yards and run for 4,000 in a career and holds the school record for rushing yardage.
3) Paul Christman vs 6) James Wilder: Christman was the earliest Tiger to advance in round one, having played his final game in 1940. He gets the Sikeston Train, our highest seeded running back, in round two. Christman, who beat Joe Moore in round one, was a two-time Heisman finalist, finishing third in 1939 and fifth in 1940. He was Mizzou's all-time leading passer until 1976. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and his number 44 is retired by Mizzou. Wilder moved on by beating Tony Galbreath in his first contest. He ran for 2300 yards and had 400 receiving in three seasons for the Tigers and accounted for 24 touchdowns. He went on to a successful NFL career with Tampa Bay.
2) Phil Bradley vs 10) Henry Josey: Bradley survived a relatively close matchup with Drew Lock in round one while Josey took out 1940's legend Bob Steuber. Bradley led the Big Eight in total offense for three straight seasons and ended his career with nearly 6500 total yards rushing and passing. He was the Big Eight offensive player of the year in 1980 and a three-time all-conference pick. Josey had nearly 3,000 yards from scrimmage and 31 touchdowns in a little more than two full seasons. He averaged seven yards per touch for his career and overcame a devastating knee injury to return and lead Mizzou to the 2013 SEC Championship game.
WIDE RECEIVERS AND TIGHT ENDS REGION
1) Kellen Winslow vs 8) Mel Gray: Winslow got 95% of the vote in beating T.J. Moe in round one while Gray netted more than 81% in a win over Victor Bailey. Winslow was a two-time all-Big Eight pick and a 1978 Consensus all-American. He is a member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. His number 83 is retired by the Tigers. Gray had 1,491 yards and 14 touchdowns receiving and added another 112 and three scores rushing in three seasons from 1968-70. He was a sixth round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals, for whom he played 11 seasons and made four Pro Bowls before finishing his pro career in the USFL.
4) Danario Alexander vs 5) Martin Rucker: Former teammates, Rucker and Alexander beat Henry Marshall and Leo Lewis, respectively, in the first round. Alexander was productive for three years with 78 catches for 997 yards and eight touchdowns despite multiple injuries. But in 2009, he re-wrote the Tiger record book making 113 catches for 1,781 yards and 14 touchdowns, records which all still stand. He had three of the seven 200-yard games in school history in that season and ranks 1st in career receiving yardage, fourth in receptions and second in touchdowns. Rucker ranks second in career receptions (203), fifth in touchdowns (18) and sixth in yardage (2175). He capped his career with a consensus all-American season in 2007 and left with a school record 50 straight starts.
3) Jeremy Maclin vs 6) Justin Gage: Two of the most productive receivers in school history meet here. Maclin got more than 99% of the vote against Linzy Collins in round one and Gage beat William Franklin handily. Maclin was a two-time all-American in two seasons at Missouri after missing his first year with a torn ACL. In 2007 he set the national freshman record with 2,776 all-purpose yards, including more than 1,000 receive and 1,000 on kickoff returns. He set the school record for all-purpose yardage in just two seasons and held the single-season receiving record with 102 catches for 1,260 yards and 13 touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore. Gage came to Missouri as a quarterback, but made the move to receiver as a sophomore. He piled up 2704 yards (2nd in school history) on 200 catches (third) and scored 18 touchdowns (fifth). Gage has the top two receiving games in school history, catching 13 passes for 236 yards against Baylor and 16 for 236 against Bowling Green.
2) Chase Coffman vs 7) Michael Egnew: Ultra-productive tight ends, who played in consecutive years, are the matchup here. Coffman, who beat Joe Stewart with more than 90% of the vote, holds school records for receptions (247) and touchdowns (30). He was a two-time all-Big 12 first-team selection and was on the second team once. He was a consensus all-American and won the Mackey Award in 2008. Egnew, who beat J'Mon Moore in the first round, carried on the tight end tradition left by Rucker and Coffman with a consensus all-American season in 2010. After making just seven catches in his first two years, Egnew caught 90 passes (the most in the country for a tight end) for 762 yards and five touchdowns. He ranks tenth on Mizzou's career receptions list and was a Mackey finalist in 2010.
OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE LINE REGION
1) Justin Smith vs 8) Morris Towns: Smith had 98% of the vote over Jeff Gaylord in round one while Towns beat Brad Edelman in one of the bracket's closest votes. Smith was an honorable mention all-Big 12 player as a freshman in 1998 before making the first-team in 1999 and 2000. He was an all-American in 2000 as well when he set school records with 11 sacks and 24 tackles for a loss. He still ranks second on Mizzou's career list with 22.5 sacks despite playing just three seasons and is the career leader with 50 tackles for a loss. Towns was a three-year starter and was named an all-American in 1976 when the Tigers beat four top 15 teams. He was the 11th overall pick in the 1977 draft and spent nine seasons with the Houston Oilers and Washington Redskins.
5) Francis Peay vs 13) Aldon Smith: Peay dispatched Ed Blaine in the first round while Smith upset all-American and all-pro Russ Washington. Peay played two seasons at Mizzou, but was an all-American in 1965 when the Tigers were third in the country in rushing and beat Steve Spurrier and Florida in the Sugar Bowl. He was the 10th overall pick in the draft by the New York Giants and played eight years with the Giants, Packers and Chiefs. He later became the second black head coach in Big Ten history, coaching six seasons at Northwestern. After a redshirt season, Smith burst on the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2009 with 11.5 sacks, which at the time was the Mizzou school record. He had 19 tackles for a loss, sixth most in school history for a single season. He was the Big 12 defensive newcomer of the year before making the all-conference first-team in 2010. Smith ranks ninth in school history with 17 sacks and was the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
14) Howard Richards vs 11) Shane Ray: We have a guarantee of a double-digit seed in the Sweet 16 after Richards beat Danny LaRose and Ray handled Ed Travis in round one. Richards started 40 consecutive games at right tackle from 1977-80. He was a two-time all-Big Eight selection and a second team all-American as a senior. He was a first round pick of the Dallas Cowboys for whom he played six seasons before one year in Seattle. Richards is now the color commentator on the Mizzou radio broadcasts. Ray started for the Tigers nearly a century later, setting the school sack record with 14.5 in 2014. He also had 22.5 tackles for a loss that season, fourth on the all-time school list. In barely more than two seasons, Ray had 120 tackles and 19 sacks. He was a first round draft pick of the Denver Broncos.
2) Darold Jenkins vs 10) Sheldon Richardson: Jenkins held seed with a win over Conrad Hitchler while Richardson upset John Clay in the opening round. Jenkins was a captain of the 1941 Missouri team that went to the Sugar Bowl and was also an all-American that season. He played middle linebacker, but was better known for his work at center. He served six years in the United States Army, logging 27 combat missions in WWII and is one of seven players to have his number retired by the Tigers. Richardson spent just two seasons at Missouri but made 112 tackles, six sacks and forced three fumbles despite playing defensive tackle. He was first-team all-SEC in 2012 when he made 75 tackles on the interior. He was a first round draft pick of the New York Jets as the 13th overall pick.
LINEBACKERS AND DEFENSIVE BACKS REGION
1) Roger Wehrli vs 8) William Moore: Wehrli moved on easily with nearly 98% of the vote against Darryl Major and Moore had more than 85% of the vote in beating John Moseley. Wehrli was a force in the defensive backfield, intercepting ten passes, including seven in his all-American senior season (a school record that stood for 39 years). But he was also one of the best return men in the country, setting the Big Eight record for punt return yards and leading the nation as a senior in addition to returning a kickoff 96 yards for a TD. He played 14 years for the St. Louis Cardinals, had 62 takeaways, made seven Pro Bowls and the 1970's all-decade team. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004. Moore had 280 tackles and 11 interceptions in four years. He had eight of those picks in an all-Big 12 season in 2007. Moore also scored one defensive touchdown in each of his four seasons. He holds the single season record for interceptions and is tied for fifth on the career list.
4) Sean Weatherspoon vs 5) Kentrell Brothers: Two of Missouri's best recent defenders match up. Spoon took care of Erik McMillan in round one while Brothers beat fellow linebacker James Kinney. Weatherspoon is the only defensive player in Missouri history to be a three-time all-conference selection, making all Big 12 in 2007, 2008 and 2009. He is the third-leading career tackler at Mizzou and his 155 stops in 2008 are second on the school's all time list. He ranks second on the school's all-time tackles for loss list with 43.5, seven more than any other linebacker. He also had four interceptions and scored two career touchdowns. He was a first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons and spent eight seasons in the NFL. Brothers is Missouri's last all-American, garnering the honors after the 2015 season. He led the country with more than 12 tackles per game and his 152 are fourth on the school's all-time single season list. For his career, Brothers is eight on the career tackle list for the Tigers. He also had five interceptions and forced four fumbles. He was a fifth-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings and is still with the team.
3) Andy Russell vs 6) Eric Wright: Two long-tenured Tigers match up here. Russell beat Adrian Jones in round one and Wright moved on over DeMontie Cross. Russell was a fullback at Missouri who had 775 yards from scrimmage. He's on the list for what he did after he left. Russell played 11 seasons as a member of the famed Steel Curtain defense in Pittsburgh. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler who had 18 interceptions and was named a member of the Steelers' all-time team. Wright intercepted 11 passes in just three seasons for the Tigers from 1978 to 1980. He was an all-Big Eight safety in his final two seasons. Wright was a second round pick of the 49ers and played ten seasons. He intercepted 18 passes, made four Pro Bowls and won two Super Bowls.
2) Johnny Roland vs 10) E.J. Gaines: Roland was the most dominant two seed in round one, getting 97% of the vote over Travis McDonald. Gaines beat Bill Whitaker to advance. Roland was seventh in the country in rushing as a sophomore before moving to defensive back as a junior. All he did there was captain the team to an 8-2-1 record and a Sugar Bowl win while being named an all-American. He had six interceptions, third in school history, and had 690 return yards. He went back to offense in the pros and was the NFL rookie of the year with the St. Louis Cardinals. In his NFL career he had 3700 yards rushing, 1400 receiving, 130 passing, 452 on kickoff returns and 444 on punt returns. He is a College Football Hall of Famer. Gaines was a second-team all-Big 12 pick in 2011 and a first-team pick in the SEC in 2013. He had 244 tackles, eight interceptions and 20 passes defended in his career. He was a 6th round pick of the St. Louis Rams and is entering his sixth season in the NFL, now in Buffalo.
