42 | 2023 SOUTHERN FOOTBALL GUIDE
MISSOURI
HEAD COACH: Eliah Drinkwitz OC: Kirby Moore DC: Blake Baker
Columbia, MO
2022 RECORD: 6-7 (3-5) FOUNDED: 1839 STADIUM: Faurot Field (71,168)
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
Missouri’s 3-5 SEC record was disappointing, but a closer look reveals just how close the Tigers are to cracking the upper echelon of the SEC. Four of the five SEC losses were by one score, the Tigers were the only team to put a scare in Georgia until Ohio State did in the national semifinal, and Missouri shot itself in the foot often with 101 penalties. Brady Cook returns to lead the offense with a valuable year of experience. Luther Burden III is developing into one of the best receivers in the SEC. Theo Wease Jr. transferred in from Oklahoma to boost the receiving corps, but that might not offset the loss of Dominic Lovett to Georgia. Missouri found two offensive line starters through the portal in Cam’Ron Johnson from Houston and Marcellus Johnson from Eastern Michigan. Javon Foster is the best lineman and will garner some All-SEC attention.
The defense will be the strength of this team once again. For the first time in four seasons, the defense will have the same coordinator for successive years. Last year, the Tigers held opponents to 5.3 yards per play and 34.4 percent on third down. Missouri totaled 35 sacks, but 17 of those sacks left with Martez Manuel, Isaiah McGuire and DJ Coleman. However, the linebacker duo of Ty’Ron Hopper and Chad Bailey is among the best in the SEC. They make plays all over the field and can disrupt plays in opponents’ backfields, combining for 22.5 tackles for loss. The secondary is strong with leading tackler Jaylon Carlies at safety and outstanding corners Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Kris Abrams-Draine. Transfers Sidney Williams from Florida State and Tre’Vez Johnson from Florida will fight for playing time, raising the level of the entire secondary.
DEPTH CHART
DEPTH CHART
NO 12 20 5 1 3 80 76 72 74 79 50
PLAYER Brady Cook Cody Schrader Mookie Cooper Theo Wease Jr. Luther Burden III Tyler Stephens Javon Foster Xavier Delgado Cam’Ron Johnson Armand Membou Marcellus Johnson
POS QB RB WR WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT
HT 6-2 5-9 5-9 6-2 5-11 6-6 6-5 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-4
WT 207 214 186 187 210 245 320 333 310 316 307
CLASS JR SR JR SR SO SR SR SR JR SO SR
NO 6 0 92 45 33 8 2 14 1 28 13
PLAYER POS Darius Robinson DE Jayden Jernigan DT Kristian Williams DT Joe Moore DE Chad Bailey LB Ty’Ron Hopper LB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. CB Kris Abrams-Draine CB Jaylon Carlies S Joseph Charleston S Daylan Carnell S
HT 6-5 6-0 6-2 6-2 6-0 6-2 6-0 5-11 6-3 6-0 6-2
WT 295 279 314 248 234 221 188 178 215 195 218
CLASS SR SR SR JR SR SR JR JR SR SR SO
6 8 18 2 10 87 71 70 55 75 58
Jake Garcia Nathaniel Peat Peanut Houston Chance Luper Mekhi Miller Brett Norfleet Valen Erickson EJ Ndoma-Ogar Connor Tollison Mitchell Walters MaKyi Lee
QB RB WR WR WR TE LT LG C RG RT
6-3 5-10 5-10 6-2 6-1 6-7 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-8 6-6
194 206 192 186 194 225 304 335 286 327 327
SO SR SR JR SO FR FR JR SO JR SR
46 99 90 21 14 10 29 19 3 17 4
Ben Straatmann Realus George Jr. Josh Landry Nyles Gaddy Triston Newson Dameon Wilson Marcus Clarke Dreyden Norwood Sidney Williams Tyler Hibbler Tre’Vez Johnson
6-0 6-1 6-3 6-4 6-2 6-0 5-11 6-0 6-0 5-11 5-10
233 288 282 248 222 228 182 184 185 188 195
FR SR SR FR JR SO SR SO JR SO JR
92 97
Harrison Mevis Riley Williams
243 210
SR JR
8 3
Nathaniel Peat Luther Burden III
206 210
SR SO
SPECIAL TEAMS K P
5-11 6-0
2023 SCHEDULE S.2 ...................South Dakota
O.14 ...................at Kentucky
S.9 ...........Middle Tennessee
O.21 .............South Carolina
S.16 .................. Kansas State
N.4 .........................at Georgia
S.23 .... Memphis (St. Louis)
N.11 ..................... Tennessee
S.30 ..................at Vanderbilt
N.18 .............................Florida
O.7 ......................................LSU
N.25 ................... at Arkansas
DE DT DT DE LB LB CB CB S S S
SPECIAL TEAMS KR PR
5-10 5-11
NEWCOMERS Theo Wease Jr., WR — The transfer from Oklahoma will be an immediate impact player for the Tigers. He caught 39 passes for 378 yards last season, ending the year with three for 123 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown, in the finale vs. Texas Tech. Brett Norfleet, TE — The two-sport athlete provides an immediate threat at tight end with his size (6’7”, 225) and athleticism. He will also play baseball for the Tigers. Cam’Ron Johnson and Marcellus Johnson, T — The two Johnsons will provide bookend protection for Brady Cook and generate a capable running game.
