With Missouri football set to kick off its season this Saturday, the Tigers look to start the year off on the right foot as they begin a four-game homestand that includes games against Missouri State, South Carolina, Purdue and Auburn.
The biggest question going into opening weekend isn’t necessarily whether or not the Tigers will defeat the Bears, but rather who will lead the Tigers to victory in not only the first game, but in the season to come.
####Seniors
According to the first week depth chart released just a few days ago, the Tigers will have 14 seniors at either the first or second spot in their respective position. Out of those 14, seven of those players will start.
In the senior class, the names that pop off the page are wide receiver J’Mon Moore and defensive end Marcell Frazier, who both earned preseason All-SEC honors. Another name is Eric Beisel, who has become the starting linebacker, captain and fan favorite of the Tigers squad. However, Beisel is not listed as the outright starting middle linebacker for the Tigers. Instead, he has been listed at the same spot on the depth chart as sophomore Cale Garrett.
As for the receiving core, the Tigers are led by Moore, who caught 62 passes for 1012 yards and eight touchdowns in 2016. Moore will be joined by fellow seniors wide receiver Dominic Collins and starting tight end Jason Reese, who caught two touchdowns for the Tigers last season.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Tigers will be led by five starting seniors, including Frazier and Beisel. Along with those two, the Tigers’ defense includes defensive end Jordan Harold, nose tackle A.J. Logan, linebacker Joey Burkett, strong safety Anthony Sherrils and cornerback Logan Cheadle.
All in all, the 2018 senior class appears to be a strong, leader-filled group of talented players that will be able to set an example for the season and many to come.
####Juniors
As for the junior class, they may have the class of 2018 beat in terms of on-field impact for the 2017 football season.
Led by quarterback Drew Lock, the class of 2019 is filled with playmakers such as defensive tackle Terry Beckner Jr., who received preseason All-SEC honors this past summer along with right tackle junior Paul Adams.
The junior class has eight players projected to start on Saturday as well as nine other players on the depth chart.
First we have Lock, who is one of the few 3,000-yard passers returning to FBS football. Lock will be looking to build off of last year’s 23-touchdown season while hopefully lowering last year’s interception total of 10. Lock and Adams will be joined by fellow starting offensive junior left guard Kevin Pendleton. The junior class will also be represented by second-string players tight end Kendall Blanton and wide receiver Emanuel Hall, who combined for 490 yards and five touchdowns in 2016.
Defensively, the Tigers’ junior class will be getting a lot of playing time, as well as recognition. Led by Beckner Jr., the class of 2019 will also be represented by linebackers Terez Hall, Brandon Lee and Kaleb Prewett. Prewett, who is a Kansas State transfer, will be making a transition from safety to outside linebacker and nickelback for the 2017 season. As for the secondary, junior cornerback Finis Stribling IV and junior free safety Cam Hilton will be suiting up for the Tigers.
Finally, the junior class is rounded out by punter Corey Fatony. While this position is overlooked for its lack of glamour, the punt game can become crucial in low-scoring or late-game situations where a punt inside the 10-yard line can make or break a close game. Luckily for Missouri, Fatony ranked 21st in average punting yards for the 2016 season. Also, he is on the preseason watchlist for the Ray Guy Award, which honors 29 of the top college punters in the nation.
With the combination of players such as Lock, Fatony and Beckner, the junior class may have more of a say on how a game will go than the senior class. Imagine how much a game can change from a late-game touchdown pass, an interception, a deep punt, a shanked punt or a huge third-down sack.
####Sophomores
Surprisingly, the sophomore class of 2020 has the most players on the depth chart. Nine of these 17 players have earned starting jobs.
On the offensive side, the sophomore class is represented by some serious playmakers in running back Damarea Crockett and wide receivers Johnathon Johnson and Dimetrios Mason.
First, there is Damarea Crockett, who will be returning to Columbia after a phenomenal first year. After his 1,062-yard, 10-touchdown freshman campaign, Crockett will be looking to avoid a sophomore slump as he enters his second season with the Missouri football program.
As for the receivers, Mason and Johnson ranked second and third last year respectively in receiving yards for the Tigers. With a lot of attention and defensive pressure being put on J’Mon Moore, Mason and Johnson should look to have breakout years.
For the Tigers’ secondary, there will be two sophomores. Cornerback DeMarkus Acy and free safety Ronnell Perkins hope to prevent any damage from the passing game and the deep ball.
Much like the junior class, the sophomore class is well represented in the special teams unit by starting kicker Tucker McCann and long snapper James Workman. Also, an argument can be made for the kicker and long snapper as game changers. Everyone knows that a field goal or PAT can decide a game, but the same can be said about one snap over the placeholder or punter’s head on a fourth down.
The sophomore class is stacked with players that have the ability to flip a game with one long run, one deep fly route or one 60-yard field goal. While it will take strong leadership from the juniors and seniors to keep the sophomore class composed and focused, this class is up there with the junior class as having the most potential on-field impact.
###Freshmen
Finally, we look at the very promising freshman class for the Missouri Tigers. The Tigers have listed eight freshmen on the depth chart for the 2017 season, including two starters. Center Trystan Castillo and free safety Jordan Ulmer will represent the freshman class in the starting lineup, while players like quarterback Micah Wilson and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam look for experience and guidance during their freshman campaign.
Expect to see playing time for the majority of the freshmen on the roster, especially those who stood out in fall camp such as defensive end Chris Turner.
6-foot-4, 250-pound Turner is a massive, powerful player coming off the end who should be expected to light up some plays in the backfield for the Tigers this year. Playing behind Frazier, Turner should only get better with age and experience.
Overall, the Missouri Tigers are a young squad, whether you are talking about physical age or in-game experience. Especially on the defensive side, there will be many starting and rotation players who will be playing far more snaps than they have in previous seasons.
While the senior class is definitely full of the leaders, the most influential class on the field this year should be the junior class, with the sophomores at a very close second.
With a lot of talk about Moore circulating around the SEC, Mason and Johnson should have big seasons, which could elevate Lock’s play significantly.
If the junior and sophomore players on this team do show up and make some plays this season, a very promising future lies ahead for the Missouri football program.
_Edited by Joe Noser | Jnoser@themaneater.com_