I get it, we're back in the dark ages of Mizzou athletics. The last couple years have been nothing short of disastrous for both the basketball and football programs. We've seen a legendary coach -- in Mizzou's sense -- move on, we've seen unrest on campus and some really crappy football.
For me, though, I still see a bright future for Coach Barry Odom and his staff. If you'd objectively lay it out, most people wouldn't expect a team full of young pups, 1st-year starters/contributors, and an almost entirely new staff -- HC, OC, DC, DB, etc -- working in new roles, to come in and lay the wood on the SEC.
We know there will be a good amount of attrition at the conclusion of the 2016 season, and I don't think there are many people who would necessarily consider that a bad thing for Mizzou and the staff. The young men left standing afterwards will be those fully bought into the program, its vision, its staff and their teammates -- that's a good thing.
If you watch the game Saturday, you'll see an almost alarming amount of youth getting valuable reps and hopefully learning from those reps. We're already seeing youth contributing at a decently high level. Those kids will be the backbone of this program for the next 2-3 years, and they'll be the ones this staff builds around.
Give me a core of: Damarea Crockett (FR), T.J. Warren (RSFR), Drew Lock (SO), Ronnell Perkins (RSFR), Brandon Lee (RSSO), Cam Hilton (SO), Dimetrious Mason (FR), Kendall Blanton (RSSO), Johnathon Johnson (RSFR), Spencer Williams (RSSO), DeMarkus Acy (FR), Christian Holmes (FR), Terez Hall (SO), Corey Fatony (SO), Trey Baldwin (FR), Nate Strong (SO), Greg Taylor (SO), Cale Garrett (FR), Markell Utsey (FR), Samson Bailey (RSSO), Kevin Pendleton (RSSO), Paul Adams (RSSO), Terry Beckner Jr (SO), Emanuel Hall (SO), and Nate Howard (SO), and I'll take my chances for the future. That's a really nice group of players to build around, and that doesn't include some of the kids taking the shirts this year that a lot of us are fairly high on (Tre Williams, Tre'Vour Simms, Trystan Castillo, Albert Okwuegbunam, Brendan Scales), or any of the kids who are currently committed to the program.
Barry Odom is about as respected as it gets in coaching circles, Glen Elarbee has been phenomenal and Josh Heupel has a pretty successful track record which should give us a relative idea of what we can expect from a Josh Heupel, seasoned offense.
I see a lot to still be optimistic about -- perhaps it's the eternal optimist in me -- for Mizzou fans moving forward. I think we're going to have to be patient with this rebuild, though.
For me, though, I still see a bright future for Coach Barry Odom and his staff. If you'd objectively lay it out, most people wouldn't expect a team full of young pups, 1st-year starters/contributors, and an almost entirely new staff -- HC, OC, DC, DB, etc -- working in new roles, to come in and lay the wood on the SEC.
We know there will be a good amount of attrition at the conclusion of the 2016 season, and I don't think there are many people who would necessarily consider that a bad thing for Mizzou and the staff. The young men left standing afterwards will be those fully bought into the program, its vision, its staff and their teammates -- that's a good thing.
If you watch the game Saturday, you'll see an almost alarming amount of youth getting valuable reps and hopefully learning from those reps. We're already seeing youth contributing at a decently high level. Those kids will be the backbone of this program for the next 2-3 years, and they'll be the ones this staff builds around.
Give me a core of: Damarea Crockett (FR), T.J. Warren (RSFR), Drew Lock (SO), Ronnell Perkins (RSFR), Brandon Lee (RSSO), Cam Hilton (SO), Dimetrious Mason (FR), Kendall Blanton (RSSO), Johnathon Johnson (RSFR), Spencer Williams (RSSO), DeMarkus Acy (FR), Christian Holmes (FR), Terez Hall (SO), Corey Fatony (SO), Trey Baldwin (FR), Nate Strong (SO), Greg Taylor (SO), Cale Garrett (FR), Markell Utsey (FR), Samson Bailey (RSSO), Kevin Pendleton (RSSO), Paul Adams (RSSO), Terry Beckner Jr (SO), Emanuel Hall (SO), and Nate Howard (SO), and I'll take my chances for the future. That's a really nice group of players to build around, and that doesn't include some of the kids taking the shirts this year that a lot of us are fairly high on (Tre Williams, Tre'Vour Simms, Trystan Castillo, Albert Okwuegbunam, Brendan Scales), or any of the kids who are currently committed to the program.
Barry Odom is about as respected as it gets in coaching circles, Glen Elarbee has been phenomenal and Josh Heupel has a pretty successful track record which should give us a relative idea of what we can expect from a Josh Heupel, seasoned offense.
I see a lot to still be optimistic about -- perhaps it's the eternal optimist in me -- for Mizzou fans moving forward. I think we're going to have to be patient with this rebuild, though.
