Mizzou Links, 8-14-08

 Well, assuming Sheldon Richardson ends up a Tiger, this is pretty cool.  After his camp performances (which included weighing 290 and running a 4.7 40), he was bumped from #88 to #22 on the Rivals 100 list for 2009.  Oh, and he just got himself a fifth star as well.  This could be Mizzou's second straight year with a 5-star signing, but...well, we have to sign him first.  Cross your fingers.

 Some big practice news regarding current Tigers: we might have solved our Right Guard problem.  With the solid performance of backup LT Elvis Fisher and the not-quite-up-to-par performances of RG candidates Dain Wise and Austin Wuebbels, the staff has moved Kurtis Gregory back to RG (where he played all of last year) and bumped Fisher up to #1 LT.  A RSFr will be protecting Chase Daniel's blindside (with, currently, a true freshman backing him up), but as I posted yesterday...the Left Tackle is overrated, so no biggie.  PowerMizzou has more.

 Other practice news: Will Ebner will not redshirt (he will at the very least see 1st-team special teams duty, a la Andrew Gachkar in 2007, and might yet work his way into the LB rotation as well); and Blaine Gabbert has a shoulder injury--we'll likely find out how bad the injury is today.  The KC Star and Post-Dispatch have more on that one.

As always, the Trib has video.

 Another freshman is likely going to see the field--the Trib has a nice story on Andrew Jones' progress.

 Meanwhile, the Post-Dispatch talks about Derrick Washington.

"It's like replacing your quarterback," coach Gary Pinkel said. "When Chase Daniel came in, I didn't ask him to be Brad Smith. You've got a job to do, which is run the football team. Tony did his thing. He was a great player. But you do what you do."

...

This year, it will be Washington, a 5-foot-11, 215-pounder from Peculiar, Mo., who will have to keep opponents from sitting on the pass. Washington beat out last year's backup, Jimmy Jackson, in spring ball and looks to have the No. 1 spot nailed down thanks not only to his quickness but also his pass-catching ability. ("Derrick looks like a receiver playing running back," Daniel said.)

Jackson, a senior, will be the primary backup, with De'Vion Moore, a redshirt freshman from Hazelwood Central, behind him and expected to get playing time. "He can play at this level right now," Pinkel said of Moore. "He'll play."

 One thing's for sure: Chase is quite good at the "athlete" speak.  One game at a time, 110%, etc. (via Mizzourah)

All he was missing was a third-person reference to himself and a nice, long thanking of God, and he'd have covered all his bases.

 Mizzou vs SEMO: an evening affair.

 Finally, boo.