You know it's been a pretty dull week when we've had nothing but Mizzou Links posts all week...marching onward...
Mizzou Baseball 16, William Woods 9. In what is quickly becoming Mizzou Style, Mizzou spotted WW 5 runs in the first two innings before turning on the after-burners. Continuing the best 8-day span of his (and just about anybody else's) career, Jacob Priday hit another 2 HRs, becoming Mizzou's all-time career leader with 46. He has 7 in the last 5 games. Scooter Hicks (2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER) and Rick Zagone (1.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER) both struggled again, and that's a concern, but...hey, we didn't lose to William Woods. That was the only goal. The Missourian has more.
Mizzou's offensive improvement has coincided with the insertion of a freshman into the lineup. Andrew Thigpen, the freshman from Midwest City (OK), has done quite well in a small sample size. And honestly, shouldn't we just make Midwest City part of Missouri now? Kind of like how West Berlin was part of West Germany despite being, you know, in East Germany?
In other diamond news, Border War Points! Mizzou Softball swept Kansas yesterday! After an easy 7-2 win in the opener, the Tigers needed extra innings in the nightcap, winning 6-5 in 8. Jen Bruck got the win in both games, while Amanda Renth hit her 15th HR and Rhea Taylor stole her 43rd, 44th, and 4th bases of the season. She continues to lead the nation. Once again, the Missourian has more.
So yesterday's big news (Wuebbels arrested) continued with today's big news--Wuebbels has been suspended for the rest of the spring. That includes practices and the B&G game.
The other big news is that our linebacker corps has gotten a little deeper with Tyler Crane's move from DE to LB. I overestimated his weight yesterday, thinking he was 235 instead of his listed 225, so the move makes even more sense to me now. PowerMizzou has more.
You know, I'm thinking that Maclin kid is gonna be pretty good. Here's the first of many "will Maclin enter the '09 draft?" blurbs:
Maclin has been told he might have been taken in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL draft, were he eligible. Several mock drafts have him as a probable first-rounder in 2009 — if he comes out.
But will he? As so many expect if he equals or surpasses last year’s statistics: 80 catches for 1,055 yards receiving, 51 rushes for 375 yards, 1,346 yards in kickoff and punt returns.
"That’s the question that will be addressed then," Maclin said. "I’m going to be better than that. Don’t get me wrong. Fifth all time in all-purpose yards. But how about I’m fourth? How about I go third?
"I still want to go out there and do some more things. I’m not satisfied at all."
Maclin said he anticipated being at this level.
"Just not this quick," he added. "I didn’t know if it would be my freshman, my sophomore year, my junior year or my senior year.
"It hasn’t reached its potential yet."
The Post-Dispatch checks in on Will Franklin and his thoughts as he approaches the NFL Draft.
Finally, two basketball coaching links: Frank Martin gets a 5-year extension for winning one NCAA tourney game with the most talented player in the country, and Travis Ford re-enters the lives of Mizzou fans. Not too bad a hire--Ford has certainly proven himself to be a pretty solid coach so far--but I'm still struggling to believe that they dumped Sean Sutton that quickly. It was either a ballsy or sleazy move (or both, I guess).