Commitment No. 13
You know you're a Missouri fan when...
...a commitment from a random, unranked, unheard of Texas defensive end excites you as much as one from a high-three-star recruit.
Mizzou scored a commitment from Marcus Loud, a 6-foot-4, 235-pounder from Houston Wheatley, sight unseen; as I clicked on his profile, I found myself hoping for two things: either a four-star rating (and since I hadn't heard of him, I assumed that was not the case), no rating whatsoever. It was the latter. There is no film of Loud on YouTube or Rivals.com, only some decent offers (Texas Tech, Colorado) and another out-of-nowhere Texan. Loud has solid size for a high school end, though obviously that's the only judgment we can make of him until some film emerges. (Well, that and his name is fantastic.)
Loud's commitment means Mizzou's 2013 class is over half-full. The Tigers have one quarterback (Trent Hosick), one likely running back (Chase Abbington), one receiver (J'Mon Moore, who will probably still be taking other visits), four offensive linemen (Jake Campos, Clay Rhodes, Harneet Gill, Alec Abeln), one defensive end (Loud), one tackle (Antar Thompson), two linebackers (Nick Ramirez, Joe Burkett), one defensive back (Aarion Penton) and a wildcard athlete (Anthony Sherrils). That's strangely well-rounded.
Based on the distribution of offers, I would expect the final nine to 12 spots in this class to focus on 1-2 more defensive tackles and at least one more receiver/tight end (two if Moore goes elsewhere), defensive end and defensive back. Beyond that, I think the focus shifts more toward "best available."
- Hello There, Mr. Loud
PowerMizzou: Quiet no longer
Rivals.com: Marcus Loud Profile
Mizzou Football Links
There were a lot of fun tidbits emerging from yesterday's SEC Meetings in Destin, FL, but only one piece of information truly matters in the present tense: James Franklin's recovery is ahead of schedule. We haven't talked a ton about it, but Mizzou's ceiling gets lowered quite a bit if Franklin isn't healthy in 2012.
Beyond that, however, yesterday was pretty fun and informative. We're one step closer to getting to fully hate Arkansas, and we might get to have a fun "THE NEW PHONE BOOKS SCHEDULES ARE HERE!" live thread on Friday.
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QB No. 1
The Trib (Dave Matter): Pinkel says Franklin's "ahead of schedule"
ESPN.com (SEC): James Franklin ahead of schedule -
YES!
Birmingham Times: SEC meetings notebook: Pinkel believes Arkansas & Missouri will be football rivals
KC Star: Southeastern Conference notebook
KC Star: Former MU basketball coach Anderson was happy for Tigers' success
Mr. SEC: Pinkel Says Arkansas-Missouri Will Be Cross-Division Foes -
More Turf Talk
The Trib (Dave Matter): Faurot Field gets a facelift
We Are Mizzou: Mizzou Turf Install -
I Smell Live Thread
CBS Sports: SEC to announce 12-year conference scheduleSEC consultant Larry Templeton told the Birmingham News on Saturday that the league would go with a 6-1-1 scheduling model.
Sources told CBSSports.com that the SEC is expected to announce the league's scheduling opponents for the next 12 years and that the rotating cross division game will be a one-year rotation instead of a two-year home and home rotation. However, commissioner Mike Slive said "we'll see what emerges with the schedule."
The SEC's spring meetings began Tuesday in Sandestin. An official announcement on the league's future schedule could come on Friday, the final day of meetings.
In other words: an SEC West team would play six games against the other six SEC West opponents, one game against a permanent SEC East rival and one game against a rotating SEC East team.
That rotating opponent will change every year, meaning each league team will play every other league member at least once every six years. If the league had opted for a home and home series between the rotating teams, it would have taken 12 years for each SEC school to play each other.
Mike Anderson on facing #Mizzou in #SEC, says media will add drama to it but has makings of a good rivalry
— Dave Matter (@Dave_Matter) May 29, 2012
(By the way, you definitely want to read the Alden-on-SEC article after the jump.)
Other Football Links
- PLAYoff?
SI.com (Andy Staples): Les Miles, SEC coaches oppose conference champion playoff model
KC Star: Slive says SEC prefers four-team playoff
Daily Oklahoman: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State favor four-team playoff
Mizzou Basketball Links
- Hmm
Hail To The Orange: Assistant Isaac Chew Leaving Illinois For Marquette
Other Basketball Links
- Random Fun With Numbers
Ken Pomeroy: Distribution of largest lead in college games
SEC
- Alden Talks SEC
KC Star: MU athletic director sees big differences between Big 12, SEC"These schools, they don’t talk about just living in the moment; they talk about what’s good for the league a decade from now, 20 years from now, 30 years from now," Alden said, shortly after his meeting with the other SEC athletic directors ended Tuesday. "I’m not used to that."
Instead, Alden said, he’s used to attending these meetings and watching everyone be in reactive mode instead of proactive mode.
"I don’t say that negatively — that’s a fact," Alden said. And that’s not all that impressed Alden on Tuesday, either. Less than a day into the sessions, he was struck by how willing the leaders of the SEC’s power schools were to side with issues that might not be in their own individual interest, but were in the best interest of the league as a whole — and he’s not alone.
"They automatically come from that perspective of what’s best for the league," said senior associate athletic director Tim Hickman.
- More Scheduling
John Clay: For scheduling, who is UK's natural SEC basketball rival? - How To Determine A Division Champion
Post-Dispatch: Spurrier still pushing for change in SEC
EXPANSIONAPALOOZA™ 2012
- BUTLERPALOOZA™ 2012
The Dagger: Butler will join a loaded Atlantic 10 a year ahead of schedule
Mid-Major Madness: Realignment Snubs? The Griping Needs To End
Mizzou Baseball Links
- Still Big 12 Champs
Mizzou Network: Best Plays from Baseball's Big 12 Tourney Win
SimmonsField.com: HI NOTES: A Great Day to be a Tiger
Other
- Head: Asplode
The Braiser: Anthony Bourdain and Talib Kweli Get Breakfast in Brooklyn - Mario
Dirty Tackle: Mario Balotelli will buy you dinner if you find someone else like him
And remember...