Missouri depth chart: Tigers release 2-deep for Texas A&M game

Offense

QB
Maty Mauk (6'0, 195, So.) (133-for-254, 1,532 yards, 18 TD, 9 INT, 15 sacks, 5.2 yards/attempt; 62 carries, 402 yards, 1 TD)
Eddie Printz (6'2, 215, RSFr.) (0-for-1)
Corbin Berkstresser (6'3, 220, Jr.)

Mauk leads the way, of course. And in theory, he's got a full, as-healthy-as-possible stable in front of him. Darius White is apparently go (or at least listed as 'go' ... depth charts aren't always truthful) after battling a couple of injuries, and while Morgan Steward is still out ... well ... that's not a new development. Mauk and the Mizzou offense, ranked 89th in Off. F/+, will take on an A&M defense ranked 80th in Def. F/+. In six games against power-conference competition, A&M has yet to allow under 6.3 yards per play. If Mizzou's offense is ever going to click, it will be this weekend.

RB
Marcus Murphy (5'9, 190, Sr.) (108 carries, 519 yards, 1 TD; 15 catches, 120 yards, 1 TD) -OR-
Russell Hansbrough (5'9, 190, Jr.) (122 carries, 591 yards, 7 TD; 9 catches, 54 yards)
Ish Witter (5'10, 190, Fr.) (17 carries, 44 yards)
Tyler Hunt (5'11, 215, Jr.) (2 carries, 9 yards)

No changes here; Murphy is still listed first on the *OR* list. That does seem to dictate who starts and who maybe gets a few more snaps, even though they're supposedly considered even.

WR-X
Bud Sasser (6'2, 220, Sr.) (46 catches, 618 yards, 8 TD)
J'Mon Moore (6'3, 190, RSFr.) (2 catches, 33 yards)

WR-H
Jimmie Hunt (6'0, 205, Sr.) (21 catches, 277 yards, 5 TD)
Gavin Otte (5'10, 200, Sr.) (1 catch, -3 yards) -OR-
Lawrence Lee (5'10, 180, Fr.) (2 catches, 13 yards)

WR-Z
Darius White (6'3, 205, Sr.) (17 catches, 239 yards, 3 TD)
Wesley Leftwich (6'1, 200, Jr.) (3 catches, 36 yards)
Nate Brown (6'3, 205, Fr.) (4 catches, 31 yards)

TE
Sean Culkin (6'6, 245, So.) (12 catches, 119 yards, 1 TD)
Jason Reese (6'5, 240, RSFr.)
Clayton Echard (6'5, 260, Jr.)

There are two slight developments here. First, Reese is now listed ahead of Echard at tight end. Reese's snaps have been increasing slightly over the last couple of weeks.

Second, Otte and Lee are now listed as *OR* behind Hunt. Brown is still behind Leftwich, but one figures we will continue to see more of all three of these freshmen -- Brown, Lee, and Reese -- as the season progresses. Lee hasn't stood out the last couple of games, but Brown has.

LT
Mitch Morse (6'6, 305, Sr.) (34 career starts)
Nate Crawford (6'5, 290, RSFr.)

LG
Brad McNulty (6'4, 305, Jr.) (10 career starts)
Jordan Williams (6'3, 295, So.)

C
Evan Boehm (6'3, 320, Jr.) (35 career starts)
Alec Abeln (6'3, 290, RSFr.)
Stephen Carberry (6'5, 300, Sr.)

RG
Connor McGovern (6'4, 300, Jr.) (23 career starts)
Mitch Hall (6'5, 310, Jr.) (4 career starts)

RT
Taylor Chappell (6'5, 300, Jr.) (5 career start)
Clay Rhodes (6'5, 290, RSFr.)

No changes here. The starting lineup is up to 107 career starts now.

Defense

DE
Markus Golden (6'3, 260, Sr.) (30.0 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 1 FR, 2 PBU, 4 QB hurries)
Marcus Loud (6'4, 260, RSFr.) (7.0 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 1 QB hurry)

DT
Matt Hoch (6'5, 295, Sr.) (15.5 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 2 PBU, 2 QB hurries) -OR-
Lucas Vincent (6'2, 300, Sr.) (16.5 tackles, 4 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 FR)

NG
Harold Brantley (6'3, 280, So.) (23.5 tackles, 6 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 PBU, 5 QB hurries)
Josh Augusta (6'4, 335, So.) (8.0 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FF)
Rickey Hatley (6'4, 285, So.) (3.5 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF)

DE
Shane Ray (6'3, 245, Jr.) (44.5 tackles, 16 TFL, 12 sacks, 2 FF, 1 PBU, 4 QB hurries)
Charles Harris (6'3, 255, RSFr.) (14.5 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FF, 2 PBU, 3 QB hurries)

No changes here either. Hoch and Vincent will still mostly split snaps, while the emerging Brantley will continue to start at the nose.

WLB
Kentrell Brothers (6'1, 240, Jr.) (53.5 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 3 PBU, 2 QB hurries)
Darvin Ruise (6'1, 235, Sr.) (18.0 tackles, 1 INT, 1 PBU)

MLB
Michael Scherer (6'3, 230, So.) (58.5 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2 FR, 1 PBU, 2 QB hurries)
Eric Beisel (6'3, 225, RSFr.) (10.5 tackles, 0.5 TFL)

SLB
Donavin Newsom (6'2, 230, So.) (12.5 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 PBU, 3 QB hurries -OR-
Clarence Green (6'0, 225, Jr.) (11.0 tackles, 1 QB hurry)

Newsom is still listed as the first *OR* over Green, and it would make sense that there are no changes here overall considering how well this unit has been playing. Of course, against A&M, the nickelback (whoever that may be) will likely be on the field quite a bit more than the SLB. Newsom has had a nice couple of games, but matchups do not suggest he'll see a ton of snaps in College Station.

CB
Kenya Dennis (6'0, 195, Jr.) (33.0 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 1 FF, 7 PBU, 1 QB hurry)
Logan Cheadle (5'10, 170, Fr.) (0.5 tackles)

CB
Aarion Penton (5'10, 185, So.) (24.0 tackles, 2 TFL, 3 INT, 7 PBU, 1 FF) -- suspended
John Gibson (6'0, 190, So.) (13.0 tackles, 3 PBU)
David Johnson (5'11, 195, Jr.) (5.0 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 FF)

And now for the big changes. Following his Thursday night marijuana citation, it appears Aarion Penton indeed won't be making the trip. We expected as much. And as one would guess, John Gibson will start in his place. Gibson started opposite Penton to start the season, but he had been passed by the quickly emerging Kenya Dennis on the depth chart. He'll get an immense test and opportunity to prove himself as starter-caliber again in Penton's absence.

Beyond that, however, it will be interesting to see how deep Mizzou goes here. Considering A&M's offense, one assumes this will give Logan Cheadle his biggest opportunity to prove himself as well, along with David Johnson, of course.

SS
Braylon Webb (6'0, 200, Sr.) (38.0 tackles, 4 INT, 1 FR, 2 PBU)
Duron Singleton (6'1, 210, Sr.) (28.5 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 FR)
Anthony Sherrils (6'0, 190, RSFr.) (5.0 tackles)

FS
Ian Simon (6'0, 195, Jr.) (26.0 tackles, 1 PBU, 1 FF)
Cortland Browning (6'1, 205, Jr.) (2.0 tackles, 1 PBU)
Thomas Wilson (5'10, 190, Fr.) (10.0 tackles, 1 PBU)

Webb is presumably still suspended for the first half against A&M following his targeting ejection against Kentucky. Mizzou might start Singleton there and play Thomas Wilson quite a bit at nickel, or Dave Steckel might instead choose to start Browning while keeping Singleton at nickel, where he's been playing really well. I prefer the former, just because I always like seeing freshmen getting tested (and I really like Wilson), but the latter wouldn't be particularly surprising.

Special Teams

K
Andrew Baggett (6'1, 215, Jr.) (32-32 PAT, 6-7 FG under 40, 3-6 FG over 40)
Nick Coffman (5'11, 175, So.)

Still Baggett.

P
Christian Brinser (6'2, 195, Sr.) (53 punts, 41.3 average, 19 fair caught, 19 inside 20)
Andrew Baggett (6'1, 215, Jr.)

Still Brinser.

KR
Marcus Murphy (5'9, 190, Sr.) (11 KR, 32.9 average, 2 TD)
John Gibson (6'0, 190, So.)

PR
Marcus Murphy (5'9, 190, Sr.) (19 PR, 14.3 average, 1 TD)
Aarion Penton (5'10, 185, So.)
Ian Simon (6'0, 195, Jr.)

Still Murphy, but with a new backup at PR now.