2014 Missouri spring football: Spring Break is over

The Trib (Behind the Stripes): Missouri Spring Practice Reset

"Our one defense is really doing well. I see things I like on both sides of the ball. It’s the neverending story of trying to build depth. It’s constant. We’ll come out of it and say, ‘This guy’s getting closer to being able to play. This guy’s moved up a notch. He can play now.’ It’s that constant looking at personnel. Making sure we have the best five offensive line, or the best four defensive line, then the next five, the next four. It’s fun. The personnel part of this, I really enjoy doing. It’s just kind of a puzzle that you’re working out."

Pinkel said the spring is all about evaluation, seeing which pieces fit where. [...]

"You always want your 1 offense and 1 defense to execute fairly well, for the most part they did today," Pinkel said. "That makes you feel good when you go home, if nothing else. The rest of it, it’s more about...the continuity suffers a little bit in spring football because you’re mixing and matching a lot of players. That’s OK.

The Trib (Behind the Stripes): Missouri Spring Practice: We're just here to do the O-line shuffle

PowerMizzou: Gibson grows up
PowerMizzou: Spring Reset
PowerMizzou: Spring Reset: Part Two

Besides the secondary, the linebacker position is undergoing the most transition. After the first two weeks of spring practice, the only familiar face among the starting three was Kentrell Brothers, and now he's out for the rest of spring with a torn labrum -- although the injury hasn't been confirmed by the team, Brothers broke the news on Twitter on Thursday. Flanking him before the surgery were Donavin Newsom and Michael Scherer. Now, who slides to the middle? Typically that middle linebacker position has been manned by an experienced player. Does Darvin Ruise get a shot there? Or does Missouri go younger and take a look at Eric Beisel -- or slide Scherer into the middle. Either way, there were some questions at linebacker before the spring, and Brothers' injury will force more attention upon the position for the next three weeks.

As long as Brothers is ready for the regular season, this is exactly the kind of injury I like to happen in the spring. We know what Brothers can do, though obviously some more time for him to get used to the MLB position might not be the worst thing in the world. Still, I'm much more curious about Newsom, Scherer, etc., and this gives them a chance to swim around in the deep end a bit more. Let's see what they've got.

WEDNESDAY: Hangout with Gary Pinkel - Google+