Mizzou Links, 7-3-14: Keyon Dilosa's injury and WR depth

By Bill Connelly@SBN_BillC Jul 3, 2014, 4:57am CDT

1. 8 weeks, 2 days to South Dakota State

I wasn't expecting Keyon Dilosa to play this year, so losing him for the season to an Achilles injury doesn't really have any immediate impact. He could have always been a surprise breakout, though, and the injury might put a bit more pressure on the other freshmen. Mizzou's WR depth chart currently features a likely second string of Levi Copelin, J'Mon Moore, Gavin Otte, and Wesley Leftwich, who combined to catch three balls last year. Hell, only two of the three projected starters caught more than seven. The depth is tenuous, and I think we'll certainly feel a little better if two true freshmen are able to quickly become contributors. Without Dilosa, that means two of four needs to succeed instead of two of five. Nate Brown is considered likely. Which of DeSean Blair, Lawrence Lee, and Thomas Richard might step up?

Dilosa out
The Trib (Behind the Stripes): WR Dilosa undergoes Achilles surgery, will miss 2014 season

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Dilosa was a fairly late add to the Tigers' signing class this year, visiting Columbia in late January and committing 10 days before signing day over offers from schools such as Arkansas State, BYU, Houston and New Mexico.

He caught 55 passes for 711 yards and five touchdowns as a senior at Round Rock (Texas) High School this past fall.

Missouri enters the fall still searching for depth in a receiving corps that lost its top three options from last season.

The Tigers signed four more wideouts -- DeSean Blair, Nate Brown, Lawrence Lee and Thomas Richard -- in addition to Dilosa in this year's class.

Post-Dispatch: MU freshman receiver out with injury
RIvals.com (VIDEO): Rivals Spotlight: Keyon Dilosa

Opponents
The Trib (Behind the Stripes): Get to Know a 2014 Opponent: Kentucky
PowerMizzou: Study Guide: Georgia

Recruiting
PowerMizzou: Georgia ATH piles up offers

2. Under 4.5 months to basketball season

More on Fulford
MUTIGERS.COM: Get To Know Mizzou Assistant Coach Rob Fulford
Fox Sports MW: Anderson's biggest recruit won't leave the bench at Mizzou

"I think it's a good fit," said Scout.com national recruiting analyst Evan Daniels. "Tim Fuller is a tremendous recruiter. He's already on board at Missouri. You throw a guy in like Rob, I think it's an out-of-the-box very good hire. I think Tim and Rob work really well together from a recruiting standpoint. Rob is very tied in in Canada. He's very well liked among the high school, prep and AAU ranks. The guy can recruit. So I think he'll do a good job. I think it was a really good hire."

It was also a smart hire for Anderson, who won a Division II national championship last season at Central Missouri but hasn't coached at the Division I level since he was Norm Stewart's assistant for the 1998-99 season.

Fulford's former pupil
PowerMizzou: Gill-Caesar talks Mizzou visit

NBA
The Trib (Courtside View): SEC coaches support increasing NBA age limit