Mizzou Links: Citrus milestones, a Golden finale, and the ability to just keep going

What's On

Gee, I wonder...

11 wins

MUTIGERS.COM: Golden, Murphy Lead Tigers to BWW Citrus Bowl Title, 33-17
The Trib: MU pulls away from Minnesota in 4th quarter, sends Steckel out a winner
Post-Dispatch: Mizzou runs to 33-17 win in Citrus Bowl
The Missourian: Mauk, Missouri football come back to win Citrus Bowl
Fox Sports MW: Tigers run to Citrus Bowl victory behind Murphy, Hansbrough

ALL OF THE SPECIAL TEAMS TRICKS

The Missourian: Missouri tricks Minnesota with gutsy special teams calls
PowerMizzou: Cooking something special

What a way to go out

The Trib: Golden, Ray cap off special seasons in Citrus Bowl
Post-Dispatch: Mizzou notes: Murphy’s career outing sparks Tigers
PowerMizzou: Citrus Bowl Game Balls
PowerMizzou: NOTEBOOK: Missouri milestones
PowerMizzou: Mission accomplished

And then, there's the senior who arguably draws up the most visceral emotional response from his teammates, from his coaches. Redshirt senior defensive end Markus Golden saved his best for last, dominating Minnesota's linemen all night enroute to ten tackles, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a Citrus Bowl MVP award.

Golden accepted the award on stage, and with a microphone, answered questions. His answers came back to three things. He thanked his coaches, whom he called the best in the nation. He thanked the fans, almost all who stuck around for the presentation. And he thanked his teammates, saying they were the most important part of his journey from high school to junior college and then to stardom at Missouri -- and likely, beyond.

Grittitude

The Trib: These Tigers just kept going

Little problems didn’t become big ones. Flesh wounds didn’t become fatal injuries. They kept plowing forward. Particularly late in the season — SEC Championship Game excluded — the Tigers played teams considered a little hotter, a little sexier or a little hungrier for a breakthrough. And if Missouri often looked like the second-best team on the field early in those games, by the end its will was imposed.

The Citrus Bowl certainly followed that script. [...]

Speaking of which, the term "swagger" is overused in sports, but by any other name, Mauk has it. Whatever technical flaws he has a quarterback, perseverance is not among them. There is value in seeing your quarterback throw a few picks, throw up on the sideline and then get back in the game and freight-train a defensive back in the end zone. Mauk, deceptively strong at 6-foot and 195 pounds, concussed Wells at the end of an 18-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and then screamed "like a Tiger in the jungle," according to tailback Marcus Murphy. Although he finished with only 97 yards passing, Mauk targeted dependable wideout Bud Sasser for two well-thrown touchdown passes.

Next year

Post-Dispatch: 10 to watch at Mizzou in 2015

7. Nate Brown, football, wide receiver

The highly touted freshman from Georgia played some this season but had just four catches heading into Thursday’s Citrus Bowl. The Tigers lose all three starting receivers in 2015, and Brown figures to be a leading candidate to become Maty Mauk’s go-to receiver next fall. The 6-4 Brown has the team’s best combination of size, speed and hands, but he faces a critical spring if he’s going to emerge as a trusted weapon in the Mizzou offense.

And your lone non-Citrus link:

MUTIGERS.COM: Tiger Style In Third Place After First Day Of Southern Scuffle