Mizzou Links: #MizzouMade (from Texas and elsewhere)

Another Analyst

Yesterday, we talked about Mizzou's hire of Phil Pitts as a defensive analyst. Today, we welcome offensive analyst Cody Oates to the Mizzou staff.

Butler (Kan.) Community College offensive line coach Cody Oates has joined Missouri's staff as an offensive analyst, team spokesman Chad Moller said Thursday. [...]

Oates played offensive line at Butler in 2004 and 2006 before transferring to Division-II Emporia (Kan.) State in 2007. He has coached the offensive line at Butler for the past five seasons.

Missouri lost three graduate assistants this offseason after Mack Brown and John Egorugwu (both offensive) and Peter Badovinac (defense) followed Dave Steckel to Missouri State. Brown coaches tight ends for the Bears, Egorugwu coaches receivers and Badovinac coaches linebackers.

Perhaps not completely coincidentally, Mizzou scored a commitment from Butler offensive lineman Tyler Howell a little while after this news broke. Here are a few more links to go with Fullback's post from last night.

JUCO lineman Tyler Howell commits to Missouri - Columbia Daily Tribune | Columbia Missouri: Behind The Stripes
Mizzou adds juco linemen : Sports
PowerMizzou.com - Howell breaks down decision

Howell's official visit to Columbia was a huge factor in his decision. The connection he felt with the current Tiger players and coaches made it clear Mizzou was the place for him.

"Just how they aren't blowing smoke," he said of what stood out most. "I could tell from the visit that, everything they were saying, they didn't have a reason to lie. It's all real. The family thing, I got to experience that on my visit. That was important to me.

"If they are showing me that much love, and I'm not even there yet...Just being on my visit, everybody that I talked to treated me like I was already committed. You could tell that people genuinely cared. The people in Columbia are good to be around."

Meanwhile, it's conceivable that Missouri won't actually be signing a Texas high schooler in the class of 2015; it's not for lack of effort, but there's no question that this pretty clearly enunciates the shift we all knew was occurring. When Mizzou moved to the SEC, it shifted resources east from Texas to Georgia, Florida, et cetera. There's still a presence in Texas, but it's not nearly as significant.

It makes sense, then, for GaryPinkel.com to send out a reminder of Mizzou's footprint in the state.

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and the number of current or former Tigers who hail from the Lone Star state is no exception. There are 22 players on the Mizzou roster from Texas, including SEC Special Teams Player of the Year Marcus Murphy, safety Braylon Webb, who led the team with four interceptions this season, and wide receiver Bud Sasser, who led the team with 12 touchdowns this season.

Former Tigers from Texas include first-round pick and current Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Ziggy Hood, first-round pick and current Atlanta Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel.

More Recruiting
PowerMizzou: Recruiting Mailbag: 14th Edition

In the pros...

Super Bowl
The Trib (Behind the Stripes): Missouri and the Super Bowl: An Exclusive Fraternity

According to our research, Britt is already the 20th former Tiger to have played on a Super Bowl-bound team in the same season in which it made the Super Bowl.

If he plays in the game, he'll be the 16th former Missouri player to do so.

If he starts, he'll be the ninth former Missouri player to do that.

So yeah, pretty exclusive company.

"Well, that's cool, David," you might be saying, "but how about showing your work?"

Boy, are you in luck.

D-League
The Pattern of Basketball: D-League Prospects

Jabari Brown (Missouri)

- 6'4 200 with a 6'8 wingspan
- 22 years old
- 22/4.5/2 on 46/39/80 shooting

Brown fell victim to a case of positional crowding and bad coaching in college, as he shared a backcourt with Jordan Clarkson, a 2nd round pick of the Lakers, on a Missouri team that couldn't even make the NCAA Tournament (thanks Frank Haith). He was always really nice, but the concern was that if he wasn't even the best player on his mediocre college team how could he really be? After not being drafted, Brown is showing what he can do in the D-League - the guy is a great shooter who just knows how to get buckets. There's a lot of Randy Foye in his game. A team who needs offense and shooting from the perimeter could do a lot worse.

A couple of things: 1) Eye roll at the "thanks, Haith" line ... because Frank Haith is apparently the only coach to ever have a couple of good players on a not-so-great team. 2) "The concern was that if he wasn't even the best player on his mediocre college team how could he really be". Was that seriously a concern? One that film study and camps and training sessions couldn't alleviate? Scouting might be a whole lot simpler than I thought...

...and almost in the pros

Senior Bowl
Score Atlanta: Get To Know: Markus Golden

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Former Mizzou DE Markus Golden is doubtful for Saturday&#39;s Senior Bowl with groin injury.</p>&mdash; Mike Kelly (@mikekelly1120) <a href="https://twitter.com/mikekelly1120/status/558414497283858432">January 23, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/TerezPaylor">@TerezPaylor</a> Markus is good. Pulled his groin yesterday.</p>&mdash; Rhonda Golden (@rgolden222) <a href="https://twitter.com/rgolden222/status/558360928115503104">January 22, 2015</a></blockquote>

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WHATNOT

Wrestling
The Trib: Tigers embrace the spotlight for top-10 showdown against Oklahoma State

Gymnastics
The Trib: Solid road score early in season has MU gymnastics in good shape

Soccer
MUTIGERS.COM: Mizzou Soccer Rated 24th in Massey Ratings