What's On
Kim Anderson speaks after another deficit-turned-decent-comeback.
MUtigers.com: Second Half Comeback Effort Not Quite Enough for @MizzouHoops at LSU
The Trib: Comeback at LSU comes up short as Missouri drops 26th straight road game
Post-Dispatch: Big rally falls short as Mizzou suffers 20th loss of season
The Missourian: Simmons, LSU top Missouri men's basketball 80-71
Meanwhile, would you like to know more about Rob Fulford?
When you win freshman of the week, like, every week...
...you kinda have to win freshman of the year, too. Congrats, Sophie.
MUtigers.com: Three @MizzouWBB Players Earn All-SEC Recognition
The Trib: Cunningham named SEC freshman of the year
Post-Dispatch: Mizzou's Sophie Cunningham named SEC's top freshman
Spring approaches
PowerMizzou: Spring football preview: Offensive line
Toward the end of the 2015 season, Kevin Pendleton and Paul Adams received more playing time; again, it seems safe to assume that they'll get first look at right guard and right tackle respectively.
But beyond that, Missouri's offensive linemen are largely a group that have seen no playing time. If Pendleton and Adams falter -- it could spell trouble for Missouri's offensive line. This spring will be huge in determining whether those four (Pendleton, Adams, Abeln and Crawford) will form the backbone of the offensive line for 2016.
The Trib (David Morrison): Position Primer: Secondary
As for who will step in for Dennis, that remains open to interpretation. The logical candidate would be [John] Gibson. He has some experience as a starter (the beginning of 2014), started the season as the Tigers' third corner and even got to the point in the middle of the year to where they were subbing him in for Dennis on obvious passing down situations. But then he did not play a defensive snap over the final three games, as Cheadle and Hines overtook him in the Tigers' specialty packages. Gibson's always been a burner, but he's never shown consistent enough coverage skills to grab onto a spot and stick, kind of like David Johnson, but a little further up the depth chart.
*shakes fist* SEARCH FIRRRRRRRRRRRMS
Post-Dispatch: MU used search firm for football coaching hire
Missouri paid a national firm $84,720.60 to help conduct the football head-coaching search that ultimately led to defensive coordinator Barry Odom as Gary Pinkel's replacement. On Tuesday, the school released its contract with College Sports Solutions, the Atlanta-based firm Mizzou hired to assist with the search. MU worked directly with CSS' Kevin Weiberg, the former commissioner of the Big 12.
Athletics director Mack Rhoades hired the firm to assist with his nationwide tour to interview potential candidates, to help with travel logistics, to ensure confidentiality and conduct background checks. Among those who interviewed for the job after Rhoades first met with Odom were Temple’s Matt Rhule and California’s Sonny Dykes. Air Force’s Troy Calhoun, Colorado State’s Mike Bobo and Toledo’s Matt Campbell were also linked to the job by various media reports.
Per MU spokesman Ryan Bradley, the school used the firm for "coordinating travel and logistics...in an efficient and discreet manner."
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) March 1, 2016
For frame of reference, MU paid the search firm Korn Ferry $206K for aid in AD search and College Sports Associates $42.5K for men's hoops.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) March 1, 2016
The payment came from athletic department funds, not university funds.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) March 1, 2016
Running a search firm is gooooood business. I understand the desire for assistance when it comes to logistics and background checks, and I always find myself almost wanting to defend a school for using one during a big-time search. Plus, hey, at least Mizzou didn't spend $200K or whatever Texas did for finding Charlie Strong a couple of years ago.
Still ... $85K for coordinating travel, conducting background checks, and, more or less, making sure nothing major leaked. Nice work if you can get it. I'm pretty good at Egencia and Expedia, and my wife's good at digging up dirt on people, and Connelly-Connelly would have charged no more than about $20K for this. And Mizzou still would've hired Barry Odom. (We had more about search firms back when this process started. Rhoades was noncommittal about using one, most likely to throw anyone else off the scent of which one he might use. That, or he just knew how much people don't like that schools use them.)
Kentrell
KC Star: Missouri linebacker Kentrell Brothers is standing on productive college career
"Missouri is the Iowa of the MAC"
I'd like to get in a time machine, go back to about 2008, and read that sentence to my 2008 self with no other context, just to see what my reaction would be.
The Trib: MU wrestling team continues in role as the Iowa of the MAC
MUtigers.com: MAC Wrestling Championships Pre-seeding Announced
Elsewhere...
Paige Lowary's eye looks ... less awful now?
@PAIGELOWARY I'm on the mend ppl pic.twitter.com/Uq3k8vcXhy
— Paige Lowary (@PAIGELOWARY) March 2, 2016
Top 60, baby
That's something.
MUtigers.com: @MizzouTennis Enters Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings at No. 57
'39
MUtigers.com: Three Mizzou Student-Athletes Selected to Mizzou '39
A really fast relay
Also, thanks
The Kickstarter will remain open for another week, so it's not too late to help out, but I have met my $22K minimum goal, so I guess that means I'll be writing another book in the coming months. Huzzah!