With Emanuel Hall and Nate Brown’s groin injuries depleting the receiving corps, true freshman Jalen Knox has had to step up in a big way.
“Jalen’s been playing his butt off,” Lock said Tuesday. “He’s had to grow up really fast on some big stages, and I think he’s doing a great job.”
Knox was a highly-touted four-star recruit in high school, coming out of Arlington, Texas. He was the 26th-ranked athlete in the Class of 2018 and committed to Missouri over offers from Nebraska, Wisconsin, Baylor and others.
The true freshman wasn’t supposed to contribute much at all this season, but was thrown into the ropes and has performed much higher than expectations many set for him. He’s hauled in 15 passes for 280 yards (18.7 ypc) and two touchdowns — including one against No. 1 Alabama last week.
Knox has seen significant playing time since a breakout game against Purdue (5 rec, 110 yds, 1 TD), earning him SEC Freshman of the Week honors. His second-best game of the season came against the top-ranked Crimson Tide, reeling in three passes for 61 yards and a score — Missouri’s only one on the night.
Will Hall Redshirt?
Hall’s groin has plagued him after a red-hot start to 2018. He injured it in a Week Three matchup with Purdue and played hurt against Georgia, and sat out in Missouri’s games against South Carolina and No. 1 Alabama — he didn’t make the trip to Tuscaloosa due to his father’s death.
However, Hall wasn’t listed on this week’s depth chart for the Tigers’ homecoming game against Memphis, raising some red flags.
Due to that, a reporter brought up the idea of Emanuel Hall taking the remainder of the season off in order to medically redshirt and be available to play next year.
With the new NCAA redshirt rule allowing athletes to play in four games and still redshirt, Hall, who’s played in four games thus far, would be eligible to do so.
When asked about the possibility, head coach Barry Odom responded by saying Hall and him haven’t discussed that happening and that the senior wide receiver is excited to return to the field as soon as possible.