The spring game is one day away, and the local outlets are covering a hodgepodge of football topics.

Barry Odom hopes you have a really boring Saturday trip to Faurot Field.

The head coach wants Mizzou to look like a “really well-coached team that’s fundamentally sound” when it plays in Memorial Stadium on April 14 for the glorified practice that completes the Tigers’ springtime together. He wants the game — which will kick off at noon Saturday (admission is free and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network) — to be free of turnovers, penalties and injuries.

“I hope it looks like watching paint dry,” Odom said.

As with everyone else on the offense, we’re going to see exactly what Mizzou’s tight ends can handle this year.

“We’re all over the field doing things,” redshirt sophomore Albert Okwuegbunam said. “There’s a lot of opportunity for us tight ends to go out there and make plays and also have an impact on the run game.” [...]

”We bring a lot of different things to the offense,” redshirt senior Kendall Blanton said. “We’re multiple in what we do now, and it’s very hard to matchup against that for a defense. Feel like we bring a challenge to anybody we run up against.”

A couple of sophomore defenders continue to come along nicely.

More secondary help is on the way this fall with Oregon graduate transfer Khalil Oliver, but for the time being, the Tigers have looked to sophomore Tyree Gillespie and converted linebacker Joshuah Bledsoe for answers on the back end.

“It’s about how fast they can grasp the game concept-wise so they’re playing fast, reacting instead of processing,” Walters said. “They’ve got to do a great job this offseason, spending extra time in the film room to be what we need them to be.”

Corey Fatony didn’t like being outdueled by Texas’ Michael Dickson last year. Time to become Michael Dickson.

“I think if I do my job well, and I do everything I need to do, something like that maybe will come, but that’s not my primary focus,” Fatony said. “My primary focus is doing everything I can for my team.”

While the Franklin, Tennessee, product is focused and reserved, don’t confuse those qualities for a lack of confidence. When asked if he feels he can have dominant, Dickson-esque games in the fall, Fatony gave his simplest and most certain answer yet.

”Absolutely.”

Yesterday at Rock M

More Links:

• Mizzou’s in pretty good shape with four-star St. Louis WR Marcus Washington, who has been to Columbia a couple of different times recently. Meanwhile, it appears Barry Odom has now offered high-three-star St. Louis defensive end Moses Okpala as well.

• Keep Mizzou DT Antar Thompson in his thoughts — his father just passed away.

• Today’s (well, yesterday’s) view of the stadium.

• Mizzou Softball hosts yet another elite team this weekend — this time it’s No. 8 Auburn. Meanwhile, Mizzou Baseball visits No. 1 Florida. Taking one of three would be a solid weekend for both teams.
• It’s off to Fayetteville for Mizzou Track & Field.
• Mizzou Tennis couldn’t keep up against No. 31 Tennessee.
• Wanna run a mile for inclusion?