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MV3: Three defenders top the ballots after a rough week for the Tigers

Our staff struggled to agree on which three players deserved recognition, but three defenders ended up atop our ballots.

NCAA Football: Missouri at Florida Gainesville Sun-USA TODAY Sports

Let me just say as the person who puts this piece together on a week-to-week basis — this was a tough one.

The concept of the MV3 — built of course on the concept of a Most Valuable Player award — automatically loses some weight when your team drops a game. It loses much more when you play like Missouri did on Saturday.

Still, we soldier on. After all, it’s not like it was the most atrocious display of football we’ve ever seen. Mizzou just wasn’t very good and Florida was better. When there’s as big of a talent gap between the two teams, that’s the type of risk you run. So here are our writers’ submissions for this week’s MV3 — though maybe we can rename it MC3, Most Competent 3.


1. Nick Bolton

NCAA Football: Missouri at Florida Gainesville Sun-USA TODAY Sports

It’s not too surprising that Bolton managed to flash on a few plays even the entire team struggled to do much of anything. The senior logged 10 tackles (only three solo, but still) and 1.5 tackles for loss. Most importantly, however, he logged a hit on Kyle Trask that led to Mizzou’s biggest play of the night, which was finished by...

2. Jarvis Ware

Twitter: @MizzouFootball

It feels odd to reward the secondary on a night when Kyle Trask and the Florida arsenal basically had their way. But credit to Ware for stepping up and making a play when the offense couldn’t. Ware collected the wobbling duck from Bolton’s hit and managed to find his way into the end zone among a host of Gators and Tigers that collected at the goal line. The starting corner also registered three tackles.

3. Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

We had to find a third person to put here, and most of our masthead thought the freshman deserved some recognition. He was caught up in some blown coverages on the night, but Rakestraw drew high marks from Twitter early on and ended up with a team-leading 3 passes defended. Rakestraw is already paying off on the hype of his recruitment. Once he cleans up around the edges of his game, he’s going to be special.

Others receiving votes: Devin Nicholson, Larry Rountree III, Markell Utsey, Cannon York


How about you? Who do you think was worthy of the MV3 this week? You can also say, “no one.” It wasn’t an option for our writers, but it certainly is for you! Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter at @RockMNation.