Another Day, Another Football Coach Leaving

**UPDATE: I worked on this prior to the LSU game, as I am not feeling super great — before you worry, I took a rapid Covid test and it was negative — so I’ll leave a detailed wrap up to Lauren later on. But I’ll just say, HOW BOUT THE FIGHT OF THIS TEAM, Y’ALL. WOW.

RANK THEM.

So, about what’s happening with the football team…

I’m a bit alarmed at the rate at which Mizzou Football is hemorrhaging coaches, y’all. It seems like EVERYONE is leaving.

Just a day after it’s announced that GA Matt Linehan is leaving for Idaho to coach the WRs at his alma mater, another coach is leaving. This time it’s defensive backs coach Aaron Fletcher, who resigned from his position on Thursday and will reportedly take his talents to Arizona State. NOTE: Neither side has confirmed this as of Thursday evening.

From the Missourian’s Emily Leiker:

Fletcher joined the MU staff in February after spending six seasons at Tulsa, where his pass defense regularly ranked in the top of the American Athletic Conference. The Tiger passing defense finished No. 29 in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in 2021 under Fletcher’s guidance.

This is really awesome. Wish I’d known about it before he was gone…

While at Tulsa, he established ‘The Legacy of Black Wall Street’ initiative aimed at bringing awareness to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Tulsa dedicates its second game of each season to the initiative.

And it was just last week (or the week before? It’s all running together, what is time anyway?) when safeties coach Charlie Harbison stepped back from his full-time defensive backs role to tend to family matters back east.

And of course, this is all after Casey Woods left his tight ends/recruiting coordinator post for an offensive coordinator post at Southern Methodist. You can read more about all the madness from Chris Kwiecinski of the Tribune or Lila Bromberg at the KC Star or Dave Matter at the Post-Dispatch if you’d like more info.

ON TO THE LINKS.

Mizzou Athletics

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Yesterday at Rock M

• Lauren previewed the LSU Tigers matchup, and then also ran the Live Game Thread along with it.
• Sam put together a really sad Study Hall. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of sad Study Halls.
• Aaron continued his one returned and one newcomer to watch series, this time focusing on the running backs.

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More Links:

Football

• Dave Matter off the St. Louis Post-Dispatch talked with numerous former Pinkel staffers about their experience with the HOF coach, and this is just [chef’s kiss] wonderful.
• Can’t wait to have you here, Luther!

Hoops

• The Trib’s Chris Kwiencinski looked at what we learned from Mizzou’s OT loss to LSU.

Missouri committed 10 first-half turnovers, but only two in the second half. MU committed three in overtime, but that didn’t affect the outcome of the game. Credit Missouri for ensuring those turnovers didn’t allow LSU to pull ahead for good.

MU might have taken the loss. But, Thursday proved that last Sunday’s performance against Arkansas was a faux pas, and not the norm.

• From the postgame (as of 11pm, I haven’t seen a KC Star game story):

• The Missourian’s Shannon Mia Belt wrote, MU’s second half comeback not enough to beat No. 12 LSU.

Missouri (13-4,2-2) also saw a key contribution from senior guard Haley Troup, who returned after not playing Jan. 9 against Arkansas. She scored the first five points of the game and had the chance to end a game on a layup that rolled off the rim in the fourth quarter. Troup scored 13 points and led the team in assists with five.

“She’s probably exhausted. I mean, she had one day of practice, literally one day (of) practice, and so her timing’s off a little bit,” Pingeton said. “As a veteran player, I think she understands the value that she brings to the court for us, and we had to have her out there.”

• PREACH, Matt Michaels!

• Go get that money, Frankie! Certainly you can have mine and Lauren’s money, at least.

• Here’s… ummm.. something unsavory about the men’s basketball team from the KC Star if you are a masochist. Or you can read this from Dave Matter.
• After a Bleacher Report staffer fell for a parody account claiming Cuonzo had been fired, BenFred looked at the real situation at hand. It was a weird day, y’all.

Other Mizzou Sports

• Read Dave Matter’s newest chat at STL Today… if you’re a subscriber, and you dare. Ain’t no way in hell I’m reading that after last week’s cesspool. I honestly don’t know how he does it…
• The Tribune’s Eric Blum wrapped up his time in CoMo with one last story.
• Tiger Wrestling had its matchup against SIUE canceled that was supposed to be on Sunday. You can read more about it at MUTigers.com. The No. 9 Tigers next wrestle Jan. 20 against No. 18 Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma.

Mizzou in the Wild

• DRUUUUUUUUUU scored 15 points on 6-11 shooting (3-6 from three) in his 36 minutes starting against the Ontario Clippers. He also had 5 REB, 4 AST, 3 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO and 2 PF in the loss. Looks like the SkyForce and Tilly’s Magic team are off until Saturday.
• JC and the Fightin Quin Snyders faced off against Cavs on Wednesday night, and lost 111-91. In Jordan’s 34 minutes, he had 22 points on 8-17 shooting (4-11 from three) with 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 2 TO and 2 PF.
• Mike Singer of the Denver Post wrote, the Nuggets have not ruled out Michael Porter Jr. for the season, source says.
• Hugest of congratulations to LDW, who has joined a Power-5 staff.

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