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WELCOME, JERRDON!
Rock M Nation readers like yourselves are so very lucky to be able to catch up on the latest TigerStyle news from two very good writers who also happen to be avid wrestling fans, Matthew Smith and James Hackney. I do not claim to know a single thing about wrestling, but I’m going to try really hard for the sake of this NEW RECRUIT!
We wish a warm welcome to three-time Kansas state champ Jerrdon Fisher out of Goddard High School, who joins the stacked 2022 class. (SIDE NOTE: I have no idea how to pronounce this guy’s name) According to Connor Langs’ article in the Missourian, the 152-pounder helped his school with its 8th straight 5A title this year, and he won individual titles in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
@MizzouWrestling commitment from Jerrdon Fisher, a 3x state champ out of Kansas and #229 on @MatScoutWillie Big Board pic.twitter.com/jzWLg50Do5
— James Hackney (@FFJames94) April 21, 2022
If you recall, just last week Matthew just did a piece on the Tigers’ recruiting class, and now I guess he’s going to have to add to it? Fisher joins an already loaded 2022 signing class in Missouri, now with NINE state champions in SIX states: Tommy Hagan, Easton Hilton, & Owen Uhls (Missouri), Zeke Seltzer & J Conway (Indiana), Ryan Boersma (Illinois), Kade Moore (Texas), Clayton Whiting (Wisconsin), and now Jerrdon Fisher (Kansas).
ON TO THE LINKS!
FYI: I’ll have the Kentucky softball preview up on Saturday morning before game time. Since we’ve hired all the assistants now, we’re officially in the offseason, it appears.
Yesterday at Rock M
- PODCAST TIME: Nate & BK ask, Who might get drafted from Mizzou? And what will the 2022 season bring us?
- RECRUITING: Aaron provided some recruiting updates!
- BK: Missouri’s season-opener is a chance to capitalize on offseason fan optimism
- BREAKING NEWS: Sam wrote about the last piece of the Mizzou coaching puzzle: Kyle Smithpeters
More Links:
Football
- In the new KC Sportsbeat podcast, hear from Dennis Gates and Eli Drinkwitz on how Mizzou’s coaches are navigating college sports’ shifting landscape.
- Dave Matter’s new chat at STLToday was equal parts football and hoops. I loved this about Tyler Badie, on what he’s heard about his pro prospects:
A: Badie and his agent believe he could go high as the third round. Fourth might be more realistic, maybe fifth depending on how quickly the top backs in the draft come off the board. It’s not a great year for running backs, so that means teams with a need at the position can afford to wait later in the draft. That could certainly impact a prospect like Badie who’s not considered to be in that elite class of backs this year.
He’s had a lot of Zoom calls with various teams in the last couple weeks and met with every team multiple times both at the Senior Bowl and the combine. I think he’ll bring a lot of value to a team as a second running back. He’s durable. He’s fast. He’s a great receiver. He fits the mold for a modern multidimensional playmaker at the position
- I mean... DUH. Good tweet, Podcast Producer Levi
- Matter also covered news about NIL collectives, where both fans and boosters can pool their money that gets distributed to athletes under NIL deals.
- Listen to a new episode of the Touchdown Luther Burden show! In episode 6, they discuss his childhood in St. Louis and path to college.
- I recognize these fellas! Glad to see the support from former Tigers in KCMO!
One team. One goal. 1-0.#MIZ pic.twitter.com/iIr5mykB90
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) April 21, 2022
Hoops
- Welcome, Coach Kyle Smithpeters! Local news coverage: MUTigers.com release. Chris Kwiecinski (Columbia Tribune). Dave Matter (STL Today). Gabe DeArmond (PowerMizzou). Anthony Kristensen (Columbia Missourian).
From the press release:
“Kyle is a well-respected coach, regardless of level,” Gates said. “He is a great teacher, evaluator and recruiter. I have had a front row seat for 15 years watching him prepare for this opportunity, but also build John A. Logan College into the power it is today. After attempting to hire Coach Smithpeters three years ago, I am excited to see him join the greats who have made this transition before him. It’s no better time to welcome Coach Smithpeters and his family to our staff, the city of Columbia and Mizzou.”
- An interesting fun fact from Gabe over at PowerMizzou:
Statistical oddity: Dennis Gates will have the fewest years of head coaching experience of anyone on the #Mizzou staff.
— Power Mizzou (@PowerMizzoucom) April 21, 2022
Dickey Nutt: 19 yrs at Arkansas State/SEMO
C.Y. Young: 4 yrs at Georgia Southern
Kyle Smithpeters: 10 yrs at John A Logan
Gates: 3 yrs at Cleveland State
- Now that Coach Kyle is on board, there’s a little rumor going around to watch:
The buzz is that Sharp would potentially follow Kyle Smithpeters, who coached him at Logan, if KSP were added to Gates' staff. That's floated around for a couple of weeks. But first, KSP would have to be hired, and then Sharp go into the portal -- by May 1. https://t.co/RCSAI3JYpX
— Matt Harris (@MattJHarris85) April 20, 2022
- From the Columbia Tribune’s Chris Kwiecinski: Junior-college star Sean East ready to become Mizzou basketball’s ‘ultimate point guard’
- PowerMizzou’s Gabe DeArmond talked with Nick Honor about why he chose Mizzou.
- HC Dennis Gates got to participate in a bat signal of a different sort on Thursday… ringing the bell to start the Senate session!
.@coachdgates got to ring the bell to start the Senate session today. Was proud to introduce him and @DRFrancois1 on the Senate floor today. Excited about these two folks and @CoachDrinkwitz and the future of @MizzouAthletics! pic.twitter.com/l7IbhMX8Aa
— Caleb Rowden (@calebrowden) April 21, 2022
Other Mizzou Sports
- Mizzou Baseball’s opener against No. 22 LSU didn’t go as well as we’d hoped as the Tigers fell 5-3. According to MUTigers.com, a three-run 5th inning ultimately got the win for the “other” Tigers.
Luke Mann finished 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI triple to lead Mizzou (22-13, 5-11 SEC) offensively. Fox Leum added a 2-for-3 night with a double and hit-by-pitch while scoring a run.
Spencer Miles (2-4) took the loss on the mound. The right-hander was charged with five runs, all earned on 10 hits in 5.2 innings of work. Carter Rustad gave the Tigers an opportunity in relief, finishing the game with 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
- According to the Missourian’s Chad Silvey, the Tigers improved by six shots and hold a spot inside the cut line after Round 2 at the SEC Championships. (More info on MUTigers.com)
- After a week off, Mizzou Track & Field returns to the competition today in Tuscaloosa for the Crimson Tide Invite. According to the Missourian’s Kenny Van Doren, 14 Tigers are slated for the the men’s and women’s 1500-meter race. (More info on MUTigers.com)
Mizzou in the Pros (AKA: Utah Jazz Corner)
- Quin Snyder’s Utah Jazz (49-33, first in NW division, 5th in West) lost to the Dallas Mavericks (52-30, second in the SW division, 4th in the West) in Game 3 of the West 1st Round on Thursday night, 126-118. In Jordan Clarkson’s 30 minutes off the bench, he scored 14 points on 5-9 shooting (1-3 from three) and 3-3 from the charity stripe. JC also had 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 TO and 2 PF, and was +0 on the night.
The Jazz also lost Game 2 on Monday night 110-104, and now are down 2-1 in the series. In JC’s 23 minutes, he scored 21 points on 8-11 shooting (3-4 from three) and 2-2 from the charity stripe. JC also had 1 REB, 2 AST, 1 TO, and 5 PF, and was +1 on the night.
Next Up: Catch Game 4 (at home) on Saturday at 3:30pm on TNT.
- I couldn’t find any extra JC news for today, so I thought I’d bring up this goodie. Still so funny….
‘yeah a lot’
— Joe Ingles (@Joeingles7) September 24, 2021
I’m dyinggggggggg @JordanClarksons https://t.co/EymEA7NTKG
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