Roster Math: Counting to 85 for Fall Camp

As part of Rock M’s countdown to football season, I’ve always started by taking stock of the scholarship roster as it currently stands and see where everyone stands from an eligibility and scholarship management standpoint. However, it’s 2023: roster math, as a science, is essentially dead thanks to NIL’s ability to have individuals/businesses fully cover everything a scholarship would cover for certain players. So, for tradition’s sake, I’m going to continue to do this (to the best of my ability) but be aware that some scholarship guys will not be counting towards the total thanks to outside funding.

Regardless, we are finally into fall camp and the kickoff to the 2023 college football season is near! So let’s take a second to review the roster, count the scholarships (again, to the best of my ability) and figure out where the Tigers stand.

Here is the roster as it currently stands:

I’m including the incoming commitments of the 2024 class (in italics on the far right column) but, obviously, they are not going to count towards the 2023 scholarship total. It’s mostly just a reminder of the cool new people we’ll get to meet in 12 months.

Let’s break down the numbers per position. As a reminder my tracker is not the official list of scholarship football players at the University of Missouri, rather an educated guess based off of what we’ve heard and seen released from various football outlets.

Quarterbacks

Current Scholarship Count: 4

Incoming: 1

I’ll say this in my “Count the ‘Ifs’” that comes out in a few weeks and I’ll say it again here: it doesn’t matter who the quarterback is once the season it starts. That individual just needs to be better than a banged up Brady Cook. By all inclinations inside the program and words spoken at media days, Mr. Cook is QB1 right now and could very well be the guy who takes the first snap of the 2023 season. Whether that means he’s actually improved or the competition is noticeably worse than him, it doesn’t matter. Just be better than ‘22 Brady Cook.

Running Backs

Current Scholarship Count: 4 (maybe 5)

Incoming: 0

Last year the stable of running backs had zero proven pieces but six guys to choose from. Now? The running backs would be the worst skill position group on the team if it weren’t for the tight ends, and they only have five options to choose from, only two of which took significant snaps last year. Tavorus Jones and Jamal Roberts could very much be the real deal but there’s been nothing to even hint at potential at this level (so far) and Peat and Schrader have the experience to get plenty of chances to show that they’ve improved.

And on Michael Cox: the walk-on-turned-scholarship player was a good story in 2021 but the only way I could get Mizzou to under 85 scholarships last year was if his scholarship was one that didn’t count. I don’t know if his school is getting paid and I don’t know if it’s via scholarship or NIL but I’m just going to assume that deal is the same as it was last year and not count him towards the total at this time.

Wide Receivers

Current Scholarship Count: 10

Incoming: 1

The most talented position group in terms of star ratings coming out of high school, the receiving corps enter the ‘23 campaign with a ton of hype and potential and not a lot of proven production. Theo Wease and Luther Burden - Missouri’s first tandem 5-star receivers - have had nice seasons with fans thinking that there should have been more. Mookie Cooper and Dannis Jackson continue to look for redemption to justify their lofty rankings from the high school scouts. Ja’Marion Wayne is back at receiver after moonlighting as a safety last year, and Mekhi Miller might be the secret break-out star that this team has been looking for. Add three tantalizingly talented freshmen as well, and there’s plenty of options and talent to throw to this year.

Regarding Chance Luper: the son of Mizzou’s running backs coach dealt with a scary health issue last year and sat out the season. During SEC Media days Eli Drinkwitz said that Luper was a medical scholarship for this season and, as such, would not count towards the Tigers’ scholarship total. Best of luck and positive thoughts to Lil’ Lupe’s recovery!

Tight Ends

Current Scholarship Count: 4 (possibly 5)

Incoming: 1 (possibly 2)

Last year’s tight end group entered the ‘22 season with 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards as Missouri Tigers, and after one full season of play they enter the ‘23 season with 9 targets and 7 catches for 86 yards. Yay, progress! This is the year that our beloved HORSE (aka Ryan Hoerstkamp) needs to breakout and show some progress, either as a blocker or a pass catcher, both roles in which he flashed the smallest of potential towards the end of last year. Blue chipper Brett Norfleet would be a revelation if he could see the field as a freshman but he might be more of a project the a Day One impact. I put Jordon Harris with the tight ends even though he could also play defensive end; it sounds like the staff likes/needs him on the offensive side more at this point.

Offensive Line

Current Scholarship Count: 15 (possibly 16)

Incoming: 1

With two transfers in plus six holdovers from last year’s rotation, the offensive line has proven pieces but a lack of proven talent after last year’s lackluster effort. Word out of media days — which, again, doesn’t mean much at this point — floated the idea of a line that looked like: Foster | Membou | C. Johnson | Ndoma-Ogar | M. Johnson, which a.) fits a lot of projected lineups from offseason talk, and b.) would be Missouri’s first all-Black offensive line since...ever? Monumental societal achievement aside, we have no idea if Cam’Ron Johnson is going to be a good center as he has very little college experience in that role, and Marcellus Johnson is making the leap from the MAC to the SEC. Lots of questions, but even a “fine” performance at the end of the year would be a huge upgrade from 2022.

On Bence Polgar: last year he was ruled academically ineligible and, thus, his scholarship did not count towards the 85 total. I have heard nothing of his academic status for this year and, so, I’m leaving him off the official count for now.

Defensive Ends

Current Scholarship Count: 7

Incoming: 0

The lone question mark on Missouri’s best unit, the staff did another “throw the portal at it!” answer to a depth problem and brought in three transfer ends in hopes that one of them is SEC starting caliber. Tenured edge rusher Johnny Walker has been in the program for four years now and should absolutely be ready to stake his claim as a starter. If not, FCS upcomer Nyles Gaddy will have to do his best D.J. Coleman impression and/or Joe Moore III needs to find that magic that made him a blue chipper coming out of Cardinal Ritter (St. Louis). And don’t sleep on fellow blue chipper D.J. Wesolak: after practicing with the linebackers all last year, the Boonville product is back to his natural position and could be a surprise hit this year (pun intended). Tackle Darius Robinson could also spend some time as a defensive end in run-focused packages.

Defensive Tackles

Current Scholarship Count: 9

Incoming: 1

The most pleasant surprise last year was the resurgence of Missouri’s interior defensive line, topped only by the fact that every guy that could have left chose not to. So now the great bounty of tackle talent leads to questions of, “How do you get everyone on the field at some point?” and, “With everyone leaving after this year, how do you make time for the underclassmen?”. And, to be sure, there are multiple 4-star talents slotted as defensive tackles who were unable to see the field last year and will be looked to potentially be starters next year...if they can get any snaps this year, that is. As previously mentioned, there’s a real chance Darius Robinson spends time outside but finding playing time for talented dudes - while definitely a good thing - will be a load management problem for the coaches to deal with throughout the year.

Linebackers

Current Scholarship Count: 8

Incoming: 2

Barring injury, the top two linebackers are etched in stone (Bailey and Hopper). After that it’s a question of who gets to spell them, whether it’s sixth year graduate transfer Chuck Hicks, spring practice JUCO revelation Triston Newson, or the number of underclassmen underneath them.

On Xavier Simmons: along with Chance Luper, Drinkwitz mentioned Simmons would be a medical redshirt for this year and his scholarship would not count towards the 85 limit.

Cornerbacks

Current Scholarship Count: 7

Incoming: 1

Another defensive position that has the starters set and the only real question is which backups get looked to first to see playing time. To be clear: that’s a great thing, especially for this season. You’d like to see the youngsters push for playing time but the transfers - specifically Clarke and Norwood - dominated the backup snaps and could very well be established in their position as well, giving the incoming freshmen plenty of time to acclimate.

Safeties

Current Scholarship Count: 8

Incoming: 2

It’s another defensive position group so, of course, we know the starters, right? Carlies and Charleston are shoo-ins, Carnell was Martez Manuel’s backup last year and heir-apparent this year, while Florida State transfer Sidney Williams will probably fit in...somewhere. Look for blue-chippers Isaac Thompson and Marvin Burks to attempt to break through for early playing time, but this is another group that is in great hands with the starters and needs to find backups purely for season going forward.

Specialists

Current Scholarship Count: 3

Incoming: 1

The entire sporting world is dying to know if Harrison Mevis will forego his fifth years of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft after winning the Groza, Heisman, and an implausible Biletnikoff award in his true senior season. If he chooses to continue to sling Thiccer Kicker burgers and kick nuclear-grade field goals for another year is a problem for future rosters; the real question is whether he can get his accuracy mojo back on kicks under 40 yards. The addition of Aussie Riley Williams at punter will be a fun discovery to see how he hangs in the SEC after jumping up from Towson, and incoming freshman Blake Craig will get to absorb all of the Mevis’ Thicc Energy for at least a year before reliably being turn to take the “Kicker 1” mantle.

It’s Math’n Time!

Ok, so let’s get to 85, shall we?

On offense: 4+4+10+5+15=38

On defense: 7+9+8+7+8=39

And the specialists have 3.

Which means...38+39+3=80.

My state school education tells me 80 < 85 so HUZZAH Missouri is under the limit.

Even if you add in the question marks and medical exemptions - Cox, Luper, Polgar, and Simmons - that’s 84, a full scholarship under the limit.

Perhaps another walk-on gets put on scholarship and we get a cool social media post about it. Maybe a mega late transfer comes on board. Maybe the staff just sits on it for later. Regardless, Missouri is in the clear to my count which I think is just great. Any future movement will be updated on our part as soon as we hear it.