Defensive line surprises headline Missouri’s Week 1 depth chart

Mizzou has released its Week 1 game notes for the battle against West Virginia in Morgantown, and ... it includes a depth chart!! (Click to enlarge.)

Let’s dive into it.

Offense

Quarterback

Drew Lock (6’4, 220, So.)
Marvin Zanders (6’1, 200, So.)

The only surprise here is that there’s no “OR” involved here. Lock is the starter. We’ve been led to believe Zanders will also play, however, unless that was a massive bit of misdirection.

Tailback

Alex Ross (6’1, 220, Sr.) OR
Ish Witter (5’10, 200, Jr.)

It’s a little bit surprising that Damarea Crockett isn’t listed here, too, but we’ll still assume he plays. This reinforces that Witter had a lovely fall camp, and I’m excited to see how Josh Heupel and company use these two rather disparate backs.

Wide Receiver

J’Mon Moore (6’3, 205, Jr.)
Dominic Collins (6’2, 180, Jr.)

Johnathan Johnson (5’10, 185, RSFr.) OR
Chris Black (6’0, 190, Sr.) OR
Ray Wingo (5’11, 185, So.)

Emanuel Hall (6’3, 205, So.)
Dimetrios Mason (6’0, 185, Fr.)

Obviously depth charts only give away so much, but I was really hoping to see one just so we could get even the slightest idea of the hierarchy at receiver. We heard Keyon Dilosa was doing well ... we heard Eric Laurent was doing well ... but neither is listed here. Meanwhile, Emanuel Hall is the one to start in place of injured Nate Brown.

Another interesting twist: Chris Black has been by many accounts a leader off of the field, but he did not pull away from either Johnathan Johnson or Ray Wingo. So ... they’ll all rotate in the slot?

Derrick Forsythe (Rock M Nation)

Tight End

Sean Culkin (6’6, 250, Sr.)
Jason Reese (6’5, 250, Jr.) OR
Kendall Blanton (6’6, 260, So.)

We expected an “OR” at tight end, but most assumed it would between Culkin and Reese on the first string, not between Reese and Blanton on the second. Meanwhile, neither true freshman (Brendan Scales or Albert Okwuegbunam) are listed. We’ll see if either burns a redshirt.

Left Tackle

Tyler Howell (6’8, 320, Jr.)
Kyle Mitchell (6’5, 330, So.)

No surprises here ... but plenty of size.

Left Guard

Kevin Pendleton (6’4, 335, So.)
Trystan Castillo (6’4, 320, Fr.)

Ditto.

Center

Samson Bailey (6’4, 295, So.)
Michael Stannard (6’2, 290, Sr.)
Jonah Dubinski (6’2, 290, RSFr.)

Bailey holds off Stannard, the graduate transfer and recent signee who got a little bit of starting experience at Memphis.

Right Guard

Alec Abeln (6’3, 305, Jr.)
Adam Ploudre (6’4, 315, Jr.)

Four-star redshirt freshman AJ Harris has been slowed by injury, enough that he doesn’t crack the first two-deep. We’ll see if Ploudre can hold him off.

Right Tackle

Paul Adams (6’6, 315, So.)
Tre’Vour Simms (6’5, 350, Fr.)

No surprises here. Big year for Adams.

Defense

Defensive End

Jordan Harold (6’2, 265, Jr.)
Spencer Williams (6’3, 250, So.)

Charles Harris (6’3, 260, Jr.)
Marcell Frazier (6’5, 260, Jr.)

#DLineZou is starting a walk-on at defensive end. I ... don’t know what to think about that one. On one hand, it could be an amazing story if Jordan Harold not only comes out of nowhere to earn a starting role, but then keeps it through high-caliber play. On the other hand, this could be an indictment of Frazier, Williams, and the not-even-listed Nate Howard. Alarm bells are sounding, but we’ll see.

Defensive Tackle

Rickey Hatley (6’4, 320, Sr.)
Terry Beckner Jr. (6’4, 290, So.)

A.J. Logan (6’2, 325, Jr.)
Josh Augusta (6’4, 355, Sr.)

By most accounts, Hatley (now up to 320!) and Logan were the more consistent performers in fall camp. Beckner and Augusta will obviously still play quite a bit, and hopefully they eventually thrive.

The line two-deep is definitely proof of one thing:

Barry Odom practices what he preaches. Competition, competition, competition.

Linebacker

Donavin Newsom (6’2, 240, Sr.)
Terez Hall (6’2, 225, So.)

Michael Scherer (6’3, 235, Sr.)
Cale Garrett (6’3, 230, Fr.)

Joey Burkett (6’2, 225, So.)
Brandon Lee (6’2, 225, So.)

After the massive shifts on the defensive line ... no surprises here whatsoever.

Cornerback

Aarion Penton (5’10, 195, Sr.)
Christian Holmes (6’1, 190, Fr.) OR
DeMarkus Acy (6’2, 190, Fr.)

John Gibson (6’0, 195, Sr.)
Logan Cheadle (5’10, 180, Jr.)

No Anthony Hines or Finis Stribling IV; instead, two true freshmen might see work. And with TJ Warren still fighting back from injury, evidently John Gibson will get the initial nod opposite Aarion Penton. Of course, a lot of DBs will get work against the WVU offense.

Derrick Forsythe (Rock M Nation)

Strong Safety

Anthony Sherrils (6’0, 205, Jr.)
Ronnell Perkins (6’0, 200, RSFr.)

No surprise.

Free Safety

Thomas Wilson (5’10, 195, Jr.)
Cam Hilton (6’0, 190, So.)

Also no surprise.

Special Teams

Place-Kicker

Tucker McCann (6’0, 195, Fr.)
Turner Adams (6’0, 205, Jr.)

The freshman starts from the get-go.

Punter

Corey Fatony (5’11, 205, So.)

No need to even list a second stringer for Corey Damn Fatony.

Kick Returns

Alex Ross (6’1, 220, Sr.)
Greg Taylor (5’10, 200, So.)
Damarea Crockett (5’11, 220, Fr.)

I was curious whether Ross would get KR work if he’s also the starting RB. Evidently so.

Punt Returns

Johnathan Johnson (5’10, 185, RSFr.) AND
Chris Black (6’0, 190, Sr.)

Black and Johnson, tied at two positions.