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Columbia Daily Tribune
Missouri football loses two key defensive players to season-ending injuries
- Story byColumbia Daily Tribune
- Missouri football loses two key defensive players to season-ending injuries
Missouri football has lost two key rotational pieces on its defense.
Outside linebacker Khalil Jacobs and defensive end Joe Moore III are both out for the remainder of the year due to unspecified injuries, Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz said Tuesday during his weekly press conference.
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Moore missed the Tigers ' game against UMass last Saturday. He is the second Mizzou defensive end to be ruled out for the year, after Georgia transfer Darris Smith suffered a season-ending leg injury in preseason camp. Moore had played in every game until Saturday.
Jacobs left the field in the first half of the game against the Minutemen. Because that was the sixth appearance of his season, Drinkwitz thinks it is unlikely that the Tigers will be able to apply for a medical redshirt at the end of this year for Jacobs.
Neither injury is likely to be career-ending. Moore will have another year of eligibility in 2025. Jacobs also can return next season for his senior campaign, with or without a waiver.
Sep 21, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) runs the ball against Missouri Tigers linebacker Khalil Jacobs (29) at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Missouri faces Auburn this coming Saturday on Faurot Field in Columbia, which will start the second half of its regular season. With two key pieces sidelined for the year, here is who could step up for MU for the remainder of the year:
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Williams Nwaneri next in line at defensive end for Missouri football ?
With Moore out Saturday in Amherst, the Tigers cycled frequently between redshirt freshman Jakhai Lang and five-star true freshman Williams Nwaneri at defensive end.
Those two appear to be the most likely candidates to take over the missing reps moving forward. Per PFF College, each player received 16 snaps at UMass. Nwaneri registered the first sack of his college career, while Lang was credited with two pressures on the quarterback.
Starters Johnny Walker Jr. and Zion Young will retain their roles as starters moving forward, but the depth behind them is quickly thinning.
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Walker, who plays MU's 'Joker' edge-rushing position on the boundary end, is now missing two players who were tabbed to rotate in the roll with him in Moore and Smith.
Eddie Kelly has frequently rotated with Young on the field end, which will likely stay the same.
It'll likely be between Lang and Nwaneri for reps behind Walker. Four-star freshman Jaylen Brown is the lone other scholarship defensive end on the roster. He took 13 snaps on the edge Saturday.
Where will Mizzou turn to complete linebacker rotation?
Triston Newson, who rotates at outside linebacker with Jacobs, is expected to return to MU's lineup this week after missing the UMass game with an injury, per Drinkwitz. If he is able to return, that means Missouri will have its starter at the position.
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But Mizzou typically rotates four linebackers pretty evenly in the '2' of its 4-2-5 base formation.
Corey Flagg Jr. and Chuck Hicks are the Tigers' main options at middle linebacker.
On Saturday, true freshman Nicholas Rodriguez received plenty of experience. Per PFF College, he played 34 snaps, which ranked second-most on the team. He registered nine tackles, which was the most of any Mizzou player.
That appears to be a sign of things to come.
"Nick came in, prepared well all week (and) was named Defensive Player of the Week for his performance," Drinkwitz said. "So, I thought he did a really nice job. You know, we've been utilizing him on special teams to try to prepare him for this opportunity."
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Drinkwitz also said there are "several" young players who the team have been preparing to play. That list likely includes freshmen Jeremiah Beasley and Brian Huff. Redshirt freshman linebacker Brayshawn Littlejohn has been a frequent special teams member for Mizzou, but didn't take a defensive snap Saturday against UMass per PFF.
As of Tuesday, Rodriguez, however, appears to be the most likely to fill the reps lost with Jacobs.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football loses 2 key defensive players to season-ending injuries
