It's official. There is football in pads in Columbia, MO.
The 2010 Missouri Tigers kicked off camp a month before their first official game.
Here's what they're saying about Mizzou's first practice. Your home for all Mizzou football talk this season is Rock M Nation.
The Tigers are in shorts and helmets for the first couple days, per NCAA guidelines, and won’t hold their first two-a-day session until next Tuesday. Thursday’s practice lasted just over two hours on the Kadlec Athletic Fields, ending with some 11-on-11 drills pitting the No. 1 offense against the No. 1 defense.
Gabbert has a new batch of wide receivers, Lucas among them. Gabbert called the group "awesome," and that the depth at the position was an asset to the team. Gabbert is also in the process of finding a new go-to guy for the 2010 season. In seven-on-seven drills, Jerrell Jackson auditioned well for the role. Gabbert found Jackson several times with low passes through traffic — passes that Jackson slid and caught below the hands of the coverage.
On Wednesday, Pinkel addressed all the freshmen, assuring every player that if he was ready to compete at the top level then he could count on playing. Don’t get discouraged by starting out at the bottom of the list.
"The Maclins, the Coffmans," Lucas said, "everybody starts at the bottom. You have to earn your spot. It’s not going to be given."
Tailback Derrick Washington, center Tim Barnes, linebacker Luke Lambert and defensive back Kevin Rutland will serve as team captains this season.