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Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon celebrates Missouri's Alamo Bowl win
Monday in San Antonio. Chase Daniel threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy
Maclin in overtime and Missouri rallied to beat Northwestern 30-23.
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Parker Eshelman photo
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MU Football
Coffman breaks foot in Alamo Bowl
Missouri senior tight end Chase Coffman will undergo foot surgery Tuesday after suffering what’s commonly called a Jones fracture on the final offensive play of the season Monday night in the Alamo Bowl.
[ 01/02/09 ]
Who will carry the load in 2009?
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
As the clock struck midnight on Missouri’s football season and its decorated senior class, the outgoing quarterback dismissed the notion that his former team is headed for a bumpy transition.
[ 12/31/08 ]
Satisfaction the hard way
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
SAN ANTONIO - Still bleary-eyed from a heart-pounding victory that culminated his college career, Chase Daniel carried a bit of redemption into the Alamodome locker room last night when he peeled off his Missouri jersey one last time. Much has been made lately of the senior quarterback’s failure to mount a second-half comeback victory during his otherwise sterling MU career - he was 0 for 9 in those opportunities - and after doing exactly that, Daniel broke into a smile that probably won’t fade for days.
[ 12/30/08 ]
Despite stumbles along way, memorable finish for Tigers
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
SAN ANTONIO - The 2008 Missouri football season ended in a shower of colorful balloons, confetti and fireworks. It was the scene many imagined in September, when, for all we knew, the Tigers were the best team in the nation.
[ 12/30/08 ]
Slide
Show: Missouri 30, Northwestern 23 [
12/30/08 ]
Familiar feeling
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
SAN ANTONIO - When Missouri’s football program suffered a crushing blow three years ago with the death of redshirt freshman linebacker Aaron O’Neal, Gary Pinkel placed a call to one of his coaching peers, a longtime friend whose team had experienced a similar tragedy.
[ 12/29/08 ]
Breaking down
the matchups
When Missouri runs the ball… [ 12/29/08 ]
Daniel focused on ending season on high note
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
SAN ANTONIO - Monday morning, the day before Missouri players boarded a plane headed here for the Alamo Bowl, Jeremy Maclin’s cell phone buzzed with a text message. The words on the screen were few but substantial: "This should be the biggest game of your life."
[
12/28/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA:
Alamo Bowl: (25) Missouri vs. (22) Northwestern
[
12/28/08 ]
Exceptional grounding
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
SAN ANTONIO - Despite Missouri’s air-oriented approach to scoring touchdowns, something about bowl season in Texas brings out the bite in the Tigers’ running game. Two years ago in El Paso, tailback Tony Temple torched Oregon State for 194 rushing yards in the Sun Bowl. Temple topped himself last January in Dallas, setting the NCAA bowl record for rushing yards with 281 - and four touchdowns - against Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. [
12/27/08 ]
Alamo ... and more
By DAVID BRIGGS
of the Tribune’s staff
Temperatures will be in the 60s tomorrow night when Missouri’s players float down a River Walk aglow with 122,000 lights during a pep rally in San Antonio. [
12/26/08 ]
MU
FOOTBALL PODCAST [
12/23/08 ]
Bowl loss would make for one long
offseason
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
When Missouri and Northwestern meet in the Alamodome on Monday night in San Antonio, 43 days will have passed since the Tigers last tasted victory - MU’s longest stretch of time during the course of a season without a win since 2004. [
12/23/08 ]
Linemen
will go with flow
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
The Missouri football team came into the season with glaring question marks along its offensive line: Could Elvis Fisher, a lightly recruited redshirt freshman, handle the most visible spot along the front five, left tackle? And could Tim Barnes, a redshirt sophomore, replace four-year starting center Adam
Spieker? [ 12/22/08 ]
Maclin not ready to answer persistent question
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
The ubiquitous question hovering around Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin - will he stay or will he go? - is on the mind of others, too, and not just coaches, fans and curious reporters.
[ 12/21/08 ]
Winning is only thing for MU defense
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
A stifling performance against Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl, perhaps even a shutout, won’t erase the struggles Missouri’s defense endured this year, especially the flat performances on the season’s biggest stages. But a grand finale would be an ideal springboard for a defense that must replace seven starters in 2009.
[ 12/20/08 ]
AFL’s shutdown affects ex-Tigers
By DAVID BRIGGS of the Tribune’s staff
Craig Heimburger will be fine either way.
If the Arena Football League folds, the former Missouri guard can fall back on
the construction business he owns with his wife in Illinois. [
12/19/08 ]
Coffman, Maclin are first-team All-Americans
By DAVE MATTER of the Tribune’s staff
The All-America honors keep rolling in for Missouri’s record-breaking receiver tandem. Yesterday, senior tight end Chase Coffman and sophomore
wideout/return specialist Jeremy Maclin were both first-team selections on The Associated Press All-America team.
[ 12/17/08 ]
Bowl practice gives Gabbert shot to shine
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Crisp, tight spirals zipped through the Devine Pavilion on Saturday morning. They were the kind of gorgeous downfield throws you’d expect from a 6-foot-5 quarterback with a golden right arm full of promise. [
12/15/08 ]
Yost’s promotion seen as natural move
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Nobody bothered to tell Missouri quarterbacks Chase Daniel and Blaine Gabbert that their position coach, David Yost, had been promoted to offensive coordinator Friday night until they discovered it themselves the way most college kids learn things.
[ 12/14/08 ]
Yost will take control of Tigers’ offense next season
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
It’s been quite a week for Missouri quarterbacks coach David Yost. On Wednesday, his wife, Carrie, gave birth to their second child, son Keaton Moore Yost. [
12/13/08 ]
Coffman wins Mackey
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
A sprained big toe slowed down tight end Chase Coffman’s senior year, but it couldn’t spoil one of the most decorated seasons in Missouri football history. Last night, Coffman added a crowning achievement to his All-American campaign: the John Mackey Award.
[ 12/12/08 ]
Northwestern hungry for bowl game
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
A funny thing happened when Northwestern football players practiced Saturday, two weeks removed from winning their ninth game and still unsure of their postseason destination: Fists started flying like it was a two-a-day preseason practice all over again.
[ 12/10/08 ]
Alamo Bowl tickets available
By the Tribune’s staff
Tickets to the Dec. 29 Alamo Bowl are still available through Missouri’s ticket office. MU’s allotment of 11,000 tickets for its matchup with Northwestern in San Antonio went on sale Monday morning. Fans can purchase tickets at mutigers.com or by calling (800) 228-7297.
[ 12/10/08 ]
MU
FOOTBALL PODCAST [ 12/09/08 ]
Missouri
settles for Alamo bid
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Three months ago, the idea of the Missouri football team spending Christmas in San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl would have seemed inconceivable, barring an unforeseen collapse or the ultimate postseason snub.
[ 12/08/08 ]
Underclassmen get NFL feedback
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Whether his team wins or loses the Alamo Bowl, Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon will have something to celebrate when the Tigers play Northwestern on Dec. 29 in San Antonio: his 21st birthday.
[ 12/08/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: Oklahoma 62,
Missouri 21 [ 12/07/08 ]
Schooner scrapings
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
KANSAS CITY - With another victim left in their path of destruction toward Miami, the Oklahoma Sooners all but secured a spot in the BCS National Championship Game with last night’s 62-21 throttling of Missouri in the Big 12 championship game.
[ 12/07/08 ]
Tigers are speed bumps for sleek Sooners
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
KANSAS CITY - After Oklahoma’s first touchdown, the Sooner Schooner wagon and the two white ponies pulling it came to an abrupt halt on Missouri’s 20-yard line. After a year of overuse, the schooner had finally broken down. [
12/07/08 ]
Down to their last shot
By JOE WALLJASPER Tribune sports editor
A year ago this week, Chase Daniel was pumping his fist at us from the cover of Sports Illustrated. The headline read, "Mizzou, That’s Who."
The Tigers were No. 1 in the nation and coming off the greatest victory in
school history over the previously unbeaten Kansas Jayhawks. [
12/06/08 ]
Maclin could seek
greener pastures
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
KANSAS CITY - The Missouri offense knows that its chief strategist won’t be back next season. But what about the offense’s most dangerous weapon?
[ 12/06/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: (19) Missouri vs.
(4) Oklahoma
[ 12/06/08 ]
The greatest offense of all time?
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
As Bob Stoops’ Oklahoma Sooners prepare for their seventh appearance in the Big 12 championship game, he told reporters his offense is unquestionably the best he’s had in Norman, Okla.
[ 12/05/08 ]
Coffman named
All-American
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Missouri senior tight end Chase Coffman was named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches’ Association yesterday, becoming MU’s second straight AFCA All-American at the position. Former Tiger Martin Rucker earned the honor last year.
[ 12/05/08 ]
The defense can’t rest
By DAVID BRIGGS
of the Tribune’s staff
Missouri defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has one idea to help fix the communication issues confounding his secondary.
[ 12/04/08 ]
The best of the Big 12
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
And you thought the Oklahoma vs. Texas football debate was over. Just as voters had to decide between the Sooners and Longhorns for a Big 12 South Division champion, the debate rages on when it comes to their showcase players.
[ 12/03/08 ]
Coaches select
five MU players on first team.
By the Tribune’s staff
Five Missouri players landed on the Big 12 coaches’ all-conference team that was otherwise dominated by the Tigers’ opponent in Saturday’s Big 12 championship game. Nine players from Oklahoma earned first-team honors, including seven on offense.
[ 12/03/08 ]
The Tribune’s Big 12 awards
Here’s how the Tribune’s Dave Matter dished out his votes for Big 12 awards.
[ 12/03/08 ]
MU
FOOTBALL PODCAST
[ 12/02/08 ]
In Dave they trust
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
If there’s any distress among Missouri players that offensive coordinator Dave Christensen’s imminent departure will become a distraction over the next month, the Tigers aren’t showing it. Christensen was officially named the head coach at Wyoming last night after agreeing to a five-year contract, though he’ll stay on board at MU through Saturday’s Big 12 championship game and the Tigers’ bowl game.
[ 12/02/08 ]
Tigers vs. Sooners: The sequel
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Missouri’s opponent for the Big 12 championship game was still unresolved Saturday afternoon when the Tigers lost to Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium. So perhaps Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon was still dazed from the stunning defeat when he told reporters which of the three South Division heavyweights he’d like to face for the conference crown.
[ 12/01/08 ]
Christensen lands
job at Wyoming
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Dave Christensen feels no rush to leave his coaching post at Missouri. This morning in Columbia, Gary Pinkel’s offensive coordinator was expected to sign a contract to become Wyoming’s next head coach, but Christensen will continue to coach the Tigers through their bowl game.
[ 12/01/08 ]
Put mildly, it hurts
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
KANSAS CITY - The Missouri-Kansas rivalry was nearly even after more than a century of football games, so was it any wonder that the 117th edition of the Border Showdown came down to the white-knuckle drama that unfolded at Arrowhead Stadium yesterday afternoon?
[ 11/30/08 ]
Great expectations take another hit at Arrowhead
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
KANSAS CITY - Thirty-three seconds left, fourth-and-7, swirling snow, with 70,000-plus at Arrowhead Stadium in full throat. Even before the ball was snapped, you knew a season was about to be defined.
[ 11/30/08 ]
Reesing toys with MU all the way to the finish
By DAVID BRIGGS of the Tribune’s staff
KANSAS CITY - Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing called it "just one of those plays you draw up in the dirt."
With the Border Showdown on the line, Reesing rolled right, stepped up in the pocket and heaved a throw that momentarily washed away a season’s worth of frustration.
[ 11/30/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: Kansas 40, Missouri
37 [ 11/30/08 ]
Slide
Show: Kansas 40, Missouri 37 [
11/29/08 ]
Big 12 North title
in Tigers’ paws
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
A few hours before No. 12 Missouri kicks off at 5:40 p.m. against Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium, the Tigers’ stakes could be clearly defined: If Texas defeats Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., during the Big 12’s morning game, Missouri needs only a victory over the Cyclones to clinch the North Division. [
11/29/08 ]
BEHIND ENEMY LINES: TODD REESING
KU’s undersized quarterback has Tigers’ respect
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
From their Texas pedigrees to their stature in the pocket - or lack thereof - Border Showdown quarterbacks Chase Daniel and Todd Reesing have been endlessly compared over the last two seasons.
[ 11/29/08 ]
Raised on rivalry
By DAVID BRIGGS
of the Tribune’s staff
Andrew Jones, who grew up with dreams of playing basketball for Missouri and said the sight of crimson and blue sickens him, made an unexpected recruiting visit to Kansas his junior year.
[ 11/29/08 ]
Where there’s a Will
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
If it were simple enough that Matt Eberflus could run the play that calls for William Moore to intercept a pass, Missouri’s defensive coordinator would have tried that long
ago.
[ 11/28/08 ]
KU series will stay at Arrowhead
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Earlier this week, Kansas football Coach Mark Mangino told reporters he’d spend some time reflecting after Saturday’s game against Missouri before he’d share his opinion on the Border Showdown’s future at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.
[ 11/28/08 ]
Curators approve seven-year contract for Pinkel
By JOE WALLJASPER Tribune sports editor
The University of Missouri Board of Curators approved a new seven-year contract for MU football Coach Gary Pinkel yesterday.
[ 11/26/08 ]
Long-term
deal just makes sense
By JOE WALLJASPER Tribune sports editor
You can measure Gary Pinkel’s success as Missouri’s football coach by his four straight winning seasons and his consecutive Big 12 North Division titles. But a better indicator is this: In the midst of a national economic disaster he just got an enormous raise, and everyone seems pretty cool with that.
[ 11/26/08 ]
Fanning the rivalry’s flames
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
LAWRENCE, Kan. - As if the Missouri-Kansas series needs further stoking, Don Fambrough comes in once a year wielding a fireplace poker to stir things up on the west side of the rivalry.
[ 11/26/08 ]
MU
FOOTBALL PODCAST
[ 11/26/08 ]
Looking to branch off
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
While Gary Pinkel is committed to finishing his
coaching career at Missouri, he won’t stand in the way of his longtime
assistants looking to advance their careers elsewhere.
[ 11/25/08 ]
DAVE MATTER'S BIG 12 FOOTBALL NOTES
[ 11/24/08 ]
MU, Pinkel on verge of contract extension
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel isn’t going anywhere. Except to the bank.
[ 11/21/08 ]
VIDEO: Big 12 North Division trophy presentation
[ 11/21/08 ]
Bowl scenarios taking shape
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
San Diego or San Antonio? That seems to be the
prevailing verdict among Missouri football fans and speculating media when it
comes to the Tigers’ postseason destination - that is, should their best-case
scenario crumble. [ 11/19/08 ]
MU
FOOTBALL PODCAST [ 11/18/08 ]
Rivalry still fierce without spotlight
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
There will be no championship stakes on the line at Arrowhead Stadium in 11 days. No No. 1 ranking to be had. Tuning in will be nowhere near the 11 million households that viewed last year’s epic showdown between No. 2 Kansas and No. 3 Missouri.
[ 11/18/08 ]
DAVE MATTER'S BIG 12 FOOTBALL NOTES
[ 11/17/08 ]
Storm erasers
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
AMES, Iowa - The epitaph on Missouri’s 2008 football season is nowhere near complete, but when the Tigers trek to Kansas City next month for the Big 12 Conference championship game, they’ll leave behind a trail of roadkill - two year’s worth of trampled division brethren. [ 11/16/08 ]
Tigers celebrate with eye on bigger game
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
AMES, Iowa - Arrowhead Armageddon has been downgraded to the Kansas City
Kerfuffle.
Not that the Missouri football team wouldn’t revel in another Thanksgiving weekend victory over rival Kansas, but cancel the order on the four horsemen, locusts and pestilence.
TIGER
EXTRA: Missouri 52, Iowa State 20 [ 11/16/08 ]
SLIDE SHOW:
Missouri 52, Iowa State 20 [ 11/15/08 ]
Big 12 North title
in Tigers’ paws
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
A few hours before No. 12 Missouri kicks off at 5:40 p.m. against Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium, the Tigers’ stakes could be clearly defined: If Texas defeats Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., during the Big 12’s morning game, Missouri needs only a victory over the Cyclones to clinch the North Division.
[ 11/15/08 ]
Faith keeps Cyclones WR steady in rocky year
By JOSH MOSLEY of the Tribune’s staff
Iowa State receiver R.J. Sumrall lives life on and off the field by a motto he heard from his high school coach.
[ 11/15/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: (12) Missouri at
Iowa State [ 11/15/08 ]
Chizik hopes Iowa State keeps the faith
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Gene Chizik and his Iowa State Cyclones could lose their ninth consecutive game when Missouri visits. A loss would be No. 18 for ISU in two years under
Chizik. [ 11/14/08 ]
Numbers not only measure
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Statistics don’t matter much to interior defensive linemen, the guys who spend their Saturdays crashing helmets in the trenches and peeling off waves of blockers. So, when Missouri linemen Ziggy Hood and Jaron Baston evaluate their play this season, numbers only partially tell the
story. [ 11/13/08 ]
Second string but first class
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
There is no debate which Missouri football player wins the title of best dressed
Tiger. While linemen romp through Monday media sessions wearing nothing more
than sweats, T-shirts and flip flops, Jimmy Jackson treats the interview rounds
like his personal runway. Never gaudy, the senior tailback’s threads are
always crisp, always stylish.
[ 11/12/08 ]
MU
FOOTBALL PODCAST
[ 11/11/08 ]
Coffman a reluctant spectator vs. Wildcats
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
It made all the sense in the world for Missouri senior tight end Chase Coffman to find a spot on the sideline and stay there Saturday night. That didn’t make the decision any easier for Bruce Walker to swallow.
[ 11/11/08 ]
DAVE MATTER'S BIG 12 FOOTBALL NOTES
[ 11/10/08 ]
TIGER
EXTRA: Missouri 41, Kansas State 24 [
11/08/08 ]
Slide Show:
Missouri 41, Kansas State 24 [
11/08/08 ]
Maclin grabs spotlight away from seniors
By DAVE MATTER of the Tribune's staff
On a night devoted to honoring Missouri’s celebrated senior class, perhaps its greatest senior collection ever assembled, Jeremy Maclin snatched the spotlight and ran away … and always toward the end zone.
[ 11/08/08 ]
Seniors create mini golden age of football at Missouri
By JOE WALLJASPER Tribune sports editor
It’s easy to forget how recently the Missouri football team couldn’t beat Kansas State, couldn’t win in November and couldn’t rise above the rabble in the Big 12 North Division.
[ 11/08/08 ]
A finale at Faurot
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
If tonight’s senior ceremony is anything like last year’s, Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel better pack a few extra hankies.
[ 11/08/08 ]
BEHIND ENEMY LINES: Josh Freeman
Junior quarterback stands tall in KSU pocket
By JOSH MOSLEY of the Tribune’s staff
At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman is as big as most of the guys trying to sack him.
[ 11/08/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: Kansas State at
(16) Missouri [ 11/08/08 ]
Purple reign hits flat note
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
At his weekly media session Monday, Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel sighed and shook his head at the sobering news from Toledo. Tom
Amstutz, Pinkel’s former assistant and successor as Toledo’s head coach, had announced he’ll step down after eight seasons there. [
11/07/08 ]
Getting to know you
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Missouri football fans, before you get familiar with freshman safety Kenji Jackson - and by the looks of things, it’s a good idea - you’ll need a proper introduction.
[ 11/06/08 ]
Grandpa knew best all along
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Turns out, Tommy Saunders’ grandpa was right. Back
when Missouri assistant coach Andy Hill was recruiting the wide receiver from
Kearney - or, to describe the scene more accurately, when Saunders was selling
himself to Missouri - Rich Weber, Saunders’ maternal grandfather, took issue
with Hill’s final assessment: Saunders was welcome to join the program … as
a walk-on. [ 11/05/08 ]
MU
FOOTBALL PODCAST
[ 11/04/08 ]
Coffman eyeing playing despite toe still hurting
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
A sprained big toe on his left foot had Missouri tight end Chase Coffman limping around the team facility yesterday and earned him a spot on Gary Pinkel’s weekly injury report. Missouri’s coach listed Coffman as questionable for Saturday’s game against Kansas State.
[ 11/04/08 ]
DAVE MATTER'S BIG 12 FOOTBALL NOTES
Texas Tech not only shook up the Big 12 South Division balance of power with
its 39-33 victory over Texas on Saturday night, but the Red Raiders are turning
conventional pearls of wisdom into cheap costume jewelry. [
11/03/08 ]
Begrudgingly yours
By STEVE WALENTIK
of the Tribune’s staff
WACO, Texas - Hospitality has long been in abundance here in central Texas, and the Baylor football team has been as welcoming to visitors as any group over at least the past decade. [
11/02/08 ]
One play separates good team from bad
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
WACO, Texas - Amid notebook pages full of chicken scratches denoting all the particulars of a game full of ebbs and flows, one phrase is jotted down in reasonably legible handwriting: We’ll see what they’re made of. [
11/02/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: Missouri 31, Baylor 28 [
11/01/08 ]
SLIDE SHOW: Missouri 31, Baylor 28 [
11/01/08 ]
Scaled-down
defense a big hit
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
When Missouri defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus gathered his half of the team for its weekly meeting Sunday, Colorado’s blank side of the scoreboard wasn’t the centerpiece of conversation. [
11/01/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: (14) Missouri at
Baylor [
11/01/08 ]
Dominating earth and sky
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Same ol’ Baylor, right? [
10/31/08 ]
MU’s Coulter happy at home
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
It had been a long time, almost two years, since Brian Coulter wrapped a lifeless quarterback in his arms, both bodies hurtling to the turf in the backfield. Brought to Missouri in July for just that purpose, Coulter nearly lost his breath when he clobbered Colorado’s Tyler Hansen from behind Saturday night.
[ 10/30/08 ]
Encore performance
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
During the player interview segment of Gary Pinkel’s radio show Monday night, Missouri cornerback Castine Bridges revealed to the audience that teammate Jeremy Maclin keeps a stuffed puppy dog near his bedside, hoping perhaps to expose Clark Kent beneath the Tigers’ Superman receiver.
[ 10/23/08 ]
MU FOOTBALL PODCAST [ 10/28/08 ]
Pinkel quashes any talk of UW
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Gary Pinkel is practicing what he preaches. After
instituting a distraction-free bubble around his Missouri football program last
week - where nothing mattered other than its "5:30 on Saturday" date
with Colorado - Pinkel declined to discuss the imminent coaching search that
will likely include his name. [ 10/28/08 ]
DAVE MATTER'S BIG 12 FOOTBALL NOTES
The college football world turns its focus to a rare location Saturday: Lubbock, Texas. [ 10/27/08 ]
Magic’s back
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Their reputation bruised, their pride battered, Gary Pinkel’s Missouri Tigers discovered the most soothing remedy for a two-game losing streak: a return to Big 12 North Division play, where defense has become an occasional exercise once the leaves turn colors. [ 10/26/08 ]
Time is right for Tigers to regain
pride
By JOE WALLJASPER Tribune sports editor
The last few weeks, everything we thought we knew about the Missouri football team was upended. The unstoppable offense was stopped. The Chase for Heisman campaign was rendered as relevant as Ron Paul’s presidential push. [ 10/26/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: Missouri 58,
Colorado 0 [ 10/26/08 ]
SLIDE SHOW:
Missouri 58, Colorado 0 [ 10/25/08 ]
Refocused
Tigers blank Buffs
By DAVE MATTER of the Tribune's staff
Their reputation bruised, their pride battered, Gary Pinkel’s Missouri Tigers discovered the most soothing remedy for their two-game losing streak: a return to Big 12 North Division play.[ 10/25/08 ]
Shake-up coming
for struggling units
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
If a head football coach wants to give the impression he’s waving the white flag, benching his two-year starting quarterback, who also happens to be his oldest son, might be the best move.
[ 10/25/08 ]
BEHIND ENEMY LINE: GEORGE HYPOLITE
By JOSH MOSLEY
of the Tribune’s staff
There is more to Colorado defensive tackle George Hypolite than football. Not that his football ability is shabby - Hypolite earned first-team All-Big 12 honors last year after making 44 tackles and 6½ sacks and has 24 tackles and a sack this season.
[ 10/25/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: COLORADO AT (16)
MISSOURI [ 10/25/08 ]
Three QBs
angle to be next Chase
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Blaine Gabbert, Missouri’s quarterback of the future, will be on the Faurot Field sideline tomorrow night, watching as the Tigers play host to Colorado.
[ 10/24/08 ]
Like father, like son
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Less than 48 hours after Missouri came stumbling home from Texas, the player least responsible for the Tigers’ second consecutive loss did something no one expected. Tight end Chase Coffman stood up and spoke out.
[ 10/23/08 ]
University tackles tailgating
By JENNA YOUNGS
of the Tribune’s staff
In response to rowdy tailgaters, the University of Missouri Reactor Field parking lot will not open until three hours before kickoff for Saturday’s Homecoming football game against Colorado.
[ 10/22/08 ]
After loss, MU sorts out long line of miscues
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
A few weeks ago, Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel casually remarked that MU’s offensive line was the best he’s had in eight seasons. After witnessing Saturday night’s meltdown at Texas, would Pinkel consider a mulligan?
[ 10/22/08 ]
MU
FOOTBALL PODCAST
[ 10/21/08 ]
Tigers will talk on Saturday
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
A broken record spun throughout Missouri’s football media session yesterday as players and coaches had little more to say than one phrase, a mantra for the week that was obviously drilled home by Tigers Coach Gary Pinkel after Saturday’s horrendous loss at Texas.
[ 10/21/08 ]
DAVE MATTER'S BIG 12 FOOTBALL NOTES
Six Big 12 Conference teams showed up in the season’s first Bowl Championship Series standings, which were released yesterday: Texas (No. 1), Oklahoma (4), Oklahoma State (6), Texas Tech (8), Missouri (15) and Kansas (23).
[ 10/20/08 ]
Death in Texas
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
AUSTIN, Texas - Filing out of their locker room and onto the field at Royal Memorial Stadium, each Texas football player touches a pair of horns that hangs under a sign that reads "Don’t Mess with Texas." [ 10/19/08 ]
Back to the B-list for overmatched Tigers
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
AUSTIN, Texas - Two weeks ago, in the afterglow of a nearly flawless victory over Nebraska, Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel spoke about the need to get his underused punter some extra practice so he wouldn’t get rusty. [ 10/19/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: Texas 56,
Missouri 31 [ 10/19/08 ]
SLIDE SHOW: Texas 56, Missouri 31 [ 10/18/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: (11) Missouri at
(1) Texas [ 10/18/08 ]
Behind scenes, but for how long?
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
AUSTIN, Texas - Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen is mentioned as a head-coaching candidate as often as any college assistant in the country. But that’s news to him. He claims to avoid the Internet -"I’m not an online guy," he said - and doesn’t have time for coaching rumors or hot-seat updates.
[ 10/18/08 ]
From the wires
BEHIND ENEMY LINES: Brian Orakpo
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - At 6-foot-2, 280 pounds, Lamarr Houston is a big man with a big punch.
But even he knows enough not to mess with ‘Rak. [
10/18/08 ]
All-Big 12 team reflects South’s dominance
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Conference play has just gotten started in the Big 12, but the regular season has crossed the halfway mark, meaning it’s time for the Tribune’s annual Midseason All-Big 12 team. Candidates are chosen based on individual production and their performances in their team’s biggest games - not preseason hype and reputation.
[ 10/17/08 ]
Tigers on wrong side of the line
By STEVE WALENTIK
of the Tribune’s staff
There were some who wanted to anoint Derrick Washington one of the best running backs in Missouri history after only his fifth career start.
[ 10/16/08 ]
Chasing Texas: Fact and fiction
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Call it fate, destiny, providence. Whatever. But Vickie Daniel believes in it. And it was her son’s fate, destiny or providence that his childhood dream was crushed to pieces.
[ 10/15/08 ]
MU
Football Podcast
[ 10/14/08 ]
Loss weighs on Tigers
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Only three teams have won as many games as Missouri since the beginning of last season - the Tigers have 17 victories along with
BYU, Kansas and Ohio State - but that was no consolation to Gary Pinkel’s team as it gathered for a rare Sunday practice, a ritual only performed after a loss.
[ 10/14/08 ]
DAVE
MATTER'S BIG 12 FOOTBALL NOTES [
10/13/08 ]
Hell on horseback
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Shootout? More like the ultimate dud.
[ 10/12/08 ]
Tigers, experts never
saw this loss coming
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
Fortunately, there is no prognostication license for members of the sports media. If so, the entire lot of us would be disbarred today after talking nonstop about how Oklahoma State and Missouri would cause the scoreboard to go tilt. The prevailing wisdom was that the first team to infinity would win and that team would be Missouri.
[ 10/12/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: Oklahoma State 28, Missouri 23
[ 10/12/08 ]
SLIDE SHOW: Oklahoma State 28, Missouri 23
[ 10/11/08 ]
MU's Baston busts a
move
By DAVE MATTER of the Tribune's staff
Jaron Baston couldn’t help it. His first career sack released an explosion on Osborne Field last Saturday night.
[ 10/11/08 ]
BEHIND
ENEMY LINES: Zac Robinson
Robinson quietly joins Big 12's best quarterbacks
By Josh Mosley of the Tribune's staff
Oklahoma State junior quarterback Zac Robinson says he’s never felt like a forgotten man in the Big 12. Forget that the Big 12 is like Sam’s Club, offering star quarterbacks in bulk. Robinson doesn’t expect to be handed recognition - he wants to take it.
[ 10/11/08 ]
TIGER
EXTRA: (17) Oklahoma State at (3) Missouri
[ 10/11/08 ]
Fully loaded
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Missouri assistant coach Craig Kuligowksi pulled into the football offices at 4 a.m. Monday morning to get cracking on Oklahoma State, the Tigers’ opponent tomorrow night. If the wee-hour start left him bleary-eyed, a few minutes of film snapped him wide awake.
[ 10/10/08 ]
Who needs the punter, anyway?
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
Jake Harry has gone from punter to punch line.
[ 10/09/08 ]
Flying under the radar
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
From the time Missouri’s Brock Christopher was old
enough to enjoy his family’s twice-a-year trips to Columbia to watch the Tigers
play on Saturdays, he knew he was born to play linebacker at Missouri.
[ 10/08/08 ]
Washington is just getting things started
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
For all intents and purposes, Derrick Washington was supposed to slip through the right side of the line, but red jerseys quickly engulfed the gap. Not a problem for Missouri’s emerging backfield star.
[ 10/07/08 ]
MU
FOOTBALL PODCAST
[ 10/07/08 ]
DAVE MATTER'S BIG 12 FOOTBALL NOTES
[ 10/06/08 ]
No more stinkin’ in Lincoln
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
LINCOLN, Neb. - Chase Daniel and the Missouri Tigers can check another item off their to-do list.A graveyard for Missouri football for 14 consecutive visits, Nebraska’s Osborne Field became canvas to Daniel’s brush last night as another masterful offensive performance removed another nagging pain in the Tigers’ side.
[ 10/05/08 ]
Tigers thumb noses
at Huskers, history
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
LINCOLN, Neb. - For the last two weeks, the hot topic in Missouri was whether the MU football team could win at Nebraska for the first time since 1978. There weren’t any ghosts tackling Tigers last night. Come to think of it, there weren’t many Cornhuskers tackling Tigers either.
[ 10/05/08 ]
SLIDE SHOW:
Missouri 52, Nebraska 17
[ 10/05/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: Missouri 52,
Nebraska 17
[ 10/05/08 ]
No corn, please
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Dan Hoch grew up in Harlan, Iowa, a small town in the southwest corner of the state, situated about 100 miles from Lincoln, Neb. That’s close enough for Nebraska’s football program to transcend the state line.
[ 10/04/08 ]
BEHIND ENEMY LINES: CODY GLENN
Where there’s a Will
there’s a way for Husker
By JOSH MOSLEY of the Tribune’s staff
When Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini suggested to Cody Glenn that he switch from running back to linebacker in the
offseason, Glenn didn’t give it much thought. But as spring practices drew near, the idea didn’t seem so far-fetched.
[ 10/04/08 ]
Pelini brings Huskers’ defense up a notch
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Two days after plundering Nebraska’s defense on national TV, Chase Daniel didn’t just kick the Cornhuskers when they were down. He climbed on the top turnbuckle and smashed a flying elbow into their forehead, particularly that of defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove, architect of the 3-3-5 defense that played cape to Missouri’s bull in a 41-6 beating.
[ 10/03/08 ]
MU’s Maclin hopes for many happy returns
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Just when Nebraska needed a spark against Virginia Tech on Saturday night, Nate Swift pumped life back into the Sea of Red with an 88-yard punt return to the end zone, pulling the Cornhuskers to within five of their visitors.
[ 10/02/08 ]
Turning the corners?
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Missouri assistant football coach Cornell Ford spent one night of his team’s recent bye week addressing a booster club in St. Louis, and for a while, as he stood at the lecturn answering questions - sometimes candidly, other times with careful diplomacy - Ford must have felt like his cornerbacks, ducking arrows from all angles.
[ 10/01/08 ]
MU
FOOTBALL PODCAST
[ 09/30/08 ]
‘Don’t let your team do it’
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
As college football powerhouses plunged like the Dow last week, Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel got on the phone and made sympathy calls to his brothers in arms.
[ 09/30/08 ]
DAVE
MATTER'S BIG 12 FOOTBALL NOTES [
09/29/08 ]
Lincoln is land of the losses
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
A grainy compilation of video highlights from Missouri’s 1978 victory at Nebraska has been circulating around the Internet the last few weeks. Lasting 6 minutes and 4 seconds, the collection of nostalgia includes one signature moment. It arrives at the 4:39 mark.
[ 09/28/08 ]
Many more hurdles to clear
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
For a third straight September, the Missouri Tigers cruised through the nonconference season unscathed and carry a 4-0 record into the Big 12 calendar. This time, they’ve done it with the nation’s most prolific offense piloted by the Heisman Trophy frontrunner.
[ 09/24/08 ]
Challenge of winning at Nebraska looms as MU’s first Big 12
test
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Sean Weatherspoon recalls his first and only experience playing football in Lincoln, Neb., with vivid clarity. Two years ago, on a sunny November afternoon, Nebraska’s Zac Taylor was directing a 34-20 dissection of Missouri when
Weatherspoon, then a backup freshman linebacker, got his first taste of the Tigers’ misery in
Huskerland. [ 09/24/08 ]
MU
FOOTBALL PODCAST [ 09/23/08 ]
Bye not always a good thing
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
It might seem advantageous that Gary Pinkel’s Missouri football team gets a bye week before diving into Big 12 Conference play Oct. 4 at Nebraska, but there’s little historical evidence to suggest the Tigers will benefit from not playing this weekend.
[ 09/23/08 ]
DAVE MATTER'S BIG 12 FOOTBALL NOTES
[ 09/22/08 ]
The art of imperfection
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Football looked effortless for Missouri the last two weeks as Gary Pinkel’s team left for dead overmatched teams from Southeast Missouri State and Nevada. As gaudy statistics and broken records collected like morning dew on Faurot Field, Missouri offensive players pondered fantasies of playing the perfect game.
[ 09/21/08 ]
Careful
what you wish for
By JOE WALLJASPER Tribune sports editor
A week ago, Gary Pinkel spent half of his postgame press conference discussing how the Missouri football team could go about scoring fewer points. He wished out loud that a couple of the Tigers would have taken a dive rather than score late touchdowns against Nevada, lest the Wolf Pack be humiliated about yielding 69 points.
[ 09/21/08 ]
TIGER
EXTRA: Missouri 42, Buffalo 21 [ 09/21/08 ]
SLIDE
SHOW: Missouri 42, Buffalo 21 [
09/20/08 ]
O-line’s doing fine
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel doesn’t miss the aches and bruises he usually associates with Sunday mornings. Granted, he’s played the equivalent of one game the last two weeks, but his offensive line has kept Daniel mostly upright in the pocket - an extravagance that’s best appreciated the day after games.[
09/20/08 ]
Buffalo quarterback relishes spotlight
By JOSH MOSLEY of the Tribune’s staff
Before last weekend, Buffalo quarterback Drew Willy was the college football equivalent of an independent movie. A small group of people appreciated his work, but his name didn’t resonate with the masses.[
09/20/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA:
MISSOURI (5) VS. BUFFALO [
09/20/08 ]
Bullish
about Gill
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
There are 120 college football teams playing at the Football Bowl Subdivision level, but not all are created equal. Five-win seasons get a coach fired in one place but create hope and opportunity in another.
[ 09/19/08 ]
Smith wastes little time making presence felt
By STEVE WALENTIK
of the Tribune’s staff
Maybe he couldn’t have told you Jacquies Smith would be flying down the field to knock over the return man on the Missouri football team’s first kickoff against Southeast Missouri State. [
09/18/08 ]
MU’s Perry advises: Press at your own risk
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Isolated near the sideline, Jared Perry looked across the line of scrimmage and watched Nevada cornerback Antoine Thompson lurch forward. Here it comes, Perry thought, another taste of in-your-grill press coverage, a wide receiver’s ultimate test of manhood.
[ 09/17/08 ]
MISSOURI
FOOTBALL PODCAST [ 09/16/08 ]
Pinkel mulls over how much scoring is too much
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
If there’s a perception Gary Pinkel is running up the score on weaker opponents, he’d like it expunged.
[ 09/16/08 ]
DAVE MATTER'S BIG 12
FOOTBALL NOTES [ 09/15/08 ]
Pistol whipped
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
By Chase Daniel’s count, he and his Missouri receivers combined for three incomplete passes in practice last week. Maybe four.
[
09/14/08 ]
Daniel shows why he is MU’s best
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
Before yesterday’s game, reporters in Memorial Stadium’s press box received a Chase Daniel viewfinder, the gadget Missouri is using to promote Daniel for the Heisman Trophy. It was nice, but all you needed were your own peepers to be persuaded. [
09/14/08 ]
No surprise as Maclin piles up more yardage
By STEVE WALENTIK
of the Tribune’s staff
It’s hard to be surprised anymore by anything Missouri sophomore Jeremy Maclin does on a football field. [
09/14/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: Missouri 69, Nevada 17 [
09/14/08 ]
Slide Show: Missouri 69, Nevada 17 [
09/14/08 ]
Seeking a silencer
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Pardon Missouri defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus if he hasn’t scrapped his play book and benched his starters. Coaches of lesser resolve might have already taken a wrecking ball to the secondary because, through two games, there’s no denying the stats are ugly for Missouri’s pass defense.[
09/13/08 ]
Tigers have sawed off piece of Ault’s idea for themselves
By JOSH MOSLEY of the Tribune’s staff
On the occasional short-yardage play, Missouri will line up quarterback Chase Daniel in a short shotgun formation with a running back behind him.[
09/13/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: NEVADA AT (6)
MISSOURI [
09/13/08 ]
Youngsters will benefit from playing time
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
A Missouri victory had long been secured Saturday night on Faurot Field when the real value of scheduling Southeast Missouri State began to pay off in the second half. That’s when MU coaches emptied the bench and put their last couple recruiting classes on display.
[ 09/11/08 ]
He’s back in the game
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Missouri wide receiver Danario Alexander ducked into the McElroy Sports Medicine Center on Monday with the enthusiasm of an ex-con visiting his former prison cell. [
09/10/08 ]
Passing the torch
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
4-of-11 passing … 27 yards … one interception.
That’s what the stat sheet said after Chase Daniel’s unspectacular cameo
against Arkansas State on Sept. 3, 2005, his first game in a Missouri uniform.
Other than his game-winning comeback charge against Iowa State, most of
Daniel’s appearances that season went much like the opener. [
09/09/08 ]
Missouri Football Podcast
[ 09/09/08 ]
DAVE MATTER'S BIG 12 FOOTBALL NOTES
[ 09/08/08 ]
No doubt about it
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
The suspense evaporated from Missouri’s football home opener back in June of 2007 when school officials from MU and Southeast Missouri State agreed to play a rare intrastate showdown, a one-year deal that came with a $250,000 check delivered from Columbia to Cape Girardeau.
[ 09/07/08 ]
A Missouri Compromise
with an eye on future
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
For the last month, Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel has been asked repeatedly if true freshman quarterback Blaine Gabbert would play this season. Each time, he was coy with his answers.[
09/07/08 ]
SLIDE
SHOW: Missouri 52, SE Missouri 3 [ 09/07/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: Missouri 52, SE
Missouri 3 [ 09/07/08 ]
Lick the frosting?
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
If Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel could write the script for tonight’s home opener against Southeast Missouri State, he’d assign himself a supporting role. Facing a Football Championship Subdivision team with the faintest of hopes to keep the score close, Daniel said he’d like to be on the sidelines for good by halftime.
[ 09/06/08 ]
BEHIND ENEMY LINES: HOUSTON LILLARD
QB's day in sun has finally arrived
By JOSH MOSLEY of the Tribune’s staff
Injuries and academic issues have plagued Southeast Missouri State quarterback Houston Lillard. They are the reason he ended up at SEMO but also have fueled him to where he is today — on the verge of a showdown with the sixth-ranked Missouri Tigers.
[ 09/06/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AT
(6) MISSOURI [ 09/06/08 ]
Samuel in different role against Missouri
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Tony Samuel has known two breeds of Missouri Tiger.
As a defensive end for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Samuel played against Al
Onofrio’s talent-rich teams of the 1970s and went 2-2 against the Tigers from
1974-77. [ 09/05/08 ]
Tigers find another gear
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
A year ago, Missouri forgot to pack its running game for its trip to St. Louis to face Illinois in the Arch Rivalry game. In a 40-34 victory, the Tigers admittedly struggled in the trenches as tailback Tony Temple was mostly geared in reverse, picking up only 33 yards on 17 carries.
[ 09/04/08 ]
Spoon sticks fork in Illini
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
As Illinois quarterback Juice Williams carved into Missouri’s secondary and its 25-point lead Saturday night, Tigers linebacker Sean Weatherspoon turned to his teammates and heard the same chorus circulating the sideline.
[ 09/03/08 ]
Tigers insist leaky secondary can be fixed
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Short of declaring Juice Williams the incarnation of Dan
Fouts, Missouri coaches and defensive players claimed to have identified what went so horrendously wrong in the second half of Saturday night’s 52-42 victory over Illinois.
[ 09/02/08 ]
Sleep-inducing victory should suit Tigers fine
By JOE WALLJASPER
Tribune sports editor
ST. LOUIS - Gary Pinkel is paid to worry while the rest of us sleep, so he undoubtedly spent some recent nights getting familiar with the nuances of his bedroom ceiling. As experienced as the Tigers were entering the season, they did have a new left tackle, a new deep snapper and a new punter - sacks and snaps and shanks, oh my![
08/31/08 ]
Tigers get scare on Maclin, again from
Illini, but all’s well.
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
ST. LOUIS - Missouri’s hike up college football’s mountaintop cleared an early and treacherous chunk with last night’s 52-42 victory over Illinois.
[ 08/31/08 ]
SLIDE SHOW: Missouri 52, Illinois 42
[ 08/31/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: Missouri 52,
Illinois 42
[ 08/31/08 ]
Maclin simply magnificent
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Missouri ran 49 offensive plays last season before MU offensive football changed as the world had known it. Then came play No. 50.
[ 08/30/08 ]
BEHIND ENEMY LINES: VONTAE DAVIS
Fun-loving CB Davis still a serious force for Illini
By JOSH MOSLEY of the Tribune’s staff
Those who know him are puzzled how Illinois cornerback Vontae Davis ended up as a football player. The hard-nosed game seems too serious for Davis, who is a goofy kind of guy by his own admission. His peers can’t understand how he goes from one extreme to another in such a short amount of time.
[ 08/30/08 ]
TIGER EXTRA: (6) Missouri vs
(20) Illinois
[ 08/30/08 ]
A rivalry without the Arch?
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
As the latest and most anticipated chapter in the revitalized Arch Rivalry approaches, a significant question faces the football programs at Missouri and Illinois concerning the future of the neutral-site showdown: How much longer in St. Louis?
[ 08/29/08 ]
MU stars get comfortable in spotlight
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
The sweat poured down Chase Daniel’s brow as he peered over the monstrous line. The heat was sweltering. Daniel was getting tired, and his right hand was going numb. Flashbulbs popped from every angle.
Just another day in the life of Missouri’s star quarterback.
[08/28/08 ]
Star-studded teams of earlier eras
With seven preseason All-Big 12 picks, the 2008 Missouri Tigers are loaded with difference-makers. Here’s a look at some of the most talented teams from the program’s past. The draft picks listed are only those players who were chosen in the NFL draft that immediately followed that season.
[08/28/08 ]
Getting there is half the fun
By STEVE WALENTIK
of the Tribune’s staff
Saturday’s Arch Rivalry game against Illinois at the Edward Jones Dome in
St. Louis will kick off the most anticipated Missouri football season in some 40
years.
[08/28/08 ]
The ultimate defender
By DAVE MATTER
of the Tribune’s staff
Moore gives Tigers answer to the spread.
[08/28/08 ]
Fans’ field day
Emma Mallett, 2, looks to her mother as Mike Wheeler is brought to the turf by
Mary-Rourke Boyd, Gracie Boyd and Ellie Mallett, 4, during a pep rally for the University of Missouri football team.
[08/28/08 ]
Go to First & Ten 2008
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