Missouri returns 18 starters from a team that won eight games.

First and foremost, the Big 12 is a quarterback’s league and Missouri returns arguably the conference’s best in Blaine Gabbert. Yes, national pundits point to the losses of Spoon and Danario Alexander. But what they don’t realize is that the linebacking corps is arguably the best it’s ever been under Gary Pinkel. Mizzou has six linebackers (Gachkar, Ebner, Lambert, Gooden, Bonner, Tatum) that are “high level Big 12 players,” as Gary Pinkel says. The secondary returns all of its starters and all signs point toward that unit being improved in 2010.

“We’re looking real good. We’re going to be mean,” safety Kenji Jackson told me yesterday when I asked him how the defense looked.

Offensively, Mizzou returns four offensive linemen. That unit should do a better job of protecting Gabbert and creating lanes for Derrick Washington than it did a year ago. Washington has lost about 10 pounds this off-season and was impressive throughout the spring. At receiver, replacing Alexander won’t be easy, but a year ago everyone was talking about replacing Jeremy Maclin. This system breeds playmakers at wide receiver. I’d be shocked if a Mizzou receiver put up numbers like Alexander’s this year. However, I’d also be shocked if Mizzou’s receivers hold this team back. Guys are going to step up. Just because most of the nation doesn’t know names like Rolandis Woodland, L’Damian Washington, or TJ Moe, doesn’t mean that unit will struggle. Look for new playmakers to emerge.

With 18 returning starters, this Missouri team should have some of its kinks from 2009 worked out.

Want tickets?  We've got them for you.

The Kansas City Royals have teamed up with Mizzou to host "Mizzou Night at the K," this Saturday for their game against the Oakland Athletics.  Among the Mizzou related events, Mike Anderson will throw out the game's first pitch.  Anderson and several Mizzou athletes will be hanging out in Kauffman's Lot N to meet fans and tailgate prior to the first pitch.

In addition, the Royals are giving Mizzou fans over $10 off certain tickets to the game.  For example, Field Plaza seats are only $15 for Mizzou fans as opposed to usually costing $26.  As if that's not enough, the first 20,000 fans at the game also receive a retro KC cap.  The game starts at 6:10.

Here's some even better news: You could go to the game for free.  We've joined forces with the Royals and will be giving away two tickets for free.  All you have to do is send us a photo of you decked out in Royals gear, Mizzou gear, or both.  The fan with the most elaborate get-up gets the tickets.

My money says Anderson puts some heat on a strike right over the plate.  That alone would be cool to see.  And if you haven't been to the new Kauffman stadium, it's a great place to see a game.

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or tweet at us: @mizzourah1839

or find us on facebook: Mizzou Rah

Anyone can tell you that Blaine Gabbert and Aldon Smith are going to be crucial parts to the Tigers success this year. But every successful team has its share of unheralded guys that step up and emerge as household names by season’s end.

In 2007 William Moore went from a player who had a handful of starts with some flashes of brilliance to arguably the best safety in the nation. In 2008, Kenji Jackson came out of nowhere to make 62 tackles (7^th on the team) and two interceptions (Ok, maybe he’s taken a step backward, but you get the idea). Last year, Aldon Smith went from never playing a snap in his life to setting the MU sack record.

So who will emerge in 2010? Here are five guys I think Mizzou needs to step up big this year if Tigers are serious for contending for a conference title.

1. Kip Edwards – RS Sophomore - Cornerback

Edwards started to make a name for himself at the end of last year, but he still has tons of untapped potential. In the final four games of 2009 he made 10 of his 20 tackles, had two pass break ups and an interception. Edwards didn’t start last year and with Kevin Rutland and Carl Gettis ahead of him on the depth chart, he likely won’t start again this year. But in the Big 12 it’s crucial to have multiple corners who can play at a high level. The failures of Mizzou’s secondary are well documented. If that’s going to change, Edwards is going to have a big say in it. I think we can expect him to push for a starting role and definitely see significant playing time. Look for Edwards to record about 30-40 tackles and come away with a few interceptions in 2010. He’ll carry that momentum into 2011 where he’s likely to be Missouri’s best corner.

2. Marcus Lucas – Incoming Freshman – Wide Receiver

If you don’t follow recruiting, maybe you haven’t heard of Lucas. If you do, you know why he’s on this list. The guy has all the tools to be great. He’s 6’5, 200 lbs, and as you can see from the video below, a pretty impressive receiving prospect. We all know receivers are critical to Mizzou’s offense. Jerrell Jackson, Wes Kemp and Rolandis Woodland all need to have big seasons. But if Missouri can get an unexpected contribution from one of the incoming receivers, life will be a lot easier for David Yost and Blaine Gabbert. Incoming frosh Bud Sasser and Jimmie Hunt will be good players for the Tigers someday, but I think Lucas has the opportunity to emerge as a contributor this season. Look for Lucas to earn playing time as a true freshman and make 15-20 catches in 2010.

3. Terrell Resonno – RS Junior – Defensive Tackle

Defensive tackle is easily Missouri’s most questionable position heading into the season. Dominique Hamilton played well last year alongside the now departed Jaron Baston. Hamilton started 12 games and recorded 46 tackles including 5.5 for a loss and a sack. He should be a solid starter again this year. However, Resonno is giant question mark. He started the Illinois game last year but was quickly benched in favor for Hamilton. Mizzou ranked 26^th in the NCAA against the run last year. Granted, most teams had their way passing against the Tigers, but Mizzou won’t rank anywhere near there if Resonno doesn’t step up this year. I think Missouri’s secondary will be improved from last year and the linebacking corps is arguably the deepest in Mizzou’s history. If Resonno can shore up the defensive line, the Mizzou defense could surprise some people.

4. Michael Egnew – Junior – Tight End

What do the 2007 and 2008 seasons have in common? Mizzou had double digit wins in each season and not coincidentally, they had significant contributions from the tight end position in both of those seasons. Ok, never mind the fact that those were two of the most talented Mizzou teams ever, that ruins my argument. My point is, Missouri’s offense is at its best when it has a contributing tight end. Last year, Mizzou missed the reliability of a tight end who they could count on to get open and get them 8 – 12 yards on a given play. Andrew Jones will be healthy again this season, but from the looks of things in spring ball, Michael Egnew is going to emerge as the star at tight end. If Missouri’s offense is going to improve from last year, it’s going to need a significant contribution from that position and I think Egnew will provide it. Look for the big and athletic target to make 40-plus catches and around five or six touchdowns.

5. Any safety not named Jasper Simmons

Jasper Simmons has the free safety position locked up. Despite a few memorable gaffes (cough, cough, that slip and fall against Dezmon Briscoe), Simmons played well last season. He made 73 tackles, forced two fumbles, and picked off a pass. The other safety position is a different story. Everyone thought Kenji Jackson would be a star last year, and well… he wasn’t. Then it looked like Jarrell Harrison would take over, but now he’s in the doghouse. If Mizzou’s secondary is really going to take a step forward they need to shore up the strong safety position. Whether it’s going to be Jackson or Harrison reclaiming their starting role, or a younger guy like Tavon Bolden, Matt White, or Kenronte Walker taking over, Mizzou needs a reliable strong safety. Otherwise, expect more of the same from the Mizzou pass defense.

I hate the Oklahoma Sooners.  They've ruined Mizzou's chances at a National Championship in football and a Final Four in basketball.  And don't even get me started on that ridiculous "Sooner Schooner."  However, I don't hate the Sooners' Bloguin blog.  Allen Kenney runs the Sooner blog known as blatanthomerism.com.  He recently had me on his podcast to give their fans a preview of our Missouri Tigers this year.

If you're interested here's the article and a link to the podcast:

"All the speculation related to Missouri's flirtations with Big Ten haven't left much time to talk about actual Tiger football lately. Michael Gaio, lead writer for Bloguin network partner MizzouRah, joins Homerism to put an end to that.

Gaio and I break down the 2010 version of the Missouri Tigers and a wild offseason in Columbia. We touch on:

• the general sense of disappointment among Mizzou fans that the Tigers aren't leaving for the Big Ten (yet);
• Blaine Gabbert's maturation as a quarterback in his first season;
• who will fill Danario Alexander's shoes;
• the loss of Sean Weatherspoon at linebacker;
• what the coaching staff is doing to improve the Mizzou defense; and
  
• Michael's optimistic outlook for the Tigers in 2010."

Linas Kleiza scoring 29 against the Lakers back in 2007 set to the always awesome "Get Ready For This" by 2 Unlimited

The man who was once called "The Ogre" by a former Missouri walk-on (I'm not gonna say who) signed a four-year, $18.8 million offer sheet with the Raptors earlier today. The Nuggets apparently still has the rights to Kleiza and have seven days to match Toronto's offer. I don't get how he's still a restricted free agent for the Nuggets when he played in Greece last year, but I don't know shit about NBA contracts. With Bosh leaving for Miami I'm sure Kleiza will be seeing a decent amount of minutes for the Raptors if they sign him.

So... are the Raptors trying to become the most European team in the NBA or what? Hey Toronto, I hear Rudy Fernandez wants out of Portland, you should probably get after him.

In the calm before the storm that is the college football season, writers everywhere are releasing their version of "College Football Preview," books.  Everyone knows about Phil Steele's preview, but honestly, I don't know if I can buy into his analysis when he hasAndrew Jones on the All-Big 12 first team and not Aldon Smith.

Anyway, one of the best preview yearbooks out there is Blue Ribbon's College Football Yearbook.  We're giving away a free copy (worth $22.95), to a random reader.  Just shoot us an email or tweet with your address and a sentence or two about why you want the book and we'll pick a winner in a few days.

Mizzou isn't listed in their top 25, but the thing is packed with information.  It previews all 120 FBS teams with at least three pages of analysis for each team.

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Twitter: @MizzouRah1839

First of all, I hope everybody enjoyed their holiday weekend.  Here's some quick updates on your Tigers.

Harrison Suspended

If you hadn't heard, Mizzou safety Jarrell Harrison was arrested Friday on suspicion of misdemeanor shoplifting.  As if this is not bad enough in itself, he was shoplifting from Spencer's in the Columbia mall.  For those of you unfamiliar with Spencer's, here's how their website describes the store:

"Spencer’s gets any party started with funny gifts and gag gifts, corporate gifts to motivate, romantic gifts to stimulate, personalized gifts to appreciate and so much more."

Harrison, who started eight games for the Tiger's and made 47 tackles last season, had mysteriously fallen to third on the depth chart this spring.  This arrest isn't going to help his case.  He has been suspended indefinitely from team activities.

One Month 'til Camp

Fall camp officially begins in 30 days.  We'll try to catch up with some of the players and give you their thoughts heading into the season.

Recruiting Update

There hasn't been much news in the way of recruiting lately, but for those of you who don't follow Scout or Rivals religiously, here's how Mizzou stands:

Word on the street is that Mizzou has about 16-18 scholarships to offer this year.  The Tigers already have 10 verbal commitments.  This is the earliest Missouri has had this many commitments since I can remember.  The headline recruits include Sheldon Richardson who was originally a 5-star player out of high school before having to go the Juco route, Corbin Berkstresser, a 6'3'' 225 lb. quarterback from Lee's Summit, cornerback Cortland Browning who is now drawing interest from teams like Florida and Oklahoma, and Columbia's own Wesley Leftwich, a wide receiver who is one of the fastest players in the nation.

Keep an eye on: Kody Walker - RB - Jefferson City

Missouri really wants the big running back (6'1'' 230 lbs.)  He's not your typical Missouri-style running back, but he's the fifth highest rated player in the state according to Rivals and the nation's 29th highest rated running back.  He says that his decision will likely come down to Missouri and Arkansas.

Kinsler an All-Star

Former Missouri Tiger second baseman Ian Kinsler has been named to his second MLB All-Star Game.  The Rangers infielder is batting .299 with three homeruns and 26 RBI.

If the Hat fits...

The writer you came to know and love as "A Fastidious Hat," is back on board here at Mizzourah.  If you haven't read his most recent post, scroll down a bit.  As always, it's worth a read.

Missouri has some question marks heading into 2010.  However, Blaine Gabbert isn’t one of them.  In part two of our three part series, we examine how Gabbert compares to his legendary predecessor, Chase Daniel.

Fair or not, Gabbert is going to draw comparisons to Chase Daniel (photo by Parker Eshelman, Columbia Tribune).

Part 1. Just how good was Gabbert last year?

Part 2. How does Gabbert compare to Chase Daniel?

Part 3. What can we expect from Gabbert this year?

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Maybe it’s not fair. Maybe it’s not even relevant. But it is just too tempting to compare Blaine Gabbert to Chase Daniel. Physically, there is no comparison. Gabbert is listed at 6’5 240 pounds and will be a first round NFL draft pick whenever he chooses to be. Daniel on the other hand, was more than a bit undersized. However, their performances through their respective sophomore year's at Mizzou are nearly identical. In his junior campaign Daniel went on to set just about every MU passing record on his way to being a Heisman finalist. If stats are any indication, Gabbert might just follow that same curve in 2010.

So what if Chase Daniel wasn't as tall as his coach?  He still won 30 games in three years as Mizzou's starter.

Both quarterbacks earned playing time as true freshman. Daniel attempted a pass in every game of his freshman season except two. Gabbert only saw the field three times going a whopping 5-13 for 47 yards. However, that didn’t seem to hinder Gabbert in his first year as a fulltime starter.

In their sophomore seasons, both quarterbacks got off to hot starts. Both Daniel’s ’06 and Gabbert’s ’09 teams breezed through their non-conference schedule unscathed. Through non-conference play Daniel had thrown 11 touchdowns and one interception. In his non-conference schedule Gabbert threw 11 touchdowns and no interceptions.

But after fast starts were disappointing finishes. The ’06 version ended the year 8-5 capped by a disappointing Sun Bowl loss. Along the way, Mizzou lost to both ranked opponents they played (OU at home, Oregon State in Sun Bowl). They also had an embarrassing loss to Iowa State.

The ’09 Tigers fared similarly. They ended the season 8-5 and lost to all three ranked opponents (Nebraska, Oklahoma State, and Texas). The year ended with a frustrating loss in the Texas Bowl. They also had an embarrassing loss to Baylor.

But beyond team similarities are the individual similarities. Daniel set MU passing records (that he would later break…twice) as a sophomore by completing 63.5 percent of his passes for 3,527 yards, 28 touchdowns, and compiling a 145.06 quarterback rating. Daniel also rushed for four touchdowns. That’s eerily similar to Gabbert’s sophomore campaign where he completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 3,593 yards, 24 touchdowns and achieved a quarterback rating of 140.45. He also rushed for three touchdowns.

We all know what happened after Chase’s sophomore season. He erupted on the national scene leading Mizzou to the nation’s number one ranking, a 12-2 record, and a Cotton Bowl win. He completed a mind-boggling 69 percent of his passes. His 4,306 passing yards and 33 touchdowns were both in the top six nationally. Can we expect the same from Blaine?

Well, Chase had one major advantage. In 2007 Missouri had its greatest receiving corps in school history. Check out Daniel’s top targets from 2007:

Jeremy Maclin – first round NFL draft pick

Martin Rucker – fourth round NFL draft pick

Will Franklin – fourth round NFL draft pick

Chase Coffman – third round NFL draft pick

Danario Alexander – led NCAA in receiving yards as a senior

Tommy Saunders – spent time on Buccaneers and Lions’ roster

Jared Perry – currently on 49ers roster

If we go ahead and assume DA will spend time on an NFL roster soon, that’s seven receivers that went on to at least have a chance in the NFL. Not many teams have ever boasted so many threats. Daniel was great as a junior but it never hurts when your receivers are that good. Meanwhile, Gabbert’s top seven receivers for his junior year will look something like this:

Jerrell Jackson – 46 career catches, 2 TD’s

Wes Kemp – 24 career catches, 3 TD’s

Rolandis Woodland – Five career catches

L’Damian Washington – No career catches

TJ Moe – Two career catches

Michael Egnew – Three career catches

Andrew Jones – 28 career catches

This is not to say that Mizzou’s receivers won’t have breakout seasons in 2010, but I think it’s safe to give the advantage to the ’07 crew.

As a junior, Daniel faced four ranked opponents in the regular season (#23 Nebraska, #5 Oklahoma, #21 Texas Tech, and #2 kU). Mizzou went 3-1 in those games. As a junior it is likely that Gabbert will face only three ranked opponents. Texas A&M, Nebraska, and Oklahoma will all likely be ranked when Mizzou faces them. If Mizzou can snag two or three wins against those opponents it is likely 2010 could go as well as 2007.

From his sophomore to junior season Daniel improved his numbers and went from a solid Big 12 quarterback to a national star. Let’s say Gabbert’s stats improved exactly as Daniel’s did from sophomore to junior year. That means Gabbert will complete nearly 64 percent of his passes for more than 4,300 yards, 29 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions this coming season. That would easily rank him as a top 10 BCS conference quarterback, and if you ask me, that’s not out of the question. Most importantly, if Gabbert follows Daniel’s ascension, Mizzou would also win four more games than they did last season, and I think that’s something we’re all hoping to see.

It’s probably not fair to Blaine to compare him to Chase Daniel. Every year is different and every situation is different. But after seeing what Daniel did for Mizzou football in his time here, maybe it’s not such a bad thing after all.

In honor of Leo Lyons recently joining twitter I thought we'd feature him on Facebook Friday.  After averaging 14.6 points, six rebounds, and two assists as a senior for Mizzou's 2009 Elite Eight team, Lyons now plays professionally in Israel.  He averaged nearly nine points and five rebounds for Hapoel Midgal Jerusalem this past season.  The smooth shooting Lyons also shot over 58 percent from the field.

Perhaps the most interesting tidbit about Lyons is that he's also an aspiring rapper.  With the stage name of "6 Plus,"  Lyons and former Mizzou safety William Moore are part of a rap group known as "Fa Sho Entertainment."  Personally, my favorite track with 6 Plus and Willy Mo on it is the "Fa Sho Theme."

Anyway, here are the photos....

See, told you he like music. Check out Leo on the drums... And is that Marshall Brown on guitar?

Speaking of former players, check out this one.  Glen Dandridge, Jason Horton, Marshall Brown, Keon Lawrence, Matt Lawrence, Leo, and Nick Berardini  all in this photo.

In case you didn't click the link above, proof of "6 Plus's" rap career.

Enjoy the weekend Mizzou fans.