In Texas, they say there's only two sports: Football, and spring football.
In Missouri, while we have many great sports currently taking place, that Texan phrase rang true on Saturday afternoon when thousands showed up and filled nearly all of Faurot('s east side's lower bowl -- still impressive!) to watch the Black Team, led by Brady Cook, face off against Gold Team, headlined by Luther Burden III and other star receivers.
Mizzou won!
I was there for Team Black's victory, catching pictures of gridiron stars of the Tiger past, present, and future.
This is the Spring Football Tobias Ten!
UM-System Chancellor & President Mun Choi stopped by to see Mizzou compete in the game. Before kickoff, he was chatting with Head Coach Eli Drinkwitz, and the two seemed to be having a great time, according to my own observation. The last time I saw these two on a football field together in December, Choi was congratulating Drinkwitz for winning the Cotton Bowl. I suppose he could also have congratulated Drinkwitz on his victory Saturday, but then again, he was the coach of both teams.
2. Mann of the Hour
Missouri's three biggest stars at receiver last year -- Luther Burden III, Mookie Cooper, and Theo Wease, all dressed in gold for the game, with the Black team taking other wideouts including Marquis "Speedy" Johnson and Joshua Manning.
Manning had one of the game's two touchdowns, a pass from Brady Cook, and made no mistake in his celebration. (The other one? An 82-yard TD thrown by Theo Wease (!!) to Mookie Cooper. "I'm comin for ya spot, 12," said Wease to Cook on Twitter.)
3. Stars of Tiger Past
Many of last year's stars visited the stadium to see old teammates and the next generation of Tiger athletes. Cody Schrader, Darius Robinson, and Harrison Mevis all were honored at halftime, along with several others.
Mevis, seen here dwarfed by Robinson, the projected first-rounder, was standing at about the 50-yard line, so not far off from where he made his famous kick. (More on that later...)
4. The First Noel
The spring game was very important for all of us in the press corps in part because it gave us the chance to see some incoming transfers face off against each other.
App State transfer running back Nate Noel (8, left,) tried to break through the offensive line, but was stopped literally single-handedly by Florida transfer Chris McClellan (7, right.)
And this is with McClellan not even in a full lineman stance! He's barely standing up! I wouldn't want to run through him. Noel looked great in other reps, though.
5. STP LB3
Unlike my camera, fans saw very little of star wideout Luther Burden III during the game, as he is dealing with an ankle tweak (per Adam Busack of the Missourian.) Immediately after it ended, I found him.
Note some of the words on his wristbands: Nasty Wide Outs, Elite Edge, and STP (Something To Prove.) It appears messaging is staying from last year, as Drinkwitz has repeatedly urged the team not to rest on their laurels.
6. Nasty Wide Outs
WRs coach Jacob Peeler's (center) Twitter handle is @NastyWideOuts, and that is exactly what he develops at Mizzou. The receivers room posed for a picture after the game; headliners include #3 Luther Burden III, #2 Marquis Johnson, #0 Joshua Manning, #10 Mekhi Miller, #5 Mookie Cooper, and #1 Theo Wease. Looking to be one of the deepest WR rooms in the country this year...
7. Taunting, 15 yards
After a failed goal-line stand by the Gold Team, Black Team's Daylan Carnell unabashedly taunted Gold, making a "no good" call. He evidently waited until Coach Drinkwitz was looking at something else, though.
8. For the Kids
After the game, pandemonium ensued as children, and later, their parents, stormed the field for an autograph session with about every player. As someone who was on the field taking pictures during the Kansas State game, it was not anything like that, but I suppose Saturday was fairly close.
9. Big Man on Campus
It was fascinating to see in real time which athletes were the most desired for interviews by the hordes of fans. The #1 most wanted, naturally, was St. Louis's own Brady Cook, with dozens of fans waiting for his John Hancock on their posters, hats, and shirts.
10. Posterized!
Also heavily desired for autographs, of course, was Luther Burden III, who signed for young fans all day long (actually, it was 25 minutes, after which all retired to the locker room.)
Of note: The game, while on the 16th, was a few days after 314 Day (on 3/14), known to all St. Louisans as a celebration of their city due to the 314 area code. Burden, a son of St. Louis, raised just to the east, seemed happy to sign for the local fans all day.