****Official 2014 Missouri Tigers Football Thread****

['Hamas' Jenkins]

None of this matters. Fire Pinkel.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Updated with Williams' signing and Rivals links to key recruits.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

LS West RB Ryan Williams has committed to Missouri.

This likely means Naterace Strong is probably the only RB who still could find room at Mizzou in this class.

Here's what Rivals.com's Midwest Analyst Rob Cassidy had to say about Williams:

"Williams is a versatile back that can catch the ball out of the backfield as well as he can carry it. He was impressive on the camp circuit last summer and really showed off his ability a pass-catcher there. Still, that doesn't overshadow his tremendous lower-body strength, which allows him to get tough yards. Williams doesn't have elite breakaway speed but his versatility makes him dangerous. It will be interesting to see what Mizzou does at the running back position going forward, as there are so many talented back in state."

[KChiefs1]

Ryan Williams #4:




"They just helped me feel like I was at home," Williams said. "I visited down here a lot, and they really made me feel like they wanted me down here. My mom helped me, too. She wanted me to stay close to home."

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Updated with Williams' signing and Rivals links to key recruits.

Chase Abbington is committed as well. Don't think JUCO rankings are up yet... Was a 4-star out of HS.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Lee's Summit West RB Ryan Williams commits to Missouri

http://www.columbiatribune.com/blogs...a4bcf6878.html

By DAVID MORRISON
Saturday, February 15, 2014 at 5:30 pm

Ryan Williams, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound running back from Lee's Summit West, committed to Missouri's Class of 2015 during the Tigers' Junior Day on Saturday, his high-school coach Royce Boehm said.

PowerMizzou.com lists Williams and Chase Abbington, an athlete from Fort Zumwalt South who signed with Missouri in 2013 but had to go through Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College first, as the Tigers' two commits for 2015.

Williams is a 3-star recruit according to 247Sports.com, ESPN.com, Rivals.com and Scout.com. He is the No. 37 running back and the No. 7 prospect from Missouri in the Class of 2015, according to 247Sports.

Boehm, father of Missouri center Evan Boehm, said Williams ran for 1,100 yards this past season and recently posted a 4.5-second 40-yard dash at a prospect showcase.

Williams has offers from Northern Illinois and Northern Iowa, Boehm said, but larger schools are starting to show more interest.

Williams would be the fourth Lee's Summit West player to sign with Missouri in the past four years, after Evan Boehm (2012), cornerback Logan Cheadle and offensive lineman Kevin Pendleton (both 2014).

And read on for Royce Boehm's comments about Missouri's newest commitment:

What kind of back is Williams?

"Missouri is getting the type of running back Missouri produces. The way I like to say it is the young man likes to break ankles. He's got breakaway speed. And once he gets down there and gets on the training table and gets to" head strength and conditioning coach Pat "Ivey and his staff, Ryan is going to get bigger, faster, stronger.

"He had 1,110 yards rushing this year and a lot of people will go, 'That's not good.' Well, b.s. That's pretty good when we have a kid running for 1,100 yards, then our number two back" Demarcus Edwards "is running 850 yards, then our number three running back" Andrew Palmer "is running 750 yards. Then we've got two Wildcats -- with Brenner Clemons, who's down there today at Missouri -- and Monte Harrison who both ran for 500 yards.

"You know what? Next year, he's going to tote the football. Most of those guys aren't going to be around. It's just going to be him and Brenner."

What kind of runner is he?

"Just elusive. So elusive, so slick. It's like he puts his hand on the back of one of our linemen and, next thing you know, he makes a break and he's gone. Then, on a dime, he's cutting back to his left and breaking ankles."

What are some of his measurables?

"Right now he's at 5-10, 175 pounds. He was invited to the All-American combine in San Antonio, where he posted a 4.5 40."

What other schools were in the mix for him?

"At the time it was Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa and he would ask me, 'Why am I not getting offers from these other schools?' I looked at him and said, 'You know why? A lot of these schools look at stats, and they're looking at the wrong thing.' I am a true believer about that.

"I had Kansas come in last Friday, before the snow hit. They were looking at Brenner Clemons and I looked over at" running backs coach "Reggie" Mitchell "and said, 'Why haven't you guys offered Ryan Williams?' And he said, 'Who?' I put his highlight tape on and he goes, 'Oh my Lord. How did we miss this guy?' I said, 'You know what? You're getting real close to truly missing him because I'm hearing rumors from the kid that he's ready to commit.' Then last Saturday" Williams "calls me and tells me he's going to commit today.

"Now, some of these schools are going to hear he's committed and -- honestly, this is the crap I hear -- 'Oh, we were going to offer you.' I told him, 'You're going to get some offers as soon as you commit. They're going to try and ruffle your feathers.'"

First your son, Evan, then Cheadle and Pendleton. How comfortable are LSW prospects in going to Missouri?

Quarterbacks coach Andy "Hill texted me today and he said, 'The pipeline continues.' That right there kind of tells you how our kids feel about the University of Missouri.

"But I tell you what, you ask Kevin Pendleton, you ask Logan, you can ask Evan and Ryan, not one time did I ever pressure them or say they needed to go to the University of Missouri. That was all on those guys. I am not that type of coach."

[KChiefs1]

Drew Lock on his Mizzou visit:

It had a different feel for me," Lock said.

It wasn't so much about the program as it was about the future. Lock, the state's top-ranked player for 2015, has offers from the Tigers, Tennessee and Ole Miss, among others. Now, he's at the point where college visits aren't just about his future.

They're an opportunity to see potential teammates, too.

"I was seeing who was there (at Junior Day)," Lock said. "They're probably going to be most of the guys I play with, if I end up going to Missouri. It's good to put a face to a name and discussing things with them."

[tomahawk kid]

Hope all these RB offers don't make Natreace Strong (ESL) think twice about Mizzou.

Rumors have been that he's Mizzou lean for awhile.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by tomahawk kid

Hope all these RB offers don't make Natreace Strong (ESL) think twice about Mizzou.

Rumors have been that he's Mizzou lean for awhile.

Given the way we've always used our backs, I don't know if we're going to get a lot of top flight RB recruits. A guy like Strong could very easily go to a place like Vandy or Ole Miss and carry the load instead of being a guy who gets 50-60% of the carries.

[tomahawk kid]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Given the way we've always used our backs, I don't know if we're going to get a lot of top flight RB recruits. A guy like Strong could very easily go to a place like Vandy or Ole Miss and carry the load instead of being a guy who gets 50-60% of the carries.

Hard to argue with, although I felt like we used our RBs in a more traditional sense last season - even installing formations under center.

We even got rid of that ridicuous sweep run BS that Yost fancied.

Regardless - I have enough faith in Henson to beleive he'd give Strong the ball if he was the best player on the field.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by tomahawk kid

Hard to argue with, although I felt like we used our RBs in a more traditional sense last season - even installing formations under center.

We even got rid of that ridicuous sweep run BS that Yost fancied.

Regardless - I have enough faith in Henson to beleive he'd give Strong the ball if he was the best player on the field.

That's a fair point.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by tomahawk kid

Hope all these RB offers don't make Natreace Strong (ESL) think twice about Mizzou.

Rumors have been that he's Mizzou lean for awhile.

I don't think they would.

Moten doesn't necessarily have a commitment they'd take right now (see Ray Wingo for a guy they made wait a bit, recent example). He might, but we don't know that.

If there are two spots open, and Strong REALLY likes Mizzou (as rumored) and sees one of those spots filled early, it puts a little more pressure/number crunch on him to commit early. Maybe speeds up that decision.

Plus, remember that RBs are often the best athlete on the team. Those guys often are moved to other spots. Marquise Doherty is a great example of that... he plays RB in HS and might even show as a RB in the recruiting systems, but he's truly an ATH who could play RB, slot WR, outside WR, CB, or S.

[duncan_idaho]

Positive news:

Free article from 247 sports regarding the East St. Louis guys:
Here.

It's sounding like it's a matter of when, not IF, Strong and Lock commit to Mizzou.

Both have influence on other key local targets (Hentges, Ofodile for Lock, Beckner for Strong).

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Positive news:

Free article from 247 sports regarding the East St. Louis guys:
Here.

It's sounding like it's a matter of when, not IF, Strong and Lock commit to Mizzou.

Both have influence on other key local targets (Hentges, Ofodile for Lock, Beckner for Strong).

Strong and Taylor would go a long ways towards Mizzou getting Beckner. Beckner is going to be a monster at DE.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Strong and Taylor would go a long ways towards Mizzou getting Beckner. Beckner is going to be a monster at DE.

Yes. And... He's Sheldon Richardson-esque in terms of size/strength/athleticism combo.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Yes. And... He's Sheldon Richardson-esque in terms of size/strength/athleticism combo.

If Mizzou can get the ESL pipeline flowing, they could be good for a while.