COLUMBIA, MO. • Fans at Saturday’s Missouri Black and Gold Game will flock to see quarterback Drew Lock fling the ball around in coordinator Derek Dooley’s new offense. They’ll come to see Damarea Crockett rumble through tackles with his surgically repaired shoulder back in one piece. They’ll watch power forward tight ends Albert Okwuegbunam and Kendall Blanton and speedy wideout Emanuel Hall in his expanded role.
Across the line of scrimmage the seemingly endless reconstruction of Barry Odom’s defense might not command the same attention, but after making measured progress during a disjointed 2017, the Tigers return a wealth of starters and some much needed stability.