COLUMBIA, Mo. — Ennis Rakestraw Jr. heard the noise he never wanted to hear and felt the sensation he dreaded. It was last Oct. 5, a Tuesday afternoon practice on Faurot Field.
The Missouri cornerbacks were going through a coverage drill, defending each other one on one. Teammate Allie Green IV played the wide receiver role, running a slant. Rakestraw, already wearing a brace on his right left to protect a sore knee, broke for the ball, snagged the pass, then crumpled to the turf.
“I extended my leg too far in the brace,” he said this week.