Developing youth a Missouri goal tonight against SEMO

Missouri tight end Daniel Parker Jr. attempts to make a catch while being tripped by West Virginia safety Josh Norwood during last Saturday's game at Faurot Field.
Missouri tight end Daniel Parker Jr. attempts to make a catch while being tripped by West Virginia safety Josh Norwood during last Saturday's game at Faurot Field.

COLUMBIA - The combination of better high school football and better high school football players, college football's ever-improving talent acquisition and development efforts and Power-Five scheduling will be on display tonight at Faurot Field.

And the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks are getting paid $425,000 to play their part, according to USA Today's list of buy games.

The Tigers (1-1) got FCS No. 19 Southeast Missouri State (1-1) for relatively cheap - Oregon is paying Montana $650,000 for a game tonight, and LSU and Oregon State are paying Northwestern State and California Polytechnic $600,000 each - and though Missouri head coach Barry Odom didn't have any input into this season's schedule, he is happy it's an in-state opponent. The Tigers also played SEMO in 2015, and hosted Missouri State in 2017.

"I think that's important," Odom said Tuesday. "I think there's value in that. But also, I know Southeast Missouri, coach Tuk (Tom Matukewicz), he's going to have his guys come in here ready to play their best game and trying to knock us off."

Missouri kicks against SEMO at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network Alternate channel.

If Alabama's Nick Saban had his way, Power-Five programs would only play one another, and not beat up on lower-division programs. As it stands, though, FCS programs benefit monetarily and give themselves a longshot at a historic upset and the exposure that follows. For FBS programs, the change in redshirt rules - which allows a football player to participate in up to four games in a season while retaining a fifth year of eligibility - paired with scheduling FCS teams, means in weeks like this, programs like Missouri will try to try to get as many new faces on the field in a game as possible.

Odom is trying to build Missouri's roster back up after Gary Pinkel's retirement and a few lean years, and he did it with youth: the team played 15 true freshmen in 2017 and 13 last year, and 28 of the 48 offensive and defensive depth chart positions are currently occupied by juniors, redshirt sophomores or sophomores.

The change in the redshirt rule, which went into effect in time for the 2018 season, was important, and has helped Odom change his process with playing and developing freshmen.

"I think, definitely, in the last 10 years it's changed dramatically, and then with this rule now it's changed," Odom said. "I don't even think about them being freshmen anymore. It's, can we get the guy ready to go play? And then (if we can), is he a four-game guy, or the rest of the season?

"So I think if you can get to a point where you plan effectively for four games, and then they don't play past that, you look at the next year, that game experience and the preparation that it takes to play in those four games, man, that second year, they're going to be so much further along."

So far, nine true freshmen have seen the field, and Odom said following the loss at Wyoming playing from behind threw off some of the snaps the coaching staff wanted to get for newcomers.

Safety Martez Manuel, tight end Niko Hea and wide receiver Maurice Massey have played in the first two games, and look like they'll play more than four games. So far, though, none have recorded a stat.

Defensive backs Stacy Brown and Chris Shearin, defensive linemen Darius Robinson and Isaiah McGuire, linebacker Devin Nicholson and offensive lineman Thalen Robinson have all played one game.

The rest of Missouri's schedule does not look conducive to getting first-ever in-game reps. The Tigers, as 33-point favorites, will try to build as big a lead as possible early, and work out the second- and third-string teams, which they did a little against West Virginia.

Where Missouri needs a better performance once the starters come out is at quarterback. Taylor Powell played in six games as a true freshman a year ago, and was 6-of-14 for 134 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions.

Against the Mountaineers, he was 0-for-3. The Tigers didn't need him to be flashy or even to move the ball, as the defense stymied West Virginia all over the field, but Missouri would benefit from a better performance from Powell today.

III

The Redhawks do have playmakers Missouri should be concerned with. Redshirt senior quarterback Daniel Santacaterina, a Northern Illinois transfer, is a threat to run the ball, and has completed 28-of-54 passes for 362 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. His favorite targets, Kristian Wilkerson and Aaron Alston, have 340 receiving yards, and Wilkerson, also a redshirt senior, has caught 12 passes for 223 yards and both of SEMO's passing scores. His longest reception is for 47 yards, so he is not only a deep threat but a well-rounded receiver.

The offense also has three running backs that average 4.3 yards per carry or better: redshirt freshman Geno Hess (26 carries for 167 yards), junior Mark Robinson (24 carries for 111 yards) and sophomore Zion Custis (17 carries for 98 yards). 

"They've got three runners, three running backs that I'm impressed with, the way they run," Odom said Tuesday. "They're powerful, they're strong."

An experienced offensive line - among the starters, only redshirt freshman right tackle Nate Korte is an underclassman - has taken care of its running backs. The Redhawks' rushers have lost just nine yards as a unit this season.

The team also has an accomplished rotating cast of returners, with Al Young and Zack Smith handling punts and Young and Shabari Davis taking kick return. Those three average 100 yards of offense per game on special teams. Missouri kicker/punter Tucker McCann, meanwhile, has allowed just one kick to be returned all season, though the Tigers' coverage team let it go for 39 yards.

Where SEMO's offense is lacking is on third down. The Redhawks are 9-for-28, while opponents are 13-for-29, but they have converted 2-of-3 fourth down opportunities.

It should be no surprise if Missouri jumps out to a big lead in this game, like it did in its first two contests, but not just because of the talent dropoff from FBS to FCS teams. The Redhawks haven't scored in the first quarter this season, against either Southern Illinois or Montana State.