Edge rusher Darris Smith, center, lunges while practicing July 29, 2024, at the Stephens Indoor Facility in Columbia. Smith will miss Missouri's game against Florida on Saturday.
Edge rusher Darris Smith, center, lunges while practicing July 29, 2024, at the Stephens Indoor Facility in Columbia. Smith will miss Missouri's game against Florida on Saturday.
Sarah Voyles, Columbia Missourian
Edge rusher Darris Smith, center, lunges while practicing July 29, 2024, at the Stephens Indoor Facility in Columbia. Smith will miss Missouri's game against Florida on Saturday.
Mizzou football ruled out starting edge rushers Darris Smith and Langden Kitchen for its game against Florida. The team revealed the news in the Southeastern Conference’s mandated availability report Friday night.
Smith is dealing with an ankle injury that he suffered in Week 3 against Troy while Kitchen exited Missouri’s Week 4 game against Mississippi State with a lower body injury.
Sophomore Daeden Hopkins and Florida State transfer Jaeden Jones took the bulk of the starting snaps in Week 4 after Kitchen exited. A deep group of rotational players also contributed in the absence of the starters.
Hopkins has stepped out of the shadows this season, already recording six sacks on the year.
Missouri linebacker Bobby Washington Jr. was removed from the availability report Friday night after being listed as questionable on both Wednesday and Thursday. Washington left during the fourth quarter against Mississippi State as a member of the kick coverage unit.
Florida provided designations for two of its top receivers, listing Vernell Brown III as doubtful and Bailey Stockton as probable. Brown leads the team with 271 receiving yards while Stockton sits at fourth with 106 yards.
ESPN’s Kris Budden gives thoughts on how Mizzou matches up with Florida
ESPN's Kris Budden will return for Mizzou Homecoming for the first time since she graduated in 2006, serving as the sideline analyst for the Tigers’ game against the Gators.
Covering Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz over the years, Budden has appreciated the humility of the self-proclaimed “dorkiest guy in college football.”
“I love that he’s not afraid to be who he is - sometimes that’s giving it to KU fans on Twitter,” Budden said of Drinkwitz. “He’s just very easy to work with … I’ve always appreciated his kindness and thoughtfulness.”
From following and reporting on the team for over two decades now, Budden has seen the way Drinkwitz has raised the floor of the program. The question continuing to hover over Drinkwitz, however, is if he can continue to push Missouri over the hump.
“(Fans) were waiting for those big wins and now those big wins are possible,” Budden said. “It’s ‘Can you stack those wins with this schedule?’”
Budden has become familiar with the faces on the other side of the field this week, covering Florida head coach Jon Sumrall multiple times during his stint at Tulane.
Sumrall has turned around the hopes of Florida, leading the Gators to a 4-0 start to the season with a culture change.
“Same way as Drinkwitz, he’s everything that you see on TV,” Budden said of Sumrall. “There’s a toughness about him, an energy about him that also comes through the camera.”
She also covered a handful of Georgia Tech games when current offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner held the same role with the Yellow Jackets.
“He’s fascinating,” Budden said. “He’s so creative. Sumrall brought a different chemistry and toughness around this team, but the offense and what they’re doing is a credit to Buster Faulkner.”
Budden will be on the sidelines at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium as a member of the ABC broadcast.
Every True Tiger announces bourbon partnership
Every True Tiger Brands, Mizzou Athletics’ NIL branch, announced a bourbon partnership with Bespoken Spirits on Friday. The partnership includes two bourbons: Every True Tiger Select and Every True Tiger Reserve.
The partnership is the latest in a series of product collaborations under Every True Tiger, with sales benefitting Mizzou’s NIL funding.
“Bespoken Spirits is a tremendous company with strong roots in the Southeastern Conference region, and we’re excited to partner with them to bring Every True Tiger Select and Every True Tiger Reserve to Mizzou fans,” Every True Tiger CEO Mario Moccia said in a press release.
The two bourbons will be on sale this fall at local retailers and online.
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