Missouri Tigers Football

Missouri announced on Sept. 29 that quarterback Maty Mauk was suspended for a violation of team policies. Mauk first missed the team's Week 5 game against South Carolina and will not play for the rest of 2015 after picking up a second suspension.

Continue for updates.

Mauk to Sit Out for Remainder of the Season

Sunday, Nov. 1

Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated noted Mauk's ban was for "disciplinary reasons." Mauk will miss games against Mississippi State, BYU, Tennessee and Arkansas.

Mauk Reportedly Reinstated

Tuesday, Oct. 27

Dave Matter of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Mauk was reinstated Sunday and had "rejoined team activities" during the bye week. 

Pinkel Comments on Mauk's Suspension

Monday, Oct. 5

Head coach Gary Pinkel refused to give a timetable for the quarterback's return, only saying Mauk will reappear on the depth chart once he's back, per Tod Palmer of the Kansas City Star.

Pinkel discussed the situation on Sept. 30, per ESPN's Greg Ostendorf:

Maty's going through some personal things, and that's difficult in regards to that. But what we do, and I think our players have great respect for it, is I protect the integrity of the program. We're going to be who we are, and we're going to do the right thing. We're not going to manipulate things. We have rules we abide by. Everybody lives by the same rules. And I think overall, that's helped us build our football program.

Lock Replaces Mauk

In Mauk's absence, Drew Lock completed 21 of 28 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns during the Tigers' 24-10 victory against South Carolina. 

"It's a little overwhelming to say the least," Lock said of his first start on Oct. 3, per ESPN.com. "Now that I've started and actually won a game, you can't really put it into words."

A freshman and former 4-star recruit, per 247Sports, Lock has completed 77 of 152 passes for 763 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions since arriving in Columbia. The quarterback has also seen action in all eight of Missouri's games this season.

Prior to his suspension, Mauk struggled, passing for 654 yards and six touchdowns while completing just 51.8 percent of his attempts. He also rushed 36 times for 145 yards and a score. 

Four members of the Missouri Tigers football team suffered non-life-threatening injuries in a car accident Friday, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Dave Matter. 

The university confirmed to the Columbia Daily Tribune's David Morrison that the players involved in the wreck were defensive lineman Terry Beckner Jr., wide receiver DeSean Blair, wide receiver Keyon Dilosa and running back Trevon Walters.

Blair, Dilosa and Walters are all redshirt freshmen, while Beckner is a true freshman who has recorded four tackles in his first two games for the Tigers. Beckner was driving the car, per Morrison, while the other three players were seated as passengers.

Accoding to Matter Beckner and Disola were treated and released at the scene of the accident, not hospitalized, as previously reported.

Morrison passed along a shot of head football coach Gary Pinkel examining the damage at the accident scene: 

Matter reported that the team doesn't know if any of the players will be available for Saturday's home game against the Connecticut Huskies. The team won't determine their playing statuses until shortly before kickoff (noon ET) tomorrow.

At this point during its SEC journey, Missouri has earned the benefit of the doubt, hasn't it?

After all, it weathered the storm in 2013 that included an injury to then-senior starting quarterback James Franklin, won the SEC East and was within a quarter of—perhaps—a berth in the BCS National Championship Game.

The following year, all it did was replace Franklin, stud wide receivers L'Damian Washington and Dorial Green-Beckham, running back Henry Josey and monster defensive ends Michael Sam and Kony Ealy and play for the SEC championship again.

If the third time is going to be the charm, head coach Gary Pinkel and offensive coordinator Josh Henson might have to reinvent the wheel.

The wide receiving corps for Missouri—as a group—has 10 total receptions heading into the season, with sophomore Nate Brown and his five career catches serving as the elder statesman of the group. What's more, J'Mon Moore and DeSean Blair—two presumed starters—got banged up this week, according to the Associated Press, via FoxSports.com.

Plus, it's not like Missouri has a reliable quarterback. Maty Mauk threw 16 touchdowns and 13 picks during the first three quarters of games in 2014, and nine touchdowns and zero picks in the final frame. 

"We need more consistency," Pinkel said at SEC media days in 2015. "There's no question about that. I think that Maty Mauk, he's 14-4 as a starter. He's remarkably good under pressure. We need more consistency from him. He knows that."

How will Pinkel do it? He could hop in the DeLorean and go back to the future.

It's hard to imagine based on the success that the Tigers have had at the wide receiver spot over the last few years, but Missouri finished ninth in the nation in rushing in 2011 with 243.46 yards per game.

Don't be surprised if they follow that same path in 2015.

Mauk isn't exactly Johnny Manziel on the ground but has proven over the last couple of years that he's fully capable of posing a threat on the zone read. He rushed for 373 yards and three touchdowns a year ago and has a strong offensive line returning to help him out.

Russell Hansbrough is the best 1,000-yard running back you've never heard of.

The 5'9", 202-pounder from Arlington, Texas, can shake defenders out of their shoes but is big enough to take some pounding between the tackles. As Dave Matter of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes, he put on seven pounds from a year ago and is being counted on to be the work horse this year for the Tigers.

If the passing game is going to be a work in progress, having a multidimensional running game will keep defenses honest and open up some passing lanes for Mauk and the receivers when the Tigers decide to air it out.

Plus, there are options behind Hansbrough that Pinkel likes. Morgan Steward is a 6'0", 210-pounder who can play more of the bruiser role after sitting out the 2014 season with a hip injury, along with 5'11", 210-pound Tyler Hunt and 6'2", 215-pound Chase Abbington. Ish Witter can serve more in the changeup role formerly occupied by Marcus Murphy.

As Brandon Kiley of KTGR 1580 in Columbia, Missouri, notes, Pinkel expects Witter to be a big part of the game plan.

Yes, Missouri has roster holes, which is par for the course for Pinkel and crew.

But no coach in America is better at adapting to his players than Pinkel. Don't be surprised if that adaptation includes a shift toward a more ground-and-pound approach in 2015.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports. Statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com. Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report, as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83.

Follow Barrett on Twitter: @BarrettSallee.

HOOVER, Ala. — Missouri has entered the Georgia Dome in each of the last two Decembers only 60 minutes away from SEC titles.

Both times, it walked out in search of not only the trophy, but also respect within the conference.

This season, that search starts with quarterback Maty Mauk.

One of only three full-time returning QB starters in the conference, Mauk finished last season with 25 touchdowns, but he threw 10 of those and nine picks in the first half and had a 15-4 ratio in the second half of games. Despite proving that he's clutch, he isn't getting any respect heading into 2015.

Don't believe me?

The beginning of a question to Mauk on Wednesday included a reference to his 27 quarterback rating against his toughest opponents—four losses.

"Sometimes it might be sloppy," Mauk said. "A 27 QBR or whatever it is, but 14-4 as a starter. I'll take wins over that. I'm not a guy going out there for stats, I'm here to win football games."

If Missouri is going to do more of that in 2015, it's going to be on the success of Mauk's arm.

For the second straight year, Missouri is charged with replacing the majority of its contributing wide receivers. It worked last year, but in 2015, the Tigers return just 10 total receptions among the entire receiving corps.

How uncertain is the receiving situation? When Mauk was asked about the future contributors, he immediately spoke of tight ends.

"Both of our tight ends are going to be tremendous receivers for us, Sean Culkin and Jason Reese," Mauk said. "Receiver-wise, I look at Nate Brown to really break out, and J'Mon Moore outside."

In a division that's building back from some recent struggles, it's going to be on Mauk to lead the team.

"We need more consistency with the offense, and it starts with him," Tigers head coach Gary Pinkel said. "With his experience level, you learn, mature and grow. The defense slows down. You see more.

"His consistency will help all the people around him play better."

Missouri has established itself as "DL Zou," but the departures of Shane Ray and Markus Golden, coupled with the season-ending injuries suffered by Harold Brantley in a car accident, put an enormous amount of pressure on Mauk to be consistent, reliable and a difference-maker in 2015.

If he can do that, Missouri will be right back in contention.

The Tigers have a remarkably easy out-of-conference schedule and get Mississippi State and Arkansas out of the SEC West. Sure, the Bulldogs and Razorbacks will still be tough, but Pinkel, Mauk and the rest of the crew still benefit from avoiding the two Alabama schools.

The last two seasons weren't a mirage. Missouri has proved that it has the talent, coaching staff and ability to not only play at a championship level but also do so in the face of significant roster turnover.

If Missouri is going to complete the SEC East three-peat in 2015, Mauk must be the difference-maker.

As far as respect goes, Mauk isn't going to worry about it.

"It’s not even a respect thing anymore. We are going to be disrespected, we are going to be on the bottom of everybody’s polls and it’s something we can’t control, so we aren’t even going to worry about it."

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.

Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.

Missouri Tigers defensive tackle Harold Brantley will miss the upcoming college football season after suffering injuries in a June car accident.

Gary Pinkel, Brantley's coach at Missouri, confirmed the news during his SEC media day session Wednesday, according to David Morrison of the Columbia Daily Tribune:

According to Dave Matter of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Pinkel said that Brantley suffered leg injuries and has a "small crack on his shoulder," adding that he'll undergo knee surgery soon:

Yahoo's Dr. Saturday noted that Pinkel feels Brantley would have been one of the best players in the country in 2015:

In June, per Ashley Zavala of KRCG13, Brantley's car struck a guardrail and was overturned with him stuck in the vehicle for 10 minutes before officers were able to get the door open. He was placed in the surgical intensive care unit under serious condition with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Per Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star, he suffered multiple rib fractures, a fractured lower left leg and ligament damage in his knee. 

A redshirt junior, Brantley has appeared in 28 games during his first two seasons with the Tigers. He was a breakout star in 2014, recording 54 total tackles and five sacks in helping lead the team to an 11-3 record and an appearance in the SEC Championship Game.

While the loss of Brantley is a huge blow to Missouri's defense in 2015, he's fortunate to be alive after an ugly crash. Being able to play football again in 2016 would just be an added bonus for the defensive lineman.

Maty Mauk's first season as Missouri's full-time starting quarterback was a bit like going to see Major League II. Yeah, the ending was good, but getting there left a lot to be desired—especially after his first year in 2013, when he filled in for injured starter James Franklin for a few games.

Mauk completed 53.4 percent of his passes last season (221 of 414) for 2,648 yards, 25 touchdowns and 13 picks—the second-most interceptions in the SEC behind former Ole Miss gunslinger Bo Wallace.

Despite the high interception number and a completion percentage that didn't exactly jump off the page, Mauk and the Tigers found themselves inside the Georgia Dome in early December for the second straight season, playing for an SEC championship.

As was the case in 2013, it didn't work out.

What must Mauk improve on to land the Tigers back in the SEC Championship Game for the third straight season?

Be Better Earlier

Mauk didn't exactly set the world on fire during the first three quarters of games. In fact, he probably didn't even have matches.

All 13 of his interceptions came in the first 45 minutes of games. He completed just 52.2 percent of his passes during that time and routinely had to dig himself and his team out of holes.

To his credit, he did. His nine touchdowns and 166.31 fourth-quarter passer rating—which would have led the SEC and been fifth-best nationally had he done it all year—are mighty impressive.

But wouldn't it be better if he looked like that difference-maker earlier in games?

Whether it's warming up differently, changing the way he gets dressed or whatever, Mauk has to find a way to have the kind of fourth-quarter urgency he showed last season earlier in games.

There are questions along the defensive line, and while that position was a big reason the Tigers stayed in games last year, it'd make life much more comfortable for head coach Gary Pinkel if he didn't have to rely on that on a seemingly weekly basis.

Develop Chemistry with Wide Receivers Now, Not Later

For the second straight season, Missouri's wide receiving corps is undergoing a massive overhaul. Unlike last year, though, there aren't veterans such as Bud Sasser and Jimmie Hunt who are familiar with the speed of SEC football to help ease the transition.

Missouri's wide receivers have a grand total of 10 career receptions—as a group.

Sure, there are talented prospects such as 6'3", 205-pound sophomore Nate Brown (who has five of those receptions). J'Mon Moore also has that big 6'3" frame working for him, and Wesley Leftwich's speed makes him a solid option outside.

This spring, though, the combination of injuries within the receiving corps and the lack of familiarity created a slow learning process. As David Morrison of the Columbia Daily Tribune noted in April, it took a couple of scrimmages for the passing attack to score a passing touchdown, and even when it did, efficiency was still an issue.

Despite an early-season schedule that has Missouri hosting Southeast Missouri, visiting Arkansas State, hosting UConn and visiting Kentucky, Mauk can't afford to learn his new receivers on the fly. Now's the time to hit the practice field and develop that chemistry, so that the offense can hit the ground running in the fall.

Run More, Not Less

Remember back in 2011, when Missouri finished with the ninth-best rushing attack in the country at 243.46 yards per game?

It might not have to reach that level again, but with that new receiving corps and a rather mobile quarterback in Mauk, it might not be a bad idea for Pinkel and offensive coordinator Josh Henson to follow that same blueprint.

When Mauk was a backup and filled in for Franklin in 2013, he averaged 5.59 yards per carry on 41 carries. As a full-time starter in 2014, that average dropped to 3.45 yards per carry on 108 carries.

Mauk's ability as a dual-threat quarterback went underutilized last season, and he and the staff need to make sure that changes in 2015. When combined with talented veteran running back Russell Hansbrough, Missouri could put together a pretty dynamic offense with the two running threats in the backfield. 

Whether it's designed or on the fly, Mauk needs to take what the defense gives him. At times, that means trusting his legs more.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings.

Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.

Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.

Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Harold Brantley was released from the hospital on June 30 after being involved in a car accident on June 21. The defensive lineman won't play this season. 

Continue for updates. 

Pinkel Comments on Brantley's Status

Wednesday, July 15

Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel said Brantley could be 100 percent again, and noted that the defensive lineman was "very lucky to be alive," per David Morrison of the Columbia Daily Tribune. 

Brantley had been in serious condition in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri, beginning on June 22.  Brantley suffered a fractured lower left leg, knee ligament damage and multiple rib fractures, according to Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star.

The defensive lineman had surgery on his leg immediately following the accident and is slated to have a future knee surgery per Kerkhoff.

Tod Palmer of the Kansas City Star originally reported the news on June 21, indicating Mizzou women's basketball player Maddie Stock was a passenger in Brantley's car, which overturned on southbound U.S. 63 at 1:55 p.m. Stock suffered minor injuries and is in good condition. Stock and Brantley, both 21, were not wearing seat belts, according to Palmer, who cited the highway patrol crash report.

Ashley Zavala of KRCG 13 posted a few images from the scene of the accident:

Pictures from the crash site of the car Mizzou DL Harold Brantley was driving this afternoon: pic.twitter.com/z8W3ju8ayM

— Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) June 21, 2015

Per Palmer, head coach Gary Pinkel has compared Brantley to current New York Jets star and former Tigers standout Sheldon Richardson, which provides an idea of the type of talent he is on the gridiron.

A rising junior, Brantley played in 14 games and made 10 starts this past season, racking up 54 total tackles, including seven tackles for loss and five sacks.

The quarterback position is always under an intense microscope, but which college football signal-caller actually faces the most pressure in 2015?

Is it Tyrone Swoopes at Texas? What about Everett Golson at his new home at Florida State? There's a sense of urgency with both of those players, but the Longhorns are still in rebuilding mode, and Golson may not even win the starting job with the Seminoles. 

When it comes to expectations, both individually and with the team, no one is facing more scrutiny than Missouri's Maty Mauk. 

Mauk is an unlikely candidate to be the quarterback under the most pressure, to be sure. However, he's now one of the SEC's more veteran signal-callers. And, right now, the perception of the SEC's quarterbacks is low.

Mauk earned four starts as a redshirt freshman in 2013 while James Franklin sat with injuries. Mauk became an All-SEC Freshman Team selection and looked like the future face of the program. His performance as a reliever against Oklahoma State in the 2014 Cotton Bowl (105 total yards of offense, one touchdown) provided a spark for the Tigers. 

It also set the bar high for Mauk in 2014, but he never quite lived up to the expectations. In his first full season as a starter, Mauk completed 53.4 percent of his passes and was downright dreadful at times. Against Georgia, he threw four picks in a 34-0 shutout. Making the situation worse was a shoulder injury that plagued him throughout the second half of the season. 

Still, it's easy to question whether Mauk really faces the most pressure of any quarterback in the country. Others might say Mauk isn't even facing the most pressure in the SEC. 

Jake Coker at Alabama, for instance, is approaching now-or-never territory in his quest to earn the starting job. Still, Coker has been a career backup to date at Florida State and Alabama; his pressure is rooted in what he could do but hasn't. Furthermore, two of the Tide's three national championship runs have been made with first-year starting quarterbacks. The point being, quarterback hasn't been a guiding force for head coach Nick Saban's success. 

Mauk, on the other hand, could be the player who has to lead his team to the top of the divisional standings. If for no other reason, the Tigers defense may be in rebuilding mode. 

Consider how head coach Gary Pinkel has altered Mizzou's philosophy in recent years. As a member of the Big 12, the Tigers won a lot of games because of their offensive firepower. However, the days of Chase Daniel, Chase Coffman and Jeremy Maclin have been gone for some time.

In the SEC, Missouri has won back-to-back divisional titles because of its defense. Specifically, Mizzou has led the SEC in sacks in each of the last two years (41 in 2013 and 42 in '14). Kony Ealy, Michael Sam, Markus Golden and Shane Ray have been some of the top pass-rushers not just in the SEC but in all of college football. 

When Mizzou had those kinds of difference-makers on defense, it could afford to win games in spite of its offense. That was the case in 2014, when the Tigers ranked 12th in the SEC in points per game (27.8) and yards per pass attempt (6.4). 

That may not be the case this season. In fact, it probably won't be. 

Already, Mizzou is down one edge-rusher. Sophomore Marcus Loud, who was projected to fill one of the defensive end spots, was dismissed last week. Unless other unknown defensive players step up quickly—junior college defensive end Marcell Frazier should see playing time—defense might not be Mizzou's calling card in '15. 

MizzouMade is something you’re going to hear a lot now that draft time is almost upon us. Why? Because when you begin to take a look around the NFL and see the success that Gary Pinkel’s players are having, something has to be said to explain it all.

Out of necessity to describe the changing situation, the term ‘MizzouMade’ was born.

It was December 11, 2009. Former DeSoto Eagle Marcus Murphy had just completed his final season of high school football and was about to go on an official visit to Mizzou.

For Murphy, much like many of the other players that take visits to Columbia, he felt right at home. In fact, after one day on campus, he'd seen enough. The following day, he gave his verbal commitment to the school. Since he felt right at home, those on his team quickly became his family.

"Basically [we're] like brothers," Murphy said when asked about his family-oriented experience at Mizzou. "I say it's going from a boy to a man."

During his time with the team, not counting the 2011 season, when he sat out to nurse an offseason injury, Missouri was an impressive 38-15 while making one of the boldest transitions in college football history out of the Big 12 and into the SEC. Murphy got to be a major part of something almost unprecedented in a college football player’s career in winning two division titles in two major conferences.

Murphy's experience isn't unlike what the growing fraternity of NFL players that call themselves 'MizzouMade' say about their time in Columbia. But is it something in the water, or is there a driving force to this family element that is so important to Mizzou's overall team unity?

"First Coach Pinkel," Murphy said. "He's a great guy, he looks out for you, he's loving, he cares about you...anything you need at Mizzou he tries to do it for you." He went on to praise the entire coaching staff.

"I could name the whole team," he laughed.

Simply "Murph" to his Mizzou teammates, Marcus was close to a lot of his team, but even more so to his roommates while in Columbia. "Me, Darvin Ruise, Darius White and Henry Josey, those guys were my roommates so I spent a lot of time with them. We all just hung out together. It was fun."

Coach Pinkel has molded a solid system from the tutelage of former Washington coach Don James. It's easy to see that what Pinkel has done has worked well, but when you talk to the players, you begin to get an idea of what that system is all about.

"Respect. Just treating everybody the same," Murphy said of what you learn from coach Pinkel. "You have to respect everyone in order to get respect...that's the first thing. The second thing is accountability. You have to be accountable for your own actions because it affects your family members."

This is what has Pinkel's players so far ahead of the curve on the social aspect of meshing with guys in an NFL locker room. Mizzou's players don't just come up with the skill, but they all come up with a winning attitude as well.

Follow Dan Irwin on Twitter @irwinsports or on Facebook.

All quotes from this article were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.