Missouri Tigers: 2013 Players Then And Now
By cmroczka
In what might be the ultimate ‘what if’ for Missouri Tiger football fans, I present the following thought:
The Missouri Tigers would’ve likely (very likely) played for the 2013 BCS National Championship had they not lost to Auburn in the SEC Championship game last November.
That’s not to bring back painful memories but rather to serve as a testament to how really good of a season it was for the Tigers.
With No. 1 Florida State’s ticket already punched, the champion of the SEC was destined to get the other bid after No. 2 Ohio State was defeated by No. 10 Michigan State later in the day. No. 5 Missouri would have gained a top five win (No. 3 Auburn) and with a hypothetical 12-1 record the Tigers would have finished with one more win over No. 4 Alabama. Reasonable, yet painful drawn conclusion.
Considering the preseason expectations, though, fans couldn’t have asked for a better season in 2013.
After the disappointing 2012 inaugural season in the SEC, the Missouri Tigers bounced back the following season with one of the best runs in program history. Gary Pinkel’s team captured the SEC East Division Championship after going 7-1 during conference play en route to a 12-2 overall record that featured a 41-31 Cotton Bowl victory over Oklahoma State and a No. 5 final ranking in the polls.
Let’s take a look back at some of the most important players from that season and what they’re up to now.
WR – L’Damian Washington – After an impressive senior campaign, the speedy wideout went undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft and signed a free agent deal with the Dallas Cowboys. Washington remains a free agent after most recently being released from the New York Giants practice squad.
2013 Season Totals: 50 catches – 893 yards – 10 touchdowns.
WR – Marcus Lucas – The second leading receiver from the 2013 team also went undrafted in May, but signed a free agent deal with the Carolina Panthers. Lucas was released from the active roster before the season, but was resigned to the Panthers practice squad.
2013 Season Totals: 58 catches – 692 yards – 3 touchdowns.
Jan 3, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Missouri Tigers offensive linesman Justin Britt (68) blocks Oklahoma State Cowboys defensive end Tyler Johnson (40) in the first half of the game at the 2014 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Missouri beat Oklahoma State 41-31. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
OT – Justin Britt – One of the more surprising picks in the draft came at No. 64 when the Seattle Seahawks took the athletic tackle from Lebanon, Mo. Britt impressed the coaches enough in camp to earn a starting spot on opening day for the defending champion’s offensive line and remains there now.
2013 Season: Started all 14 games at LT.
OG – Max Copeland – As a long shot to be drafted as an offensive lineman, Copeland shed 50 pounds in hopes up catching on as a fullback, but was unable to draw much attention from NFL teams.
2013 Season: Started 12 of 14 games at LG.
TE – Eric Waters – Mostly used as a blocker for his last season in Columbia, Waters went undrafted and signed a free agent deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was released prior to the season.
2013 Season Totals: 8 catches – 92 yards – 1 touchdown.
Dec 7, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback James Franklin (1) looks to throw chased by Auburn Tigers defensive end Carl Lawson (55) in the first quarter during the 2013 SEC Championship game at Georgia Dome.. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
QB – James Franklin – One of Missouri’s most productive quarterbacks, the three year starter went undrafted and signed a free agent deal with the Detroit Lions and released prior to the season. Franklin recently signed on to become a member of SEC Radio Network.
2013 Season Totals: Passing – 198/319 – 2429 yards – 19 touchdowns. Rushing – 122 rushes – 510 yards – 4 touchdowns
DE – Kony Ealy – The highest drafted player from Missouri in the 2014 draft was the talented, versatile defensive end, who was selected by the Carolina Panthers at No. 60 overall. Ealy is currently second string right defensive end for the Panthers and has recorded four tackles this season.
2013 Season Total: 42 total tackles – 14 tackles for loss – 8 sacks – 3 forced fumbles.
DE – Michael Sam – The SEC Defensive Player of the Year shockingly fell to the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the NFL draft. Despite an impression preseason where he recorded three sacks, Sam was released and signed to the Dallas Cowboys practice squad.
2013 Season Total: 48 total tackles – 19 tackles for loss – 11.5 sacks – 2 forced fumbles.
Nov 30, 2013; Columbia, MO, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) is sacked by Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Harold Brantley (90) and linebacker Andrew Wilson (48) during the first half of the game at Faurot Field. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
LB – Andrew Wilson – A consistently solid performer all season, Wilson clogged the middle of the defense while leading the team in total tackles. Wilson was all over the field and parlayed that success to a training camp opportunity with the Miami Dolphins, though he was cut before the season.
2013 Season Total: 113 total tackles – 6.5 tackles for loss – 3 passes defended.
CB – E.J. Gaines – By far the best defender in the Tigers’ secondary, Gaines elevated his game to an elite level in his final season in Columbia leading the team in interceptions. Gaines surprisingly slipped to the St. Louis Rams in sixth round of the NFL Draft, but has already earned one of the starting cornerback jobs.
2013 Season Total: 75 total tackles – 5 interceptions – 3 passes defended.
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Left Early/Dismissed:
RB – Henry Josey – After a two year absence from a devastating knee injury, Josey returned to form in 2013 to lead the Tigers in rushing. Josey decided to forgo his final year of eligibility for an opportunity to play in the NFL. Despite going undrafted, Josey lead the Philadephia Eagles in rushing during the preseason, but was cut and signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad instead.
2013 Season Totals: 174 rushes – 1166 yards – 16 touchdowns (1231 yards from scrimmage, 17 total touchdowns).
WR – Dorial Green-Beckham – The talented but troubled wide receiver’s off-the-field actions garnered more attention than what he actually did on the field. Despite a breakout season in 2013, Gary Pinkel was forced to dismiss Green-Beckham prior to the 2014 season amidst assault allegations, it was the third incident the wideout had been involved with in two seasons in Columbia.
2013 Season Totals: 59 catches – 883 yards – 12 touchdowns.