Mizzou football: Rountree a reason to have high hopes

The junior running back gives Mizzou football one of the best running games in the conference.

Larry Rountree III has the most rushing yards through two seasons than any running back in Mizzou football history.

Rountree has rushed for 1,919 rushing yards through his first two years, 272 more yards than Tony Galbreath’s 1,647 in 1974-75 (Galbreath was a junior-senior, so Rountree tops the list even more for freshman-sophomore years).

His 1,216 rushing yards in 2018 were fourth in the SEC, but that’s not all. It is the second-most rushing yards by a returning back in the conference. Only Vanderbilt’s Ke’Shawn Vaughn had more yards on the ground who returns to the SEC.

What separates Rountree from many players is that he became better as the year went on.

Rountree rushed for 622 yards in his final five games, third most in the SEC over that span. Rountree rushed for more than 100 yards twice before November, then rumbled his way for 135 yards against Tennessee, 119 yards against Arkansas and 204 yards against Oklahoma State in his final three games.

He’ll want to start faster to show his improvement his junior season. He could be better this year with quarterback Kelly Bryant taking over the team.

Bryant could open up lanes as he puts the fear in defenses with his legs. Mizzou’s goal this season with Bryant is to improve his deep-ball accuracy. They can do that by finding receivers who will get open down field, but also with the combination of Bryant and Rountree on the ground.

Rountree benefits from Bryant and vice versa.

The junior loses his running mate in Damarea Crockett, who entered the NFL this year and signed with the Houston Texans. He also lost Drew Lock, who definitely scared defenses with his deep ball in Rountree’s first two seasons.

But with Tyler Badie back and perhaps a year better, the Tigers could have the best QB-RB-RB package in their backfield this season.