Missouri football has a lot of leaders on the team this season, but only three will have the honor of wearing the ‘C’ on their jerseys. Those players were revealed on the team’s social media Sunday night.
Connor Bazelak was a shoe-in for the captaincy, being the field general. His play in clutch situations last year earned him his spot, despite only being a redshirt sophomore. He didn’t need the big letter on his shirt to confirm his leadership status, but it’s a nice touch.
Case Cook is another obvious choice. He is one of the most experienced members of the squad, a redshirt senior who has busted his tail to get where he is today. He can organize the guys up front to give his co-captain Bazelak time to work.
Martez Manuel gets the ‘C’ on the defensive side of the ball. He has been a playmaker in recent seasons, and a beast in the secondary. Only a junior, he has already showcased his leadership ability and still has another season with the Tigers.
Manuel is also a hometown hero, graduating from Rock Bridge in Columbia. The three captains come from all over the country, with Cook hailing from Georgia and Bazelak calling Ohio home.
Missouri football just wrapped up their first week of training camp, with redshirt freshman Mookie Cooper turning heads.
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Akial Byers and Tyler Badie also made noise, after being added to the Senior Bowl watchlist. They were joined by Kobie Whiteside and Akayleb Evans, who transferred to Missouri from Tulsa.
With less than a month until the Tigers’ first game, it’s full steam ahead on preparations. The Tigers face a beatable foe in Central Michigan, and will be looking to start the season out right.
With a fresh new look, a confident coach and three captains who are raring to go, September 4th can’t come soon enough.