Mizzou dodges bullet with Luther Burden injury designation

Mizzou fans breathed a sigh of relief on Monday afternoon as news broke regarding Luther Burden's injury status.

The star receiver went down early in the second half against UMass after a missed throw resulted in an incompletion and an awkward landing. Burden winced in pain and repeatedly clutched his left shoulder.

After Saturday's game, both Coach Drinkwitz and quarterback Brady Cook had little to share regarding Burden's status. However, the update from ESPN's Pete Thamel came as a pleasant surprise to Tigers fans. Thamel reported that Burden is expected to return to practice and play this weekend against Auburn.

Burden has been essential to the team’s success, and if Mizzou hopes to keep winning in the SEC, it'll need to find even more ways to get the ball in his hands.

The Tigers' star receiver has been electric with the ball in his hands, but he’s struggled to get consistent touches through the first six games. Burden has totaled 488 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns on just 36 touches. As the season progresses, expect his involvement to increase.

For now, Burden is set to play on Saturday against Auburn, where his role will be crucial to the Tigers' chances of securing a victory.

With Drinkwitz scheduled to meet with the media on Tuesday afternoon, we’ll see if he provides any updates on his star receiver’s status heading into the weekend. However, it’s likely that fans will need to keep an eye on the SEC-mandated injury reports throughout the week.