3 storylines to watch for Missouri Football in 2024

The Missouri Tigers are set to kick off their season on Thursday, August 29th, hosting Murray State at Faurot Field. With the season just under two weeks away, there are plenty of intriguing storylines. The Tigers are coming off their best season in over a decade, and expectations are higher than ever.

Whether it’s the loss of talent to the NFL or the increased expectations, Missouri has plenty of intriguing storylines heading into 2024. With a new look across the college football landscape, here are three key storylines to follow for the Missouri Tigers this season.

1. Returning production on offense

Despite the loss of Missouri's all-time single-season leading rusher, Cody Schrader, the Tigers are returning a ton of offensive talent. Led by preseason All-American Luther Burden, the entire receiving corps from last year is back. Theo Wease and Mookie Cooper will return, playing alongside the same quarterback, Brady Cook, who led them to a Cotton Bowl victory last season. Also returning is Brett Norfleet, who enters his sophomore season as the likely starting tight end. Missouri's offense is poised to be back in full force this season, and should be a joy to watch once again.

2. Two star Running Back transfers

One of Missouri's biggest offseason losses was their star running back Cody Schrader, who was signed to a UDFA deal by the 49ers. To fill that void, the Tigers turned to the transfer portal, bringing in two standout running backs: Marcus Carroll from Georgia State and Nate Noel from Appalachian State. Early reports from camp suggest the two could share the backfield duties evenly. While it's possible that one may emerge as the primary starter during non-conference play, it's likely both will play significant roles in Missouri's offense this season. Both backs are elusive and have the potential to deliver the kind of production we saw from Schrader last year.

3. New look Defense

Last season, Missouri's defense emerged as one of the best units in the country. However, they lost several key starters to the 2024 NFL Draft, including Darius Robinson, Ennis Rakestraw, Ty'Ron Hopper, Jaylon Carlies, and Kris Abrams-Draine. Replacing that much talent in one offseason is no small task, but Missouri leveraged the newly structured transfer portal and NIL regulations to make important defensive additions. Whether it's the defensive line with Eddie Kelly and Zion Young or the defensive backs led by newly acquired Toriano Pride, the Tigers have found strong replacements across the board. Although a recent injury to Georgia transfer Darris Smith may impact the lineup, Missouri's defensive depth ensures there will be plenty of talent available to step up this season.