Spirit Spotlight

Former Tiger in Pro Bowl

Justin Smith makes first Pro Bowl

By Dave Matter

Posted January 26, 2010 at 2:26 p.m. 

Following his ninth NFL season, former Tiger defensive lineman Justin Smith will play in his first Pro Bowl, the league announced on Tuesday. Smith, in his second season with the San Francisco 49ers, is a late replacement for Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams. Smith, the No. 4 pick in the 2001 draft after his junior season at Missouri, played mostly defensive tackle this season after playing almost exclusively defensive end his first eight seasons in the league. He totaled 55 tackles and 6 sacks, forced two fumbles and recovered a pair for a 49ers defense that ranked sixth in the league in rush defense. "This is a great opportunity for me to represent my team in Miami … it’s been a long time coming," Smith said via the 49ers Twitter page.

The Pro Bowl kicks off at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday in Miami and will be televised on ESPN. 

Smith might never live up to the superstar status assigned to a top-five pick, but he's been a durable, impact player throughout his career. He's started every game since his rookie season in Cincinnati, where he played his first seven years in the NFL. He's racked up 408 tackles in his career, including 56.5 sacks, which ranks 24th among active players. 

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St. Louis Post-Dispatch Story

Mizzou LB Sean Weatherspoon shines in morning drills

By Jim Thomas

St. Louis Post-Dispatch 

MOBILE, Ala. - University of Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon was next to impossible to block during one-on-one blitz pickup drills Tuesday morning at the North Squad Senior Bowl practice.

The drill is simple: One rushing linebacker. One pass-blocking running back. The back tries to prevent the linebacker from getting to the imaginary quarterback. On a couple of occasions, Weatherspoon zipped around running backs untouched, one of whom was Oregons Legarrette Blount.

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Brad Smith Throws a First Down

Former Mizzou Quarterback Brad Smith threw a first down pass in the Wildcat Formation yesterday in the AFC Championship on Sunday.

Two Mizzou QBs Left

The past two Mizzou Quarterbacks have made it to the NFL Playoffs and hope to face off in the Super Bowl. 



But first, wide receiver Brad Smith and the New York Jets must defeat the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship at 2:00CT on Sunday on CBS. 



And quarterback Chase Daniel and the New Orleans Saints look to play in their first Super Bowl if they beat the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship at 5:40CT on Sunday on FOX.

Jeremy Maclin Visits Columbia

Philadelphia Eagles' first round pick Jeremy Maclin stopped by the Missouri Athletic Training Complex while in Columbia after his first year in the NFL.

Columbia Tribune Article

Daniel soaking up life with Saints

Former MU standout has shot at Super Bowl, real future in NFL.

By Dave Matter

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Chase Daniel:

First-year QB’s skills, smarts impress in New Orleans

The same day Missouri football officially launched the post-Chase Daniel era, Daniel’s fledgling NFL career was vetoed in Washington. A few hours before rookie starter Blaine Gabbert led the Tigers to a 37-9 victory over Illinois on Sept. 5, the Redskins released the undrafted free-agent rookie quarterback.

It was for the best.

Two days later, Daniel traded in Redskin feathers for a fleur-de-lis. And now he’s two wins away from earning a Super Bowl ring.

“When my agent told me the Saints were interested,” Daniel said last week in a phone interview from New Orleans, “there was no hesitation in my mind. I loved my time in Washington, believe me. But how things turned out this season, you look at Washington and you look at us, I think it worked out for the best.”

As the Saints’ No. 3 quarterback this season, Daniel has split time shuffling between the team’s practice squad and active roster. Missouri’s career passing leader hasn’t taken a snap in a regular-season NFL game — in fact, he rarely sees the field during practice — but has spent his glorified NFL internship preparing alongside starter Drew Brees and backup Mark Brunell as if he’s a 10-year veteran.

In fact, that’s exactly how New Orleans’ quarterbacks coach described his eager rookie.

Joe Lombardi hadn’t seen Daniel do much of anything with a football in his hands until the week leading up to the Saints’ regular-season finale, when the club decided to sit Brees and play Brunell in a meaningless game at Carolina. That week, Brunell took all the practice reps while Daniel ran the scout-team offense against New Orleans’ starting defense. Daniel had just been promoted to the active roster and handed a three-year contract at the league’s minimum rookie salary.

For Lombardi, the grandson of NFL coaching legend Vince Lombardi, that week was a revelation.

“Looking at his notes, watching him get the game plan down, that was impressive from a mental standpoint,” Lombardi said Friday, the day before the Saints beat Arizona to advance to Sunday’s NFC championship game against Minnesota. “He showed us he’s got what it takes mentally. He’s a professional. Even with the complexities of the game plans we put together, he was on top of it.

“I was really impressed with the way he handled himself in the pocket,” Lombardi continued. “The defense was bringing all kinds of pressure and collapsing around him, but he’s a guy that doesn’t need a lot of room around him to make a throw. He’s running off cards, but we weren’t always telling him where to throw it. He was getting rid of the ball quickly and made good decisions. He threw the ball well, and we were like, ‘Whoa, this guy, he’s got something.’ ”

That’s what Ryan Pace had told the Saints’ brass back in September, shortly after Washington waived Daniel. Pace, New Orleans’ director of pro scouting, was intrigued by Daniel’s brief stint with the Redskins, despite all the warning signs that scared away other teams, mainly Daniel’s 6-foot frame and spread offense pedigree.

But Pace lobbied for the former Tiger.



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2010 Mizzou Football Schedule

The final opening on the 2010 University of Missouri football schedule has been filled with San Diego State University. Missouri and San Diego State will square off in Columbia, as part of a one-game agreement, on Sept 18, 2010.



The game will give Mizzou a six-game home schedule for the 2010 season, and it will be the second of four straight games to be played in Columbia (see below for the full schedule).  It will mark the third all-time meeting between the two schools, with MU owning a 2-0 mark against the Aztecs, thanks to a 45-15 win in Columbia in 1979, followed by a 31-7 win in San Diego in 1980.



"We are very pleased to get our schedule finalized, and to be able to bring a quality program like San Diego State to Columbia,” said Senior Director of Athletics Mark Alnutt.  “It was important to get another solid opponent for our fans and community, and this is a nice fit to rounding out the schedule,” he said.



Here’s a look at the complete 2010 Mizzou Football schedule.

Date                Opponent                       Site                       

Sept. 4            vs. Illinois                         St. Louis, Mo.

Sept. 11          McNeese State             Columbia, Mo.

Sept. 18          San Diego State            Columbia, Mo.

Sept. 25          Miami, Ohio                   Columbia, Mo.

Oct. 2              -- OPEN --

Oct. 9              Colorado                          Columbia, Mo.

Oct. 16            at Texas A&M                College Station, Texas

Oct. 23            Oklahoma(HC)              Columbia, Mo.

Oct. 30            at Nebraska                    Lincoln, Neb.

Nov. 6             at Texas Tech                 Lubbock, Texas

Nov. 13           Kansas State                  Columbia, Mo.

Nov. 20           at Iowa State                 Ames, Iowa

Nov. 26/27    vs. Kansas                       Kansas City, Mo.

Coulter Wins Runner Up

Mizzou Senior Defensive End Brian Coulter attended the Rudy Awards Ceremony Monday in Orlando, Florida with his family from Baker, Louisiana. Rudy spoke, breakfast was served, and a video on each candidate was viewed. Coulter won runner-up in the competition.

Coulter Up for Rudy Award

KOMU-TV8 reporter Alex Rozier and videographer Scott Schaefer find a special story about a Mizzou Defensive End Brian Coulter. He's one of three finalists for the Rudy Award and goes to Orlando on January 11 for the award ceremony.

Seniors Play in All-Star Games

Missouri Seniors Danario Alexander, Sean Weatherspoon, Jared Perry and Jaron Baston are all playing in one more college football game. 



Alexander and Weatherspoon will be playing in the Under Armour Senior Bowl Game on January 30 in Mobile, Alabama. The game is at 3:00 p.m. on the NFL Network.



Baston is playing in the East-West Shrine Game on January 23 in Orlando, Florida at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN2.



Perry will be in the Texas vs. The Nation on February 6 at noon.

Tigers in the NFL

Former Mizzou QB Brad Smith had a huge game Sunday running the option with the New York Jets.