After a surprising, disappointing, exciting, and depressing 2017-18 that both began and ended in typical Mizzou fashion, the Tigers begin the offseason with several holes in the roster and one major recruiting target remaining.
Losses from 2017-18:
Michael Porter Jr, SF
Jordan Barnett, SF
Kassius Robertson, SG
Injured Role Players:
Cullen Van Leer
Mitchell Smith
Returning Suicide Vest:
Jordan Geist
Spoiler!
Additions:
Transfer:
He will sit out the entire season, but will have 3 years to play 3 beginning in 2019-2020
Mark Smith (former **** recruit), SG, Illinois
2018 Commitments:
Not a lot to get too excited about at this point. The success or failure of the current recruits in his class will be based upon their development rather than their Day 1 skills.
Torrence Watson, SG, **** St. Louis, MO
Javon Pickett, SG, ***, Wichita, KS
KJ Santos, SF, ***, Tallahassee FL
Xavier Pinson, PG, ***, Chicago, IL
Next year is a rebuilding year. Jontay leaving was a possibility, but not a certainty. That, combined with losing two freshman PGs to transfer and a junior shitbag PG to Cosby means that Mizzou will be bereft of experienced playmakers and ballhandlers anywhere in the backcourt, and no one with the rare ability to create in the half-court like Jontay showed. It's probably a 14 win team next year.
5/30 Edit: Jontay Porter is returning, making this team a fringe NCAA contender.
Originally Posted by Simply Red:
I'm shocked about Porter - but I think it's the right move - he needs to develop more - I'm shocked due to his vulnerability to injury. I'd go get that money while I can.
I wasn't aware he had a vulnerability to injury. Are you thinking of the other Porter? [Reply]
Originally Posted by OKchiefs:
I wasn't aware he had a vulnerability to injury. Are you thinking of the other Porter?
Oh yes, I am actually. I just spoke to dad - I was thinking he meant Michael - Okay it all makes sense now. I hadn't researched it yet. My error. [Reply]
Cullen VanLeer has medically retired and freed up a scholarship.
Also, McKinney and Liddell both visited over the weekend. McKinney cancelled his visit to Kansas State to visit Mizzou with Liddell, and there is hope he could commit soon. We need the help with Liddell, because Ohio State is rumored to be the favorite. [Reply]
Originally Posted by OKchiefs:
Cullen VanLeer has medically retired and freed up a scholarship.
Also, McKinney and Liddell both visited over the weekend. McKinney cancelled his visit to Kansas State to visit Mizzou with Liddell, and there is hope he could commit soon. We need the help with Liddell, because Ohio State is rumored to be the favorite.
I was pretty excited when I first heard the news until I remembered that CVL is a senior and was almost certainly not going to play this season anyway. He was set to graduate so it's extremely unlikely Mizzou would've sought to medically redshirt him (and as a graduate, I don't think he had any basis to compel them to).
So since they really can't use the scholarship for this season anyway other than some kind of strange transfer case popping up that may be eligible in the spring and it was going to free up next season anyway, there's no real gain.
As for recruiting - Cuonzo's coming up a bit short this cycle. If he gets McKinney and Liddell that's a nice foundation but those appear to be the only 2 players the Tigers are even presently in on. I'm sure there's someone under the radar but it's unlikely to be a major piece.
Losing on Watts as abruptly as we did and then Tray Jackson (who seemed like a done deal) took a lot of momentum from this class and if he doesn't get McKinney and Liddell inked, the class will fall to shit in a hurry. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
I was pretty excited when I first heard the news until I remembered that CVL is a senior and was almost certainly not going to play this season anyway. He was set to graduate so it's extremely unlikely Mizzou would've sought to medically redshirt him (and as a graduate, I don't think he had any basis to compel them to).
So since they really can't use the scholarship for this season anyway other than some kind of strange transfer case popping up that may be eligible in the spring and it was going to free up next season anyway, there's no real gain.
As for recruiting - Cuonzo's coming up a bit short this cycle. If he gets McKinney and Liddell that's a nice foundation but those appear to be the only 2 players the Tigers are even presently in on. I'm sure there's someone under the radar but it's unlikely to be a major piece.
Losing on Watts as abruptly as we did and then Tray Jackson (who seemed like a done deal) took a lot of momentum from this class and if he doesn't get McKinney and Liddell inked, the class will fall to shit in a hurry.
True. I'm confident we'll get McKinney, but if we don't also get Liddell we will likely end up with an extremely disappointing class. I hope that isn't the case, because we should expect more from Cuonzo Martin as a recruiter. [Reply]
Mario McKinney is announcing on Monday at 5PM. Liddell cut his final 3 to Missouri, OSU, and Illinois with his last official visit coming this weekend at Illinois. [Reply]