Mizzou Fall Camp Practice Notebook: August 11

Things are starting to pick up for the Missouri Tigers as Week 3 of fall camp kicks off. In Monday's practice, the team practiced a tempo drill, going no huddle and providing an interesting look on who would be in the lineup for those situations.

Here's notes and observations from the practice to kick off the final full week of camp.

Notes

Offense

• Starting quarterback reps continue to be evenly split up, but Beau Pribula was taking the reps with the first-team on the tempo drill. Sam Horn with the second lineup.

• In the second lineup, Jude James was the tight end. This doesn't mean that's exactly where he is in the depth chart though. Considering that this drill was to practice a no-huddle situation, James' receiving skillset makes him a better fit. In other situations, Jordon Harris, Vince Brown II, Gavin Hoffman's abilities as blockers might put them ahead of James.

• True freshman wide receiver Donnovan Olugbode was with the second lineups during the tempo drill, but taking first-team reps in receiver-specific drills later on. Daniel Blood and Xavier Loyd were the other two receivers with the second lineup for the tempo situation.

• Wide receivers coach Jacob Peeler urged the receivers to be quicker on their release, saying "We gotta be shot out of a cannon."

Defense

• First-team defense in tempo drills...
  Defensive line: Chris McClellan, Marquis Gracial
  Edge rushers: Damon Wilson II, Zion Young
  Linebackers: Josiah Trotter, Triston Newson
  Cornerback: Drey Norwood, Stephen Hall
  Safeties: Jalen Catalon, Marvin Burks, Daylan Carnell

• Gracial being in over Sterling Webb is the most surprising and new part of this lineup. Webb has been ahead of him in most of the periods that have been open to the media. But, Drinkwitz has praised the work Gracial has put in this offseason.
  
  "I would say Marquis Gracial has probably grabbed my eye the most, just the difference in how he plays and how he commands his performance," Drinkwitz said after the first week of practices.

• This weekend, Drinkwitz said he feels "strongly" right now in the ability of 18 players to contribute on defense. But he'd like to get to 20, or even 25. Looking at the lineups across the two rotations, it's easy to see why he would have that confidence.
  
  I did my best to predict who those 18 players who have secured spots are, and who could fill in the last seven spots HERE.

Special Teams:

• Rotation of players at returner in kick return drills (no specific order): running backs Tavorus Jones and Brendon Haygood, wide receivers Damarion Fowlkes and Shaun Terry II.