COLUMBIA, Mo. — Ty’Ron Hopper, by most people’s standards, had a performance worth reminiscing about in his only outing at Memorial Stadium.
But that isn’t how this group of Missouri linebackers is operating.
Before he transferred from Florida to bolster the Tigers’ defensive front, he did something few players have managed. Not only did he put together one of the most complete defensive displays on Faurot Field in 2021, but he did it in style.
While still a Gator, Hopper single-handedly stopped star MU running back and now Baltimore Raven Tyler Badie on 12 occasions en route to 15 total tackles — a season high for any individual against Missouri on both counts.
No small feat.
But there is a pervading coyness from MU’s linebackers this preseason.
People are also reading…
“Last year is last year,†Hopper said of his performance. “I’m just focusing on this season.â€
That type of crispness has been common this preseason. But what is there to make of the men-of-few-words routine?
There’s certainly a concerted effort to maintain an air of mystery about defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s new scheme. Junior Devin Nicholson laughed during a news conference while he said, “I can’t answer that,†about a question related to the new look.
Facing a similar query, senior Chad Bailey paused for a few seconds, judged, weighed and said, “We’re going to stop the run, and we’re going to stop the pass.â€
A good idea, for what it lacks in detail.
There well may be a case of “lesson learned†after last year, when preseason teasers of a scheme geared toward more turnovers and scores at best never fully materialized and at worst fell flat.
“I feel like you can always use (the past) as fuel to become better, but at some point, you’ve got to stop dwelling on the past and look for the future,†Nicholson said. “If we just keep dwelling about past things, nothing’s going to change from the past.â€
By the same token, it’s possible that there is a quiet confidence about the group and a dose of cautious optimism.
Hopper may be a big reason for that.
“I’m glad we got him. He’s a dude now — with a capital D,†Baker said in the spring. “That guy can play. He’s physical, he can run, he’s smart. He’s the real deal.â€
And Hopper has managed to keep the compliments coming. The coaches can’t seem to stop him from working.
“He’s a really good player, he’s an outstanding young man. Tremendous worker,†co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach D.J. Smith said before the beginning of preseason camp. “I have to slow him down at times. He’s up here all hours of the night working out or watching film.â€
Hopper arrived at Sunday’s practice wearing a no-contact green jersey — the only non-quarterback to do so that day. Hopper was back in regular uniform Tuesday, but the linebacker was ready to jump the gun before that.
While some other players who have recently suffered setbacks used exercise bikes, Hopper jogged from drill to drill with the other linebackers.
And the green jersey didn’t stop him from joining in on a few reps.
“You’re trying to limit the contact on some people — he’s a contact player,†MU coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “He’s kind of a contact player even when he’s not supposed to be, so we’re trying to get him in a green jersey to try to slow him down a little bit.“
Missouri’s success this season hinges on an improved defensive showing. A rare exception to the tight-lipped rule of thumb has been the Tigers’ coaches and players reiterating the glaring need to be better at tackling than they were last season.
And as fast as Hopper may be traveling, Baker’s new scheme can’t live and die with him.
Missouri is returning two experienced players in Bailey and Nicholson. Bailey started each of MU’s final eight games after starting none of the first five last season, perhaps not coincidentally coinciding with the team’s marked improvement at stopping the run in the back half of the year. Nicholson appeared in all 13 games.
Although he is not be a new addition, Chuck Hicks may feel like one. Unlike the first five games of last season, when the former Wyoming Cowboy was ineligible because of transferring late, Missouri will be able to benefit from his presence from the jump. Tack on a couple of talented recruits, and MU has numbers. Smith highlighted four-star recruit Xavier Simmons and three-star Carmycah Glass as impressive newcomers, but added that they still have a way to go as they learn scheme and adapt to college life.
How the group will fare, and even exactly what it will look like, remains somewhat of a mystery. But with the mixture of experience and an apparent collective focus on internal leadership and shared responsibility, there appears to be a joint push toward improvement.
Bailey wants accountability from all ends, including younger players holding him in check. Hicks likes being able to bounce questions off his teammates, and them being able to do the same with him. Nicholson said the togetherness of the group has helped them adapt to new terminology.
And while the group might be keeping a tight lip away from the field as the new season approaches, word is that’s not the case on it.
“Linebackers are doing a good job,†Baker said. “I want to see more consistency out of some of the younger guys, and they’ve got a lot on their plate, believe me. It’s not necessarily add water, instant player, but you have seen their progress. You really have seen their progress, now we’re searching for consistency. The older heads have been in there and are doing a phenomenal job for us.â€