Has Missouri done enough in the portal to make the College Football Playoff? Position breakdown

Reach an 11-2 record with a New Year’s Six Bowl win and expectations change on your doorstep.

When this coincides with a change in the college football landscape, expectations change on a national level.

Missouri football is coming off its best season in a decade, with the Tigers going 10-2 in the regular season and defeated Ohio State in the Cotton Bowlwhere they earned 9th place in the College Football Playoff rankings.

The College Football Playoff is expanding to 12 teams this year. Last year, Mizzou would have been there if this format existed.

This year, the calendar looks favorable to Eli Drinkwitz’s team. See how:

Missouri, outside its non-conference slate, plays a team it beat last season (Vanderbilt; South Carolina; Arkansas), a team with a new coach (Alabama, Texas A&M, Mississippi State) or at Faurot Field ( Oklahoma; Auburn) in all 12 games on the schedule.

If the Tigers ever decide to go all in, 2024 appears to be the time.

Now, do they have the cards?

The Tribune detailed Missouri’s transfer acquisitions for the 2024 campaign:

Missouri football has found capable support for Brady Cook at QB

Additions to the portal: Drew Pyne (Arizona State); Harold Blood Jr. (passenger, southerner)

Missouri did exactly what it needed to do here. Brady Cook is the starter, but when backup Sam Horn was lost for the season due to Tommy John surgery, the options became a little clearer as Jake Garcia and Gabarri Johnson were reassigned from the program in the winter window.

Drew Pyne has 19 career games played in four seasons between Arizona State and Notre Dame, making him about as capable a backup as the Tigers are likely to find. In the event Cook goes down, Missouri’s playoff dreams will take a serious hit, but the addition of Pyne at least softens any potential blow.

Offensive line

Additions to the portal: Cayden Green (Oklahoma); Marcus Bryant (SMU); Jayven Richardson (Hutchinson CC)

This was Missouri’s best job in the transfer portal. It was probably the Tigers’ best work in the winter and spring windows as well.

Marcus Bryant and Cayden Green should be ready plugs for left tackle Javon Foster and left guard Xavier Delgado. Bryant was first-team All-AAC last season at left tackle, and Green was OU’s starter at left guard. Missouri, with what it brings back in returning its starting center, right guard and right tackle, has one of the most promising offensive lines in the SEC.

More: Missouri football bolsters offensive line with SMU, All-AAC 1st-time tackle Marcus Bryant

Running back

Additions to the portal: Marcus Carroll (Georgia State); Nate Noel (Appalachian State)

The task here was to replace the departing 1,627 yards with Cody Schrader, who signed an unsigned free agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers.

Marcus Carroll is an All-Sun Belt starter who has rushed for 1,350 yards and 13 touchdowns. Nate Noel rushed for at least 500 yards in each of his four seasons in Boone, North Carolina.

The Tigers have the option of turning to a committee to restore Schrader’s production or they will have to find a new workhorse. That will be decided in the fall, but MU has done more than enough to feel good about the state of its running game.

More: How Missouri football’s new running back Marcus Carroll went from injured to violent

Wide receiver, tight end

Additions to the portal: NA

Missouri didn’t dive into the portal at wide receiver or tight end. But it wasn’t necessary either.

The Tigers have their top six wide receivers in terms of return production. Brett Norfleet will start at tight end, and if MU wants to go to bigger or two-TE sets, it will have Tyler Stephens and Jordon Harris who have proven capable as blockers.

More: Missouri Football Depth Projection Chart for 2024 Season After Spring Transfer Portal Window

Defensive attack

Additions to the portal: Chris McClellan (Florida); Sterling Webb (New Mexico State); Eddie Kelly (Georgia Tech)

Missouri needed three players to fill out its two depths and got three. Florida transfer Chris McClellan, at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, appears to be an instant starter at Columbia. Webb was productive at New Mexico State in 2023, and Kelly has experience at Georgia Tech and USF. But whether that will translate at the SEC level remains to be seen.

Missouri missed some targets at tackle in the spring on TCU transfer Damonic Williams and Simeon Barrow from Michigan State, who went to Oklahoma and Miami, respectively. Signing one of these two would have made the room much deeper.

Defensive end

Additions to the portal: Zion Young (Michigan State); Darris Smith (Georgia)

The Tigers added two impact players on the defensive end in Zion Young and Darris Smith.

The task here was to replace a first-round NFL Draft pick in Darius Robinson to find rushers to partner with Johnny Walker Jr. Young and Smith have the tools to be key contributors for Missouri next season, which makes this a job well done for the MU team.

More: ‘Not normal’: Darris Smith brings size, speed to Missouri football defensive room

Defender

Additions to the portal: Corey Flagg Jr. Jeremiah Beasley (Michigan); Brady Hultman (passenger, Wyoming)

Corey Flagg Jr. was a key addition from Miami. The Tigers lost Ty’Ron Hopper to the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, team captain Chad Bailey was eligible and a number of backups to the portal.

When it comes to experience, the Tigers still seem a little light. Chuck Hicks is back for a seventh football season. Triston Newson performed ably last season when he needed to. Then …

The rest of Missouri’s linebacker room has four combined college appearances, not including special teams representatives. Beasley is a true freshman, enrolling at Michigan in December and transferring to Mizzou in the spring. Another linebacker play outside the portal — especially considering the wear and tear — wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Corner

Additions to the portal: Torian Pride (Clemson); Gerald Lacy Jr. (passenger, Stephen F. Austin)

Toriano Pride was one of Missouri’s most impressive newcomers in spring camp, which MU needed. Mizzou lost starters Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Kris Abrams-Draine to the draft.

The Pride will enter at corner in Game 1 alongside returner Drey Norwood. But the Tigers have little playing time behind these two players. Missouri is one injury away from starting receiver-turned-corner Ja’Mariyon Wayne, nearly relentless redshirt freshmen Shamar McNeil or Nicholas DeLoach, or a true freshman. The coaching staff likes these players for the future, but rushing them for a playoff spot would be risky.

More: How Toriano Pride defended the start of the Missouri football secondary

Security

More: Missouri Softball: Complete Schedule for NCAA Columbia Regional

Portal Addition: Caleb Flagg (passenger, Houston Christian)

Infield talent Marvin Burks Jr. will replace J.C. Carlies at strong safety. Experienced Joseph Charleston and Daylan Carnell are back to resume their roles at free and star safety, respectively. The Tigers have plenty of depth with Phillip Roche, Sidney Williams Sr. and Tre’Vez Johnson returning.

Specialist

Portal Addition: Orion Phillips (punter, Murray State)

Returning to the trend of Australian punters, Mizzou opted for Murray State transfer Orion Phillips to compete with Luke Bauer for starting punting duties. It was a problem area at times for the Tigers last season, as Bauer and the now-deceased Riley Williams traded shifts frequently. Mizzou needed competition here and got it.

This article originally appeared in the Columbia Daily Tribune: Has Missouri football done enough in the transfer portal to make the CFP?