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Mizzou coach Barry Odom updates plans for secondary after CB Christian Holmes’s injury
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The Mizzou secondary took a major hit on Tuesday, when it was reported that sophomore CB Christian Holmes had dislocated his shoulder and would most likely be out for the season.
Holmes played in 10 games as a true freshman last year and was challenging for a starting spot this season, so now the Tigers are going back to the drawing board.
Coach Barry Odom told KansasCity.com that the Tigers will look for several different guys to step in and fill Holmes’s shoes now:
“(Holmes’ injury) didn’t look like much, but obviously it was,” Odom said. “We’ve got a number of guys who are going to have to step up to fill that role in all aspects, from the kicking game to how we are playing in the secondary. … There’s a lot of pressure on a lot of guys, including the coaching staff, to get those guys ready to go play.”
Sophomore DeMarkus Acy will almost certainly slide into the starting lineup opposite Logan Cheadle now, but Odom highlighted a redshirt freshman — Jerod Alton — who could also make an impact this fall:
“Jerod probably has been as productive and as good as I’ve seen Jerod play since he’s been here,” Odom said. “I think he understands a little bit and has grown up some.”
The Tigers don’t have much time left before they open the season against the Missouri State Bears on Saturday, Sept. 2, at Faurot Field.
The Tigers should be fine in terms of starters, but without Holmes, they really can’t afford an injury at the cornerback position this year.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
