Missouri’s injury list is already a long one heading into Saturday’s home showdown with Texas A&M, and the initial SEC availability report made that plain.
The Tigers put 16 players on the first report Wednesday night, with four labeled probable, seven questionable and five out for the 11 a.m. CT kickoff on ABC. Among the probable group are EDGE Jaden Jones, linebacker Bobby Washington Jr., cornerback Jahlil Florence and tight end Brett Norfleet.
The questionable list is even heavier: linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr., wide receiver DaMarion Fowlkes, defensive back Kensley Louidor-Faustin, defensive end Langden Kitchen, defensive back Santana Banner, EDGE Darris Smith and offensive tackle Cayden Green. Missouri’s five players listed as out are running back Ahmad Hardy, running back Malae Fonoti, tight end Gavin Hoffman, offensive tackle Josh Atkins and defensive back JaDon Blair.
Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said Tuesday the Tigers were coming out of last Saturday’s 45-17 win over Florida feeling the effects of a physical SEC game. “We were beat up after that game,” Drinkwitz said. “That was a physical SEC game.”
He also said Smith, Kitchen and Woodyard should all be viewed as questionable. Smith has missed the past two games with an ankle injury, Kitchen sat out the last game because of a lower-body injury, and Woodyard was in and out of last Saturday’s game with undisclosed injuries.
Several of the names on the report have been major pieces for Missouri this season. Smith, Kitchen, Woodyard, Louidor-Faustin, Banner, Norfleet and Green have all been regular starters. Jones has taken on more snaps with Smith and Kitchen sidelined, Florence has mostly filled the CB3 role, and Fowlkes has been the Tigers’ top returner on special teams.
“We're banged up,” Drinkwitz said during his 'Tiger Talk' radio show on Tuesday night. “We have to get healthy as quickly as we can.”
Texas A&M’s report was much shorter. The Aggies listed wide receiver Mario Craver as questionable, while wide receiver Terry Bussey and offensive lineman Blake Ivy were both ruled out.
Missouri enters Saturday at 4-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play after climbing to No. 14 in the AP Top 25 following the Florida win. Texas A&M is 3-2 overall and 1-2 in conference play after beating Arkansas 34-7.
The SEC began requiring public availability reports in 2024. Teams must provide them before each conference game in football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball.
In football, schools submit reports three days out, then update them daily before releasing a final report 90 minutes before kickoff. Players are listed as available, probable, questionable, doubtful or out before game day, then as available, game time decision or out on game day.
The league can fine schools for inaccurate or late reports, with penalties ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 in football and $15,000 to $25,000 in basketball and baseball.
Missouri’s next update on the Texas A&M game is due Thursday evening.
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The challenge changes quickly now, with Texas A&M bringing a different kind of problem to the table in quarterback Marcel Reed. Eli Drinkwitz and Missouris players have been stressing sound tackling and clean execution as the week goes on, because the front seven will need to carry over the same urgency against a much more mobile threat and do it without any drop in focus. [Read more 🡒]