Exiting last season, the Missouri Tigers had a huge question mark that needed to be addressed: How would it replace the production of Cody Schrader at running back?
After joining the roster in 2022 as a walk-on, Schrader broke out during his 2023 campaign to become one of the top running backs in the country. He rushed for a whopping 1,627 yards and scored 14 touchdowns, granting him the Burlsworth Trophy and finishing No. 8 in Heisman voting. His collegiate career has now come to a close, leaving the Tigers with a massive void to fill in the backfield.
It's no easy ask for any team to fill the void left by such an impactful player, but Missouri was forced to make some significant moves to keep its run game flourishing. With some key transfer portal additions, it seems that the Tigers might have done just that.
"We have the talent in order to successfully run the football, but we have to do the other things," head coach Eli Drinkwitz said of his running back room at SEC Media Days. "We have to lead and demonstrate toughness at a consistent basis, not only in how we rush the football, but how we protect the quarterback, how we do the little things, how we build the cohesive unit with the offensive line."
Projected depth chart:
- Marcus Carroll
- Nate Noel
- Jamal Roberts
- Tavorus Jones
- Kewan Lacy
- Anthony Favrow, Bryce Jackson, Chris Kreh
Marcus Carroll
Senior, 5'10, 210 lbs
The expected leader for the Tigers out of the backfield this season is transfer Marcus Carroll. After spending all four years of his career at Georgia State — two of those being as a starter — he officially transferred to Missouri on Dec. 11.
Carroll rushed for 1,133 yards and 11 touchdowns on 225 carries in his senior season, good for five yards per carry. He also snagged 198 receiving yards on 20 receptions, and finished as the No. 10 rushing leader in the country, seven spots behind Schrader.
The Tigers needed experience in the running back room, and it's exactly what Carroll will provide. He should flourish in Missouri's system, bringing some strength and shifty offense to the position. While he likely won't see the workload that Schrader did, he will certainly be an integral piece to the offense.
Senior, 5'10, 190 lbs
Sharing much of the workload with Carroll will be Nate Noel, a transfer out of Appalachian State. Like Carroll, he spent all four seasons with the same program, announcing his decision to commit to the Tigers on Jan. 7.
Noel had a productive senior season, racking up 834 yards on 4.8 yards per carry and five touchdowns. He battled with nagging injuries, but he was able to stay on the field relatively often and prove himself as a reliable option throughout his career.
Where Carroll uses his strength to plow through defenses, Noel uses his lightning quick speed. It'll make for quite the tandem in the backfield, and it should be enough to replace Schrader's high level of production by committee.
Jamal Roberts
Redshirt freshman, 5'11, 197 lbs
Jamal Roberts didn't see a whole lot of action in his true freshman year, only appearing twice during the season and receiving a single attempt.
The redshirt freshman was a third-star recruit out of St. Mary's High School, leading the school to a 14-2 record and class four state championship in his senior year as a First-Team All State selection.
There isn't a whole lot to go off in regards to Roberts collegiate career, but he could get to show off his talent this year as a primary backup option.
Sophom*ore, 5'9, 197 lbs
Coming in as a four-star recruit out of high school, Tavorus Jones earned a redshirt in his 2022 freshman campaign and made no appearence for the Tigers in 2023.
The Texas native was ranked as the No. 30 recruit in his home state as well as the No. 13 back in the country by ESPN and received offers from schools including Texas, Texas A&M and Alabama.
Jones didn't receive much of an opportunity last year with the emergence of Schrader, but expect his name to be more involved in the backfield this year.
Kewan Lacy
Freshman, 5'11, 196 lbs
Although he's the only true freshman in Missouri's running back room, Kewan Lacy could already make an impact in its offense this season.
Lacy was listed as a four-star recruit by On3, coming in as the No. 7 running back in his class and No. 18 recruit in Texas. He rushed for 1513 yards on 221 carries and scored 19 touchdowns in his rookie season.
To receive a significant amount of opportunity the freshman would have to really impress the coaching staff during fall camp, but there's certainly an opening for him to showcase some of his potential this season.
The trio of Anthony Favrow, Bryce Jackson and Christopher Kreh are unlikely to receive any real opportunity from scrimmage, but could find their way to make an impact through special teams.
Kreh specifically has become a reoccurring special teams player, seeing action in all of the Tigers' games in 2022 and 2023.
Barring multiple injuries, it's difficult to see a path where any of these three players would receive significant playing time in 2024.
Read more Missouri Tigers news:
2024 Missouri Tigers Position Preview: Quarterback
Missouri Head Coach Speaks on Cody Schrader's Impact and Filling his Role
Meet the Transfer: Georgia State Running Back Marcus Carroll
