SEC football, considered by most the best conference in the world among their respective sport, will welcome two of the game’s most storied programs to their ranks next fall, the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns. The hyper-competitive SEC will continue to feature the Georgia Bulldogs, the LSU Tigers, and the Alabama Crimson Tide, winners of four of the last five College Football Playoff titles. Many of the top schools in the conference persist in retooling for an undoubtedly hectic 2024 campaign. However, one school lost a trio of players to the transfer portal on Monday.
According to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, the Missouri Tigers watched three players enter the transfer portal. Missouri looks to compete for the SEC title next season after an 11-2 record in 2023. Since starting play within the SEC football ranks in 2012, the Tigers have made two conference championships, failing to win either.
Missouri Football: Three Transfer Portal Casualties on Monday
The Missouri Tigers, no longer the newest member of the SEC football class come next fall, lost a trio of players to the transfer portal on Monday. According to reports, tight end Ryan Hoerstkamp, defensive lineman Ky Montgomery, and running back Michael Cox are all set to enter the transfer portal.
Hoerstkamp has played at Missouri since 2021. The tight end did not register any statistics during his inaugural season with the Tigers but caught two passes for 32 yards and a touchdown as a sophomore. However, he did not see an increase in playing time last season, appearing in just one game while failing to record a catch. Meanwhile, Montgomery, a former three-star prospect per 247Sports, redshirted as a freshman in 2021. However, he has not seen game action over the past three seasons. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Cox has the most playing time among the trio intending to transfer. The running back rushed 18 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2021. He appeared in ten games the following season, rushing nine times for 46 yards. He did not see game action last year. Cox’s averages a healthy 7.3 yards per rush attempt.
Missouri Tigers: Eyeing SEC Football Title
The Missouri Tigers lost little, if not nothing, from the transfer portal news on Monday. They remain among the best teams to compete for an SEC football title next fall. Leading the charge for Missouri next season remains breakout quarterback Brady Cook. The longtime starter threw for 3,317 yards and 21 touchdowns against six picks in 2023. His favorite weapon, Luther Burden Jr., will return to Columbia in 2024. Burden posted 86 receptions, 1,212 yards, and nine scores last year. He also ran seven times for 31 yards.
Despite the high-powered offense stealing most of the headlines, Missouri played better on defense. They allowed only 20.8 points per game, the 26th-best mark in DI. Their 3.8 yards per rush attempt allowed on defense among SEC schools placed them fifth in the league.
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