Replacing Schrader: Here’s how Missouri football’s running backs shape up for fall camp

There’s a Cody Schrader-sized hole in Columbia.

Missouri football enters the 2024 season without one of its all-time greats at running back, as Schrader, who set the Tigers’ single-season record with 1,627 rushing yards last season, heads to the NFL on an undrafted free agent deal to the San Francisco 49ers.

Schrader was more than just a tailback. His story — Division-II transfer to walk-on to starter to top 10 in Heisman Trophy voting — was the focal point of MU’s tremendous 2023, when the Tigers went 11-2 and beat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. That’s an even bigger task to replace.

For now, the Tigers might just want to focus on recouping the on-field production. And Eli Drinkwitz’s team made some encouraging headway on that front over the offseason.

Here is how Missouri’s running back room looks heading into fall camp. Every scholarship player and any notable walk-on is mentioned:

The options for Missouri football at running back

Starters: Marcus Carroll, sr.; Nate Noel, sr.

Reserves: Jamal Roberts, so.; Tavorus Jones, so.; Kewan Lacy, fr.;

Georgia State transfer Marcus Carroll and Appalachian State newcomer Nate Noel are expected to be the frontrunners for the starting duties entering fall camp. The spring was not enough time for the Tigers’ coaches to settle on a starter, instead opting to take the battle further into the preseason.

There is also the option, MU running backs coach Curtis Luper said in the spring, for the Tigers to split reps at the position, a la Tyler Badie and Larry Rountree in 2020.

Jamal Roberts is likely the next man up. The redshirt freshman out of St. Louis made reserve or special teams appearances for Mizzou against Kentucky and Arkansas last season and has shown flashes in practices of being a future starter for MU.

Tavorus Jones is entering his third season with Missouri but didn’t make an appearance in 2023. Four-star, highly touted recruit Kewan Lacy out of Texas joins the team this fall. He will more than likely be competing for special teams reps in his rookie year.

The upside

Carroll was a semifinalist last season for the Doak Walker Award, given to the top running back in college football. He has four years of experience, in which he has run for 1,891 yards and 20 touchdowns in 37 total appearances.

Noel brings four seasons of experience to Mizzou, with 44 games, 3,074 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns under his belt.

They also bring slightly different skill sets. Carroll, listed as 5-foot-10, 210 pounds, looks like he’ll be more of a direct, downhill runner, while Noel, listed at 5-10, 190, showed a little more shiftiness in the spring.

Experience was a must for Mizzou at running back after losing Schrader. The two capable transfers bring that to Columbia, setting up one of the more intriguing storylines in camp when their strengths — and the way MU will use them — will be on show.

One question or concern

Mizzou lost 1,627 yards of production when Schrader left. Moore’s scheme seemed to suit him perfectly, and recouping that production is not going to be as simple as just throwing a talented running back or two onto the field and letting ‘em go.

The run game was so important to this Missouri offense as the Tigers went 11-2 and won the Cotton Bowl. If Mizzou wants to reach the College Football Playoff — and that is the goal — then it has to make that an ever-present threat again.

Missouri has fielded the SEC’s leading rusher in two of the past three seasons between Schrader in 2023 and Badie in 2021, with both rushing for more than 1,600 yards. It’s been a staple of MU’s offense, and recouping those yards is going to be as challenging as it is important.

Breakout candidate

If neither Carroll nor Noel are on the field, best guesses suggest the Tigers will turn to Roberts.

All spring camp indications and messaging from the coaching staff suggested that Carroll and Noel will be the primary candidates for the job, but funnier things have happened. The competition is, after all, still open heading into the fall. Schrader was not the set-in-stone starter entering fall camp last year. He was by the time midseason rolled around.

Roberts has shown flashes of being extremely useful in the passing game. He’s a direct runner and looks like he has impressive acceleration. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get into a game or two that the Tigers have wrapped up heading into the fourth quarter, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him impress in those hypothetical reserve reps.

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This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Replacing Schrader: Here’s how Missouri football’s running backs shape up for fall camp