Two backup offensive players leave Mizzou football program

Two Missouri reserves, running back Ryan Williams and wide receiver DeSean Blair, have left the program, a spokesman for the football team confirmed Thursday afternoon.

Williams, a 6-foot, 185-pound redshirt freshman from Lee’s Summit West, and Blair, a 6-foot-3 sophomore from Sandalwood High in Jacksonville, Fla., saw limited action last season for the Tigers.

Williams appeared in one game, rushing nine times for 51 yards during a 79-0 romp against Delaware State from the Football Championship Subdivision.

Blair’s only appearance of the season also came against Delaware State, but he didn’t record a reception.

As a redshirt freshman in 2015, Blair appeared in five games, making two catches for 25 yards.

Williams and Blair represent the sixth and seventh players currently known to not be returning to Mizzou next season.

Offensive lineman Tanner Owen, a 6-foot-5 redshirt freshman from Kearney High, left the program last week. He was competing for a starting job during spring football before being sidelined by an undisclosed illness and sitting out the 2016 season.

Quarterback Marvin Zanders, who was a redshirt sophomore last season, and safety Greg Taylor, a 5-foot-10 sophomore from East St. Louis (Ill.) High, previously announced their intention to transfer.

Wide receiver Keyon Dilosa, a 6-foot-3 sophomore from Round Rock (Texas) High, was dismissed after his arrest for alleged domestic assault.

Finally, defensive end Charles Harris, a 6-foot-3 junior from Lincoln Prep High in Kansas City, declared for the NFL Draft and is expected to be a first-round pick in May.

This story was originally published January 19, 2017 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Two backup offensive players leave Mizzou football program."