Mizzou notes: T.J. Warren adjusts after switching to linebacker, injury updates

Missouri redshirt freshman T.J. Warren’s familiarity with playing linebacker dates back to age 8 — a stint playing the position in his peewee football days.

Besides that, and a quick stretch as a high school sophomore playing a linebacker and safety “dog” position at Rockdale County High in Conyers, Ga., Warren’s new to his latest role with the Tigers as a strong-side linebacker.

Warren, who is a converted cornerback, fell into spot because of a numbers game with the current depth at the position. But if it weren’t for a meeting with defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross, something cornerbacks coach Greg Brown welcomed following Missouri’s 40-14 loss to Florida, Warren may not have been in line for the position.

“Coach Brown came to me first and he said, ‘T.J., I think it would be better for you and your future to move to nickel and the Sam linebacker,’ so that’s what I did,” Warren said.

He went to Cross the Sunday after the game in Gainesville, Fla., and Mizzou’s first-year defensive coordinator taught the 5-foot-11 and 201-pounder the “whole playbook.”

Warren took snaps at nickel, but was forced to fill a new void after the linebacker corps lost senior Michael Scherer for the season to torn knee ligament against Middle Tennessee, sophomore Terez Hall to an aggravated ankle injury last week in practice and senior Donavin Newsom to a strained left quad in the first quarter against Kentucky.

He’s only worked at the position for four practices, according to Odom, but the first-year coach has been proud of the way Warren’s competed.

“He was fairly, for the most part out of 70 snaps (against Kentucky), assignment sound and did a pretty good job,” Odom said.

Warren started the spring game at cornerback, but suffered a hamstring injury early in fall camp that hampered him until “the second game” of the regular season against Eastern Michigan as Warren remembers it.

Warren said the injury held him back, but that he’s enjoyed this transition.

“It was a fun switch,” he said. “I knew what I had to do to better myself.”

Newsom probable against South Carolina

Newsom didn’t practice Sunday and remain “pretty sore,” according to Odom, but he’s not expected to miss Missouri’s next game — 3 p.m. Saturday at South Carolina on the SEC Network. Or will he?

“I would say he would be probable at this point,” said Odom, who later backtracked a bit and added. “We probably won’t really have a clear picture until Thursday.”

With the Tigers switching back to last season’s defense, the one it ran with Odom serving as defensive coordinator under Gary Pinkel, Newsom’s versatility and experience would be a huge asset.

“One thing about Donovan, he hasn’t ever really been a vocal guy — ever — but Saturday night he was very vocal,” Odom said. “It means so much to him. It tore him up that he couldn’t go play, and he realizes I think, as a lot of guys do, there’s not much time left in their senior year.”

Updates on Brown, Owen

It’s easy to spot junior wide receiver Nate Brown, who has sidelined since ankle surgery during fall camp, on Saturdays.

With a ball in hand, Brown typically stands off the side of the position group he’d love to assist, but he’s increasingly unlikely to return.

“If we could just line him up and (let him) run a vertical route every time he’d be all right,” Odom said. “But I don’t think that, at this point, that’s he’s going to be able to (return). … Of course, I’m not giving up.”

Odom, who said Brown still has “a chance to have a great career here,” won’t be ready to play at South Carolina and it might not make sense to bring him back for only two or three games.

Meanwhile, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Tanner Owen, a Kearney graduate who also has been sidelined since fall camp, definitely won’t return.

“He had a medical procedure,” Odom said, noting that he couldn’t elaborate on Owen’s condition.

Owen remains enrolled at Mizzou and will be welcomed back if and when he’s healthy, Odom said.

Vanderbilt kickoff time set

For the ninth straight game, Missouri’s game Nov. 12 against Vanderbilt will air on the SEC Network.

The Tigers and Commodores kick off at 2:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. Missouri’s season-opener at West Virginia on Fox Sports 1 was the only game not to appear on the conference’s ESPN-affiliated network.

This story was originally published October 31, 2016 at 9:51 PM with the headline "Mizzou notes: T.J. Warren adjusts after switching to linebacker, injury updates."