Missouri quarterback Micah Wilson will switch to wide receiver this season

Micah Wilson has decided to line up wide instead of under center.

A source close to the situation told The Star that Missouri’s redshirt junior quarterback will move to wide receiver for the 2019 season. PowerMizzou.com first reported the position change on Monday.

Known for his speed, Wilson saw time in fall camp as a receiver before offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Derek Dooley said the 6-foot-3 signal-caller would stay under center for the 2018 season. Wilson saw playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2017 behind Drew Lock, mainly in garbage time as a dual-threat quarterback. Redshirt freshman quarterback Taylor Powell saw the majority of the playing time behind Lock in 2018. In 2017 Wilson was 5-for-10 passing for 48 yards with an interception and rushing touchdown.

With the additions of Kelly Bryant and TCU transfer Shawn Robinson, it was natural to expect attrition at quarterback for Missouri. Aside from Bryant, Powell and Robinson, MU has redshirt senior Jack Lowary and signee Connor Bazelak at the position.

Wilson’s father, Curtis, played offensive line at Missouri in the late 1980s alongside Lock’s father Andy, and as a recruit, Micah Wilson always considered MU his dream school. The position change allows him to compete for more playing time at a position with more spots on the depth chart.

The wide receiver position isn’t totally foreign to Wilson, whose brother Roman was a third-team All-American at Princeton in 2013. Lock said last fall that Wilson is one of the team’s fastest players.

Missouri is set to open spring football practice on March 3. The NCAA announced on Thursday it was banning the Tigers’ from a bowl game in 2019 for the academic scandal revolving around former tutor Yolanda Kumar. MU plans to appeal the ruling.

This story was originally published February 5, 2019 at 3:59 PM.