Now that he’s back, what can Tre Williams bring to Missouri’s defensive line?
Tre Williams went through his first football practice in roughly eight months on Friday, as the MU defensive end returned to the team after an indefinite suspension relating to a domestic assault charge.
Williams was arrested in December, which caused him to miss MU’s appearance in the Liberty Bowl as well as the program’s entire spring and summer workouts. He was reinstated to the team on Wednesday after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor for disturbing the peace.
When Barry Odom was named Missouri’s coach in 2015, he said domestic assault was a subject “with no gray area” for his program. Odom kicked wideout Keyon Dilosa off the team in December 2016 after Dilosa was arrested for suspicion of domestic assault.
On Friday, Odom doubled down on his policy, despite letting Williams back on the team.
“That’s still our stance,” he said. “You look at the things that Tre did for the last eight months. You have to get all the information, all the facts. I got all the information we could get.”
Odom noted that Williams’ charge was for disturbing the peace, not domestic assault, and was a misdemeanor instead of a felony. Odom said he also looked into and considered the court’s findings in Williams’ case.
So now that he’s back, what can Williams bring to MU?
Missouri’s pass rush has sputtered in recent years, but Odom said the Tigers could see a breakthrough this fall thanks to junior Jordan Elliott, who many think could be a first-round pick in next April’s NFL Draft. The Tigers’ defensive line is loaded with experience: Akail Byers, Kobie Whiteside, Williams and Chris Turner are all upperclassmen.
Williams, who had 2.5 sacks and five tackles for loss in 2018, looked lean Friday compared to his teammates; linebacker Cale Garrett said everyone “is out of football shape” on the first day of camp.
Odom said Williams worked out on his own while away from the team, but it’s too early to tell how quickly the 6-foot-5 junior can help the Tigers. Williams wasn’t listed on Mizzou’s first depth chart of fall camp. The Tigers open the season at Wyoming on Aug. 31.
“I don’t know,” Odom said. “He’s been working out on his own, but doing that and being game-ready are two different things.”