‘It’s beautiful’: Mizzou football players marvel at new south end-zone facility

Missouri football players had to move some boxes before putting pads on to start fall camp, as the Tigers moved into the program’s new south end-zone complex on Thursday.

The complex cost roughly $98 million and features suite seating for home games, new offices for the coaching staff, and a new weight room, locker room and sports medicine facility, among other things. The team was originally slated to move into the facility in July, but repeated construction delays caused a domino effect. The facility still has a few minor things that need to be addressed before MU’s first home game Sept. 7 vs. West Virginia.

Regardless of the facility’s current state, it left quite the impression on Missouri’s players.

“It’s nice,” said quarterback Kelly Bryant. “It’s state of the art for me. It’s not even finished. It’s a good thing for this university to have and showcase on Saturdays.”

“It will do,” linebacker Cale Garrett joked.

The facility was originally the vision of former coach Gary Pinkel, who pitched the idea to former athletic director Mike Alden. Alden retired before the project could be completed, but current head coach Barry Odom brought it up again to current athletic director Jim Sterk shortly after he was hired in 2016.

The old end zone was torn down after the 2017 season and Mizzou had to use trailers for its game-day locker room at Faurot Field last fall.

Tailback Larry Rountree said the new facility reminds the players what they dealt with at home games last year.

“It’s beautiful,” Rountree said. “It humbles you because last year we were in trailers. I love the new facility. We got a lot of stuff. I just hope we use it to our advantage and not take it for granted.”