Missouri’s Dave Steckel makes final cut for Broyles Award as nation’s top assistant

The SEC Championship Game might settle more than a mere conference crown.

When Missouri and Alabama clash at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, the outcome also could impact the 2014 Broyles Award.

Tigers’ defensive coordinator Dave Steckel was announced Monday as one of five finalists — and the only defensive finalist — for the Broyles Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.

“It’s very, very well-deserved,” Pinkel said. “He’s a heck of a coach. It’s neat to see him getting that kind of recognition for what he deserves. I’m really happy for him.”

Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin also is a finalist along with Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman, Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost and TCU co-offensive coordinator Doug Meacham.

During SEC games only, Missouri had the conference’s best total defense (300.8 yards) defense and run defense (115.0) and also had the SEC’s second-best passing defense (185.8) and scoring defense (19.1 points).

Baggett shares special teams award

For the ninth time this season, a Missouri football player won a weekly SEC award.

Junior kicker Andrew Baggett, a Lee’s Summit North graduate, was the conference’s co-special teams player of the week after booting a pair of field longer than 50 yards in a win against Arkansas.

Baggett drilled a career-long 52-yard field in the second quarter and added a 50-yarder as the first half expired, becoming the first Tigers player with two field goals longer than 50 yards in a game.

The SEC announced Monday that Baggett, who passed Grant Ressel for third place on the Tigers’ all-time scoring list with seven points against Arkansas (276), shared the award with Tennessee’s Cameron Sutton.

Field-storming draws fine

Missouri was fined $25,000 on Monday by the SEC.

Tigers fans rushed the field, and serenaded en masse to “Georgia On My Mind,” on Friday after a 21-14 win against Arkansas at Memorial Stadium clinched a second straight SEC East division crown.

The storming of Faurot Field constituted a violation of the conference’s 10-year-old “access to competition area policy,” according to a release from the SEC.

MU also was fined after a 2013 victory against Texas A&M, the first time the Tigers clinched an SEC East title.

Missouri was fined $5,000 last season. Another offense before the 2017 season would trigger a $50,000 fine.

If a school goes three years without a violation, the subsequent penalty is treated as a second offense.

ONW grad earns SEC women’s basketball award

Arkansas sophomore guard Kelsey Brooks was chosen Monday as the SEC women’s basketball player of the week.

Brooks, an Olathe Northwest graduate, was the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout MVP after scoring a career-high 24 points with eight rebounds, three steals and a block against No. 17 Iowa and adding 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals against Richmond.

Nothing new on Jakeenan Gant’s status

Freshman forward Jakeenan Gant continues to sit as Missouri reviews his eligibility.

Tigers men’s basketball coach Kim Anderson offered nothing new about Gant’s status Monday. He has been suspended since the start of the regular season.

“I don’t know anything,” Anderson said. “Sorry.”

Asked if he knew when Gant’s eligibility issue might be resolved, Anderson said, “I don’t.”

This story was originally published December 1, 2014 at 9:37 PM with the headline "Missouri’s Dave Steckel makes final cut for Broyles Award as nation’s top assistant."