Camp notes: Barry Odom’s first preseason ends with game-week dry run

This week has been a trial run for game week for the Missouri football team.

First-year coach Barry Odom switched gears during his first fall training camp, shifting the Tigers’ focus to preparation for the season-opener Sept. 3 at West Virginia.

That isn’t particularly unusual, but he’s been slavishly devoted to the game-week schedule and will be through Saturday’s mock game at Memorial Stadium, which effectively serves as the final practice of the preseason.

“We’re going to take them to the hotel (Friday night) and go to the functions that we will a week from tomorrow, get used to it,” Odom said. “I don’t want the first time that all these guys have been through it to be next week. It will be good experience for us all. Saturday, we’ll wake up and kick off a practice at about the same time we will next week in Morgantown.”

Missouri still hasn’t released a depth chart and isn’t expected to do so until Monday. Odom said he’ll set the travel roster next Thursday and that the Tigers won’t have permanent captains in 2016.

“We’re going to have a group of guys that will lead us,” he said. “Our captains, we’ll have four or five guys walk out every week, whoever deserves it that week. Whoever we need from a leadership role will be the captain that week. You can take 70 on the trip, I want 70 leaders.”

More love for Charles Harris

Junior defensive end Charles Harris was added to another preseason award watch list Thursday as one of 158 players, including 42 from the Southeastern Conference, in preliminary contention for the Rotary Lombardi Award.

Harris, a Lincoln Prep graduate from Kansas City, finished second in the SEC last season with 18  1/2 tackles for a loss and tied for the Tigers’ team lead with seven sacks.

He previously was selected for watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski, Bednarik and Ted Hendricks Awards.

The Lombardi Award — which is named after legendary football coach Vince Lombardi and has been presented for 46 years to the nation’s top linebacker or lineman, offensive or defensive — will be open to all position players beginning in 2016, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Injury report

Missouri freshman linebacker Cale Garrett, a Kearney graduate, missed practice Thursday with a bruised thigh.

He has been working as the second-string middle linebacker behind senior Michael Scherer during the Tigers’ training camp.

Senior cornerback John Gibson (shoulder) also continues to be limited along with sophomore wide receiver Emanuel Hall and redshirt freshman running back Ryan Williams.

Junior strong safety Anthony Sherrils (personal matter), junior running back Ish Witter (bruised knee), freshman linebacker Trey Baldwin (concussion) and sophomore cornerback Finis Stribling IV (concussion) returned to practice.

Redshirt freshman offensive tackle Tanner Owen (illness), junior wide receiver Nate Brown (ankle surgery) and freshman offensive lineman Darvis Holmes (shoulder surgery) remain sidelined.

This story was originally published August 25, 2016 at 10:02 PM with the headline "Camp notes: Barry Odom’s first preseason ends with game-week dry run."