A review of the linebacker performance for the 2024 season
With the 2024 season officially over, it’s time to break down the performance of the team position by position. We’ll look at the stats for the year, the departing players, new additions, and some predictions for what we’ll see in 2025.
Missouri’s linebacking corps has done much better than anticipated given the level of injuries and turnover experienced over the past three years. What sort of impact does a surprise returning starter have on the overall trajectory of a high-upside position group?
Even in our modern-era of offense, where eight-man boxes to stop 10-man blocking schemes for a running back are virtually non-existent, we’ve learned that it’s still important to make sure you have an effective two-deep of linebackers that can both play the run and be a nuisance in the pass game.
Nick Bolton and Ty’Ron Hopper both had their last season shortened/effected by injury, as did last year’s group when it lost Khalil Jacobs six games into the year. Thankfully former Mizzou linebackers coach D.J. Smith always seemed to have a guy ready to come off the bench and fill in effectively, whether that be Chad Bailey, Chuck Hicks, Triston Newson, or Nick Rodriguez.
Of course, Smith is now the defensive coordinator at his alma mater of Appalachian State and one of last year’s starting linebackers – one-year rental Corey Flagg – is out of collegiate eligiblity, meaning once again Missouri will field a new-look four deep for their backers.
However, with the surprise, lawsuit-based-gift of an extra year of eligibility to JUCO-product Triston Newson, and the hopefully healthy lower body of Jacobs, Mizzou should be able to field a similarly looking group to last year, bolstered by some portal depth and long-term pieces to round out what has been quietly seen as a competent position group over the last three years.
Let’s review what we have at this point:
The Departed
Look…I know Chuck Hicks currently has a bad rap as a guy who’s noticeable skill was doing something f***ing stupid and getting flagged at least once a game. But let’s not forget how he seamlessly filled in for Chad Bailey during that magical 2023 run and – constant shit talking aside – was an absolute terror in Blake Baker’s blitz packages. You’d wish a seventh-year captain would have cut it on the dumb penalties but I’m glad he served the majority of his time here, glad he got his degree(s), and glad he’s off to bigger and better things.
Corey Flagg, Jr. was an impact transfer from Miami, who filled in the Ty’Ron Hopper-sized hole in the linebacking corps perfectly. Flagg led the team in total tackles despite being 11th on the team in snaps played, and was an excellent pairing with the havoc-focused wrecking ball known as Triston Newson.
Will Norris was a special teams ace who was the rare “SUPER local kid who stays all five years”. Despite barely seeing the field as a linebacker, Norris was a steady presence on punt and kick off teams, even gaining the notoriety of a NCAA rule created in his honor after his tackling of a Kentucky player caused actual written rules to be discussed.
And, sadly, the exquisitely-named Brayshawn Littlejohn is the (current) sole portal departure, following D.J. Smith to Appalachian State.
The Returners
Believe it or not, Triston Newson will be entering his third year with the Missouri Tigers and is without a doubt there most effective, experienced piece on the depth chart. He’ll be seeing the field as long as he’s healthy and everyone else will be rotating around what he does. In 2024 he nearly doubled his snap total but regressed on a per play basis in his production. Keep in mind, however, that the linebackers on the whole were much less aggressive than they were under Blake Baker, AND had the aggression scaled back even further once Khalil Jacobs went down.
Speaking of, Khalil Jacobs was a transfer from Corey Batoon’s former school and brought on as a bit of a system sherpa for the rest of the linebackers to utilize to better understand the Batoon system. Jacobs particular skill set was to be sent screaming towards the quarterback in select packages, generating a 31% pressure rate on the 16 times he rushed the passer. Hopefully a full season of Mr. Jacobs will help increase Missouri’s dwindling havoc numbers.
Nicholas Rodriguez and Jeremiah Beasley were impact freshmen who filled in for Jacobs on a rotational basis. Neither were able to create more than a toe hold on the rotations chart but both flashed competence and potential in their limited snaps.
Also, Brian Huff contributed 8 snaps on defense in a redshirt year.
The Transfers
Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Mizzou hit the portal for additional linebackers this year and came back with both high potential and proven experience.
Josiah Trotter was a freshman All-American in his first year starting at West Virginia, logging 94 tackles and 4 tackles for loss. He’s a havoc-oriented backer who was used mostly as an interior linebacker rather than a pass-rushing outside linebacker. The fact that he created enough havoc without being asked to do so is a testament to his playmaking abilities.
Mikai Gbayor, on the other hand, is a 5th-year senior who has played mostly on a rotational basis. He, too, was used mostly as an interior linebacker but was sent on a blitz much more frequently than Trotter, albeit with a less than impressive 9.1% pressure rate. Gabyor’s addition is in the realm of “you’re going to need four guys that you trust”, and his experience should give him a leg up on replacing any potential fallen linebacker who’s heavily used in the rotation.
The Freshmen
Canton Rep
Dante McClellan 2024 stats: 99 tackles, 21 TFLs, 12 sacks, 1 INT
Jason King 2024 stats: 14 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack
I haven’t been shy about my excitement around young Dante McClellan, currently my favorite recruit from the ‘25 class. The dude is a torpedo that has a nose for the play and seems to constantly be in the right position. If his havoc game translates to Batoon and the SEC I think he could be Mizzou’s next great linebacker.
But don’t sleep on Jason King. The local DeSmet product has good size and instincts as well and chose Missouri over the entire slew of Midwest schools (and a few SEC as well).
Neither will be needed to step up immediately which is good but I like the upside of each. Watch them show out on special teams with an eye on ‘26 or ‘27 for their breakouts.
2025 Forecasted Depth Chart
We know Newson will be starting but I’m curious as to how the transfers slot in, and what that means for the rotation of the second-year guys. If I had to guess today the usage at the end of the season will look like…
- Starters: Newson, Jacobs
- Backups: Trotter, Rodriguez
- Rotation: Gbayor, Beasley, Huff