MU Looking to replace tailback legend Temple
Three players are vying to replace Tony Temple for the fall season.
April 15, 2008
Senior tailback Jimmy Jackson runs the ball during a practice scrimmage on April 5 on Faurot Field. Jackson, along with sophomore Derrick Washington and redshirt freshman De’vion Moore, will compete for the starting position this season.
The Missouri football team is known for their powerful spread offensive featuring senior quarterback Chase Daniel, senior tight end Chase Coffman and a stacked wide receiver corps including junior Danario Alexander, senior Tommy Saunders and sophomore Jeremy Maclin.
But the lingering question is who will fill the vacancy left by graduating tailback Tony Temple.
Temple is leaving the Tigers after being the first MU back to have consecutive 1,000 rushing yard seasons.
He is also leaving after breaking the Cotton Bowl rushing record with 281 yards on 24 carries. He also had four touchdowns in that game.
Saturday’s scrimmage answered that and more as the offense put on a show as they beat the defense.
The carries were split up evenly with redshirt freshman De’Vion Moore, with 13 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown, sophomore Derrick Washington, with nine carries for 42 yards and a touchdown, and senior Jimmy Jackson, with nine carries for 40 yards.
A rising senior, Jackson is the most experienced of the group, having carried the ball 136 times in his career for 636 yards.
When Temple was hurt in the middle of last season, Jackson and Earl Goldsmith got the bulk of the work in his absence.
But Goldsmith has been converted into a wide receiver.
Jackson ran 67 times last season for 331 yards and seven touchdowns, including three in the Oct. 20 win over Texas Tech.
Washington had his redshirt removed before the third game of the season and ran 36 times for 184 yards and a touchdown.
Coach Gary Pinkel said he would decide much closer to the start of the season as to whether he will use the backs in the fall like he did during the scrimmage.
“We’ll make that decision in August, right before our first game,” Pinkel said. “I believe running back will be a really strong position for us. Jimmy Jackson is a senior veteran, he’s played a lot and Derrick Washington keeps getting better, too.”
Jackson said each of the backs has distinct strengths that complement each other very well.
“We’re all going to contribute ... I’m more of a power runner, Washington can be split out wide and catch the ball as well as run the ball, and Moore is a little, shifty back,” Jackson said. “I think we’ll do pretty good as a whole, but we have to go out here and do it.”
Washington said he would contribute by being able to see the width of field as he approaches the offensive line.
“My strength is my vision, I can find the hole and I’ll hit it,” he said. When asked about rushes in which he dragged would-be tacklers for extra yards he said, “I’ll carry them along for the ride if I have to.”
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