Football Preview: Aaron O'Neal's memory still alive

Aaron O'Neal's example pushes football team to work harder during the upcoming season.

By Lenny Goldman
Sept. 5, 2008

A quick glance at the Missouri football roster shows that one name sticks out from the rest. It's neither Chase Daniel nor Jeremy Maclin, but rather a teammate who never made a name for himself on the field.

Aaron O'Neal is the only name highlighted on the long list of players. He's not an All-American, a Heisman Trophy winner or a team MVP - he's simply a memory.

O'Neal died following a voluntary summer workout July 12, 2005. This season, the most anticipated in Missouri football history, would have been his senior year.

And though he's not on the field making tackles and forcing fumbles, he's still part of what makes this team so special. He's the team's motivation.

"He's definitely in the back of our minds," senior linebacker Brock Christopher said. "If you're tired or it's a tough day for you, you kind of think about how much he'd want to be out here, how much he'd love to be out here and be tired just like you are. It puts things in perspective pretty quick."

O'Neal is the reason senior safety William Moore returned to MU for his final season.

"He was a great friend," Moore said. "It hurt me a lot. It still hurts me today. I feel like, as a senior, that's what I came back to school for, to make sure A.O. lives long here at Mizzou. I just want to keep his memory alive. I just hope it keeps growing after this."

Moore and O'Neal only spent one year together, but they developed a bond right away.

"He was a great guy," Moore said. "I got to know him in the dorm room when we first came in. I let him use my car. I'd trust him with anything. He was just that type of guy. It was fun. He was right down the hall. I fell asleep in his room millions of times."

After coping with the death of a good friend, Moore said he now understands what it means to sacrifice. He knows how much one can give to something he loves.

"The word 'sacrifice' is the motto we're using this year," Moore said. "A.O. symbolizes what that means, to go until there's nothing left. You don't want to come down to that outcome, but he symbolizes sacrifice. You always got to look for more to put in."

The effects of all of the Tigers' sacrifices since 2005 are clear. In 2004 the team finished 5-6, and since hasn't finished a season under .500. Now, when O'Neal would be at the peak of his collegiate career, the Tigers are ranked No. 6 in the nation and are a legitimate national championship contender.

O'Neal's death also affected coach Gary Pinkel's relationships with his players, Moore said.

"The day me and A.O. came in, it wasn't the military, but you can definitely tell the difference now," Moore said. "Coach Pinkel will come in the locker room, sit down with the guys and watch TV. He is like a father to us."

The effects of O'Neal's death have permeated throughout the program, and so far the team has made sure it has not let its silent leader down.

"We think about him every day," defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus said. "He's one of our family members. He's in a better place now."

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Football Preview: Aaron O'Neal's memory still alive

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