Mizzou Offensive Line Coach Brandon Jones Impressed with Newcomers and Young Talent
COLUMBIA — The grass in Columbia is looking greener. Or at least when Oklahoma offensive tackle transfer Cayden Green is on the practice field. The former four-star recruit is one of the multiple players new to Missouri Tigers football that could contribute this season.
Preparations for the 2024 season began two weeks ago with spring practices kicking off. From their first few interactions, Missouri offensive line coach Brandon Jones is impressed with Green.
"He's been great," Jones said ahead of practice Tuesday. "He's been a good fit for our room. ... I don't think the room, the competition's any different than what he was facing (at Oklahoma)."
Last year with the Sooners, Green made five starts at left guard in his freshman season. After starting in each of the last four game's of the regular season, the Missouri native continues to be excited to improve.
"He's just eager to learn," Jones said. "He's eager to improve everyday and just try to perfect his craft so I think the world of the kid, he's been nothing but great and he's a great student."
Along with Green, the Tigers also added JUCO transfer Jayven Richardson from Hutchinson Community College. The three-star versatile lineman also received offers from Arkansas and Auburn among other schools.
"He's been one that I really have been impressed with," Jones said of Richardson. "He's working some left tackle, he does have the positional flexibility to move to the right (tackle position) but I'm really glad that we have him. He's a technician, he's one of those kids just adjusting to the speed of the game. He's gotten better and better each practice, he's obviously in a position to earn his number. So he's got some technical things that we're working through but I've been extremely proud of him."
Jones' group could also see more contributions from freshman Logan Reichert. The Kansas City native was ranked as the eighth-best player in Missouri in the class of 2023. He redshirted during his freshman season of 2023.
Jones is looking for the 6-foot-6, 369 lb. player to improve on his confidence this spring.
"It's just confidence I think for him," Jones said. "Logan is a physical specimen, he's going to test through the roof and all of those things. Just the confidence, trusting his technique, just knowing and being confident in his assignment, which he's making significant strides there."
Jones added that the strides Reichert has made the difference "night and day" between the current player he is and the one he was when he first arrived last summer. But there's still plenty of improvement for Reichert to make before he earns more opportunities.
"I'm patient with him because I know he's rather young, he hasn't been here a full year just yet but I also have really high expectations for him and he knows that," Jones said, "I challenge him every day to reach those to get in the mix and be the starter he's gotta rise to those other guys have a ton of college experience but just physically I've got to do a good job of preparing him, putting him in good situations."
Reichert, Richardson and Green will all look to validate Jones' praise of them with their performances in the Missouri Tigers spring football game scheduled for March 16.
