Missouri CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. 'Awake' For Louisiana Tech's Offense

Despite a new coaching staff, Ennis Rakestraw isn't sleeping on Smoke Harris and Louisiana Tech

Ennis Rakestraw Jr. doesn’t prepare for a team like Louisiana Tech different from an SEC opponent. Every team can march in Faurot Field on any given day and pick up a win.

In some cases, they do over Missouri.

Thursday night will mean plenty to fans of the Mizzou faithful as the Tigers look to take on Louisiana Tech. It’ll mean a bit more for Rakestraw, Missouri’s top cornerback who is set to return after suffering a torn ACL last October.

It’s a new year. New expectations are set in motion. One thing that Rakestraw refuses to do is let the SEC branding get in his way of making plays against an aggressive Bulldogs roster that’s coming for more than a win.

“Tempo is one of the main things we’ve seen from those guys,” Rakestraw said Sunday. “They have some dynamic receivers on that side of the ball, a new quarterback who is a good player …. They’re going to make a lot of smart decisions.”

Missouri studied a pair of tapes when breaking down the Bulldogs’ offense. The first was the 2021 roster that finished 3-9 under Skip Holtz. The second was of Texas Tech’s offense and the play design from coordinator Sonny Cumbie, who named Holtz's replacement after taking over for Matt Well midseason in Lubbock. 

The importance of watching the Red Raider film wasn't due to the positions but rather the route concepts. Cumbie consistently would work the middle of the field during his time as the play-caller for Tech but also wasn’t afraid to take deep shots against the right defensive look.

New Bulldogs quarterback Matthew Downing, a transfer from TCU, will have the opportunity to connect with junior receiver Smoke Harris. Last year, the 5-7 pass-catcher led Louisiana Tech in receptions (71), yards (756) and touchdowns (six).

“He’s a dynamic receiver,” Rakestraw said of Harris. “He’s a shifty guy in the slot, and on the outside, he’s got some good releases and great hands. He gets in and out of his brakes pretty good.”

Rakestraw, the 6-foot, 175-pound cornerback from Dallas, likely will command the outside in 2022. That doesn’t mean a player like Harris won’t match up with him on zone coverage snaps or on plays Cumbie elects to play him on the perimeter.

Rakestraw wants to perform admirably against every receiver he faces on Saturdays. During the summer, he’d work one-on-one drills with SI All-American’s top receiver prospect Luther Burden.

It didn’t take long for Rakestraw to see the talent a player of Burden’s skills can bring to the table. The work ethic Burden possessed translated into drills during practice and upped the level of competition for Rakestraw in coverage.

“Me and Luther have the same mindset,” said Rakestraw. “We got chirpy sometimes, but it was always good work with each other.”

One game won’t define Mizzou’s season, but a win starts the Tigers off on the right note. Rakestraw wants to set the tone against the Bulldogs and show that the flaws of last season are left in the part.

If anything, he’s excited to get back out on the field and live action for the first time in 10 months. As a veteran of gamedays in Columbia, Rakestraw hopes everyone new can soak up the moment but keep the end goal close to their chest.

“[Anyone new] can make a good name for themselves here,” Rakestraw said. “The way we’ve prepared and the way we've been doing things, I feel like everybody can have a good game.”

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. 

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