COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Rain kept the Missouri football team off the outdoor practice fields and moved the Tigers inside the Devine Pavilion for Wednesday's practice. But don't worry. Barry Odom's team will prepare for slippery conditions before the Sept. 1 opener against Tennessee-Martin.
"We'll get some wet ball work if we don't get out in the rain before our first game," Odom said, "just to understand that it's not always going to be perfect temperatures."
Wet ball work. Nothing gets past these coaches.
For now, though, this is a dry ball report.
Lots of NFL scouts have been through camp this week, especially on Wednesday. Spotted on the practice field were reps from the Raiders, Titans, Ravens, Falcons and Giants.
Let's catch up on Saturday's scrimmage that was closed to the media. A few things I've learned the last couple days:
--It wasn't a great day for the running game. Or it was a great day for the rush defense. Either way, the team still fancies Damarea Crockett and Larry Rountree as co-starters at tailback with freshman Tyler Badie rising up as the potential No. 3 back. He's hardly the only freshman pushing for a role this fall.
--Pieces are coming together for the defensive line. Akial Byers has put together some strong days at defensive end. Franklin Agbasimere had a strong series with the second unit at defensive end, and Nate Anderson is pushing the starters, too. Odom and D-line coach Brick Haley are both impressed with the growth they've seen from second-year edge rusher Chris Turner.
"Chris Turner practices harder than anybody on the field, play after play," Odom said. "That's going to pay off. It's his motor but also his leverage points on hand placement. He's been able to get something besides just the speed rush. He's got some counter moves now, too."
"It's his effort and attitude," Haley said. "He's always been a really quiet guy. Now he's being a little bit more vocal. He's flying around, encouraging his teammates to do it. Normally he'd do it himself but he's taking on more of a leadership role. He's had a great camp."
All three freshman defensive ends -- Jatorian Hansford, Trajan Jeffcoat and Daniel Parker -- will likely play this season, at least for four games under the NCAA's new redshirt rule, Odom said. Under the new rule, players can appear in as many as four games without using a year of eligibility. Odom's staff plans to take advantage of the rule and give multiple newcomers a chance to crack the depth chart during the month of September.
--On Monday, Odom said Lindsey Scott Jr. and Micah Wilson are taking the second-team quarterback snaps. That could change in the coming weeks and the other candidates could climb into the mix, but the Tigers are now through 11 of 17 preseason practices. The clock is ticking. Wilson had a solid scrimmage on Saturday. Scott's going to have to prove he can throw the ball accurately to solidify the No. 2 role -- and emerge as the heir apparent to Drew Lock in 2019.
--With Messiah Swinson's torn ACL, Brendan Scales (Lafayette High) is establishing himself as the No. 3 tight end behind Albert Okwuegbunam, who impressed in the scrimmage, and Kendall Blanton. People have taken notice of Scales the last couple weeks.
--Freshman outside receiver Jalen Knox is going to see the field this year, possibly more than any of the other rookie wideouts. Dominic Gicinto, another freshman wideout, continues to turn heads, too.
--Oregon graduate transfer Khalil Oliver is making a strong first impression on the coaches as a starting safety. He just got to campus in July, but it shouldn't be a surprise if he starts the opener.
--Will linebacker Terez Hall is still in a full red jersey and sitting out of drills. Aubrey Miller has taken his spot with the first unit. Clearly, it's better to have Hall on the field, but he's not in danger of losing his job. He's one of the team's most experienced players. The injury gives more first-team reps for Miller, one of the team's most physical hitters. Freshman inside linebacker Nick Bolton is expected to play this year, too, in some capacity. Chad Bailey, the more highly touted freshman linebacker, is recovering from thumb surgery and could miss a few more weeks.
--In the secondary, DeMarkus Acy and Adam Sparks are clearly the top two cornerbacks. Odom said he's been impressed with Acy the last few days more than anyone in the secondary. It's also worth monitoring two freshman corners. Earlier this week Odom said Jarvis Ware will likely play this year, though he was out Wednesday with an undisclosed injury. Tyrone Collins has made some big plays of late. "You're starting to see some explosion from him," Odom said.
--As for Wednesday's practice, Odom called it the best of camp. Maybe the best in years.
"Without question not even close this was our best practice," he said. "It wasn't perfect. There were a lot of things we've got to get cleaned up. But the attention to detail, the focus, the energy, playing smart and practicing smart together is the best we've had, not only this camp but probably since I've been here in the seat I'm currently in. We're moving in the right direction."