Mizzou football lands two commitments
Two days before the traditional national signing day for football recruits, Missouri picked up two oral commitments as Barry Odom’s staff puts the final touches on the 2018 class.
Bobby Lawrence, a three-star offensive tackle from St. Joseph, Mo., and Nick Bolton, a three-star linebacker from Frisco, Texas, both announced their pledges on Twitter. Lawrence, a 6-8, 300-pounder, initially committed to Illinois State and then chose Iowa State last month and agreed to grayshirt at the Big 12 school in 2018, meaning he’d pay his tuition before going on scholarship in 2019. He’s rated the nation’s No. 140 offensive tackle prospect and the state’s No. 19 player by 247Sports.com.
Bolton is rated the nation’s No. 33 inside linebacker by Rivals.com and No. 44 by 247Sports.com. He also holds offers from Power 5 programs at Colorado, Boston College, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi State, Purdue, Utah and Washington.
Missouri could also add a graduate transfer to shore up its depleted group of safeties. Khalil Oliver, a former safety at Oregon, visited Mizzou this weekend, he tweeted Monday. Oliver posted 73 tackles in 23 games at the Pac-12 school and started last season’s opener before suffering an injury. He decided to transfer during the season and was expected to graduate in December, allowing him to enroll elsewhere and play immediately as a graduate transfer. (Dave Matter)
Signing suspense is down • There’s a strange sense of calm that has replaced the tumult typically associated with college football recruiting this time of year.
The arrival of a December signing period has removed much of the suspense from the traditional national signing day on the first Wednesday of February. About three-quarters of the top 250 high school football prospects already have signed, according to a composite ranking of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports .
“It does feel a little less frantic,” said Barton Simmons, the director of scouting for 247Sports. “I think there’s still plenty of drama surrounding some of the bigger names and more elite prospects in this class, but the general frenetic pace that we’re used to — the chaos of the final weekend — is definitely taken down a notch or two.”
(AP)
Formula One takes a page from soccer • “Grid kids” are replacing “grid girls” in Formula One as the motorsport series makes changes ahead of the new season.
F1 says youngsters from motorsport clubs, who are already competing in karting, will stand alongside drivers on the grid before races this season.
The announcement comes after the series last week ended the longstanding practice of using women on the grid, and on the podium with the top three drivers. (AP)
Breeders’ Cup adds race • The Breeders’ Cup is adding the Juvenile Turf Sprint to the two-day world championships lineup, which will feature 14 races to be run Nov. 2-3 at Churchill Downs.
The 5½-furlong Juvenile Turf Sprint will carry a $1 million purse and be open to 2-year-olds. Previously, the race was part of the event’s undercard. (AP)
Nadal plans return • Rafael Nadal says he is on track to returning to the ATP Tour in Acapulco this month.
The top-ranked Nadal said he is recovering well from the left leg muscle injury that forced him to retire in the Australian Open quarterfinals last month. He was in the fifth set against Marin Cilic.
Nadal says he is undergoing intensive treatment to make sure he is fit to play in the Mexico tournament, which starts Feb. 26. (AP)
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