The Missouri Tigers will be coming to Neyland Stadium this Saturday to take on Tennessee. But they’ll be without two pivotal players when they make the trip over to Knoxville.
Missouri head coach Barry Odom said on Tuesday that tight end Albert Okwuegbunam and cornerback Adam Sparks won’t play this weekend against Tennessee. Wide receiver Nate Brown will also sit out Saturday’s contest.
Odom: TE Albert Okwuegbunam, WR Nate Brown, CB Adam Sparks won’t play this week vs. Tennessee.
— Dave Matter (@Dave_Matter) November 13, 2018
Okwuegbunam leads Missouri in receptions (43) and receiving touchdowns (6) on the season, and he’s third on the team in receiving yards (466). His 43 receptions are the most by a tight end in the SEC this season, and he’s tied with a handful of other tight ends for the most receiving touchdowns at his position in the conference. Okwuegbunam didn’t play against Vanderbilt last weekend either.
Sparks has played in eight games this season for Missouri and is third on the team in tackles with 38. He’s intercepted a pass and broken up three others while also totaling 2.5 tackles for loss. Missouri hasn’t intercepted many passes this season, only coming down with five as a team. Sparks is one of only four Tigers players to pick off a pass this season.
Brown’s contributions have been less significant than Okwuegbunam’s, but he still has 12 catches for 129 yards on the year.
Missouri is expected to have receiver Emanuel Hall play on Saturday, however. Hall missed a month and a half of action due to injury earlier this year, but he’s played the last two games for the Tigers and has made seven catches for 99 yards and a touchdown combined in those two contests. He leads the Tigers with 529 receiving yards on just 25 receptions in five games.
The Tigers will also still have Johnathan Johnson and Jalen Knox in the receiving corps, and the two have combined for 67 receptions, 906 yards, and six touchdowns.
Tennessee will host Missouri in Neyland Stadium at 3:30 Eastern on Saturday, November 17th.
