Missouri football will be looking to make history in 2025 by winning double-digit games for the third straight season and making the College Football Playoff, both of which would be firsts for the program. But the start of those goals begins with spring ball which should be getting underway in the next couple of weeks.

Since Missouri’s last regular season game, there have been several significant changes to the roster from Armand Membou and Luther Burden III announcing their intentions to enter the 2025 NFL Draft as projected first-round picks, to Brady Cook and Johnny Walker having played their final games of their collegiate career as they exhausted their eligibility. 

We will be previewing the storylines and or questions for each position. Next up are the special teamers.

Can Blake Craig be more consistent?

Before Blake Craig nailed two 50-plus-yard field goals in the fourth quarter of Mizzou’s 27-24 win over Iowa in the Music City Bowl, it felt like he was on shaky ground.

He entered that game having gone 22-of-32 on the season on field goal attempts while being 1-of-7 on attempts between 40-49 yards. Since he stepped on campus, Craig has shown on several occasions through practice and games that he has the kicking power, but accuracy has always been the question mark. 

Entering that game, one familiar with Craig and the season he’s had would assume MU would be bringing in a kicker via the portal to at least push him.

He had three games where he missed multiple field goals and he had seven games where he missed at least one field goal or PAT. 

His booming leg and being able to come up clutch several times during the season has secured him the starting kicking job for another year but can he be more consistent and get that field goal percentage to 80% or higher? 

With the heights Mizzou is trying to reach, Craig may have to win the team a game or two. The Tigers can’t keep winning in spite of him like they did a couple times last year and they definitely can’t lose because of them. 

Can Shaun Terry be the primary punt return option as a freshman? Will Johnson and Manning stay on kick return duty? 

We did a Way-too-early special teams depth chart prediction. So, you can read more on who we think might be the starting returners here, but something Eliah Drinkwitz said during his Signing Day presser still is in the air.

When describing Terry, he called him an “elite” returner.

That was a few days before Terry would lead Ironton (Ohio) to a state title behind a monstrous performance that saw him record 11 receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns to go along with two carries for 75 yards and a touchdown.

On defense, he recorded four tackles and had an interception returned for 42 yards while also taking a punt 35 yards. 

He’s a great receiving prospect as well but the quickest way for him to find playing time will likely be on special teams. MU has some veterans like Daniel Blood who can and still may return punts, but Blood should be seeing more offensive snaps as he battles for the WR4 spot.

If he’s going to be doing that then Terry can take over this role.

When it comes to kick returning, the first two options are Joshua Manning and Marquis “Speedy” Johnson. They were the primary returners in 2024 and combined, they took 22 of the team’s 23 kick returns. They could do it again in 2025 but they’re expected to be starters. Does Mizzou really want to have two-thirds of its starting wide receiver unit on kick return? 

Starting safety Marvin Burks fielded one return for three yards. He’s another veteran option. 

Mizzou has several other players who could be options. These are just the returning ones with experience. 

What can MU really expect from Connor Weselman?

For the last three seasons, Missouri has brought in a transfer punter.

In 2023, it was Ryan Williams formerly of Murray State. He split punting duties with walk-on Luke Bauer. Then, in 2024, it was Orion Phillips, Williams’s replacement at Murray State who would replace him at MU. He’d lose the position battle to Bauer in fall camp and not see the field before transferring to Utah this offseason. 

Bauer had one more year of eligibility but originally opted not to play in 2025. He’d change his mind but Missouri had already brought in former Stanford punter Connor Weselman into replace him. 

Weselman didn’t see the field last season as it was Aidan Flintoft, who took all of Stanford’s 43 punts for an average of 42.9 yards per punt.

Weselman was the team’s primary punter in 2023 and had 22 punts for an average of 42.2 yards per punt. 

After not punting for two years (in-game) what can we expect from him? Can he unequivocally be the guy? 

Other Previews

Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers 

Tight ends

Offensive line