JONESBORO — Colton Jackson was a redshirt freshman playing in his fifth college game when Arkansas State traveled to Columbia, Mo. two years ago.
Jackson, at the time about 240 pounds, spent four quarters trying to block Michael Sam, Kony Ealy, Shane Ray and Markus Golden. Each of those defensive linemen either earned some type of SEC postseason award or are currently on an NFL roster, and they bottled up the Red Wolves offense in a 41-19 victory.
“The history of Mizzou is that they’ve always had good defensive lines,” Jackson said this week.
Jackson hopes to put up a better challenge for Missouri’s defensive front Saturday night when the No. 24 Tigers visit Centennial Bank Stadium. The game will mark only the second time ASU (0-1) has played host to a standing member of the SEC.
Missouri held ASU to 117 yards rushing and sacked quarterback Adam Kennedy five times in the teams’ matchup two years ago. Sam, the SEC’s co-defensive player of the year that season, had two of those sacks while Ealy, now a member of the Carolina Panthers, had another as the Tigers held ASU to an average of only 1.9 yards per rush.
Jackson is two years older now, more than 40 pounds heavier and is surrounded by a few experienced teammates who managed to gain some confidence in a 55-6 loss to eighth-ranked Southern California.
Left tackle Jemar Clark, who is nursing a tweaked ankle, is expected to start his 15th consecutive game Saturday. Center Devin Mondie will do the same, although he is at center instead of left guard like last season.
Guards Austin Moreton and Daniel Keith earned their first starts at USC, but the 49-point loss didn’t discourage the linemen because ASU still managed to average 4.2 yards per carry while gaining 208 yards on 50 carries.
“I felt no physical difference,” Mondie said. “They had a lot of talented players, but I feel like our offensive line matches up with anybody right now.”
Missouri may have produced some of college football’s top defensive lines in recent years, but the names and faces are different this season after Ray — the SEC’s defensive player of the year last season — was taken by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the NFL Draft this spring and projected starter Harold Brantly was injured in a car accident over the summer.
The Tigers had an entirely new defensive line in Saturday’s 34-3 victory over Southeast Missouri State. Marcell Frazier and Charles Harris started at end, while Josh Augusta and Rickey Hatley started at tackle.
Missouri also will use freshman defensive tackle Terry Beckner Jr., a four-star recruit by Rivals.com who chose Missouri over Ohio State, Florida State and others, and end Nate Howard.
“They had some significant losses in the offseason that could help or lean in our favor, but I know they’ve done a great job in recruiting,” ASU Coach Blake Anderson said. “They’re going to be talented. There are going to be some matchups that are not real good in our favor, early especially.
“We’ve got to fatigue them and get them breathing hard and minimize some of the issues that we’ve got.”
Missouri held Southeast Missouri State, an FCS team that plays in the Ohio Valley Conference, to 145 yards rushing and 3.5 yards per carry in the opener, but ASU insists it won’t be intimidated.
“I know they’re going to be talented. They’re an SEC opponent,” Mondie said. “After watching their tape, I don’t feel like they’re as good as everyone thinks they are.
“If we go out and play our game and get physical like we can, then we shouldn’t have any problem with them up front.”
UP NEXT
NO. 24 MISSOURI ST ARKANSAS STATE
WHEN 6 p.m. Saturday
WHERE Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro
RECORDS ASU 0-1; Missouri 1-0
BETTING LINE Missouri by 10 1/2
RADIO KASR-FM, 92.7, in Little Rock/Conway; KFIN-FM, 107.9, in Jonesboro
INTERNET ESPN3.com