Mizzou gets glimpse of next wave of wide receivers in Music City Bowl win

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Around halftime of Monday’s Music City Bowl, the Missouri wide receiver corps observed a changing of the guard — or as they think of themselves, the unguardables.

The final senior in the receiver room was ruled out with an injury. The youngsters took care of things from there.

Mizzou’s bowl win over Iowa was many things: a testament to the Tigers’ finishing ability, a sendoff for quarterback Brady Cook, an “exhibition game” that might have ultimately meant more than coach Eli Drinkwitz suggested it would.

It was also a peek at what’s to come in 2025 at the wide receiver position for MU, which will now have to replace its three starting wideouts from the beginning of the 2024 season.

That process started slightly before the Music City Bowl, with Mookie Cooper’s college career over due to a season-ending surgery and Luther Burden III declaring early for the NFL draft and thereby opting out of the game.

Theo Wease Jr., the last senior receiver in action, put together a stellar first half against the Hawkeyes. He caught five of his 10 targets for 75 yards and a touchdown, the Tigers’ first score of the game. A blow to his head that was initially flagged for targeting but overturned on review wound up being his last appearance in a Missouri uniform.

Mizzou staff ruled him out at halftime with an upper-body injury.

“Theo Wease, what an unbelievable job he did in the first half,” Drinkwitz said. “Took an injury and couldn’t return in the game — he laid it all on the line for us.

“And then other guys,” the fifth-year coach continued, “stepping up big time.”

The headliner of the others was Marquis Johnson, a second-year speedster who didn’t quite have the breakout 2024 season that seemed possible after flashes as a true freshman in 2023.

Johnson entered the bowl with 18 catches for 230 yards. Against Iowa, he posted seven receptions, 122 yards and a touchdown.

“Really just (wanted to) prove that I belong here and I’m here for a reason,” Johnson said. “Everyone trusts me and knows I can do what I can do. I just go out there and do what the team needs me to do.”

That included a key 44-yard catch on a play-action shot play that set up a rushing touchdown for another second-year wide receiver, Joshua Manning. Cook heaved the ball toward Johnson down the right side of the field, and the receiver who mostly goes by “Speedy” turned around to make a physical grab.

“When the ball is in the air, I always say it’s mine,” Johnson said. “I’m going to go get it regardless.”

His biggest contributions in 2024 have been on special teams, but the bowl showed how and why that will likely change in 2025. Manning, who played heavily but didn’t get many targets in the bowl, and Johnson will team up with incoming transfer Kevin Coleman Jr.

“As those guys move on, man, it’s really about Marquis and Josh’s turn next,” Drinkwitz said. “We’re really, really excited.”

Coleman — a former St. Mary’s star locally who’s headed back to his home state after stops at Jackson State, Louisville and Mississippi State — was tuned in for Monday’s win.

“Way to finish,” Coleman wrote in a social media post on X, formerly Twitter. “Let’s work now!! #MIZ.”

Drinkwitz was deliberate not to talk about the Tigers’ signing of Penn State transfer quarterback Beau Pribula or look too far ahead in discussing the 2025 season. But he did suggest that the potential of wideouts like Manning and Johnson was part of Mizzou’s pitch to Pribula, its probable starter next season.

“It was easy to recruit a quarterback when you can send them tape of Marquis and Josh,” Drinkwitz said.

And that was before Johnson’s bowl game performance.

“We’ve known Marquis has been a special player,” Drinkwitz said. “I mean, we saw it last year, but the thing I’m most proud of him about is it’s always been about the team and whatever the team has asked him to do. He’s embraced that role. He’s been the best gunner on punt team that he can be. He’s played on special teams. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do, and now it was his opportunity.”