Three minutes before the Missouri Tigers took Faurot Field for the first time of the season, the usual antics — or, I guess the on-field security would call it “safety” protocols — played out like usual.
Photographers have to find their players in warm ups, like the photo below of Brady Cook, and then work their way to the center of the South video board, where the fans in the Show Me Club watch the game.
Before they find their seats, however, the Golden Girls create a tunnel and the middle section gets roped off for the team’s entrance.
Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) warms up prior to his team’s matchup against the Murray State Racers at Faurot Field. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI
No, it isn’t the first entrance that players make when they run out for warm-ups, which also warrants some cheers, but the more grandiose one that follows the hype videos played over both screens. By time those videos are played, photographers are being asked to move every five seconds under the threat that if we don’t, we’ll be trampled.
I’ve never tested my luck with the security, but I’ve also never been touched by the players.
The unfortunate thing, however, is that I also didn’t get lucky enough to claim the best spot in the house for the Tigers’ entrance.
If you time it right, you can land right on the stanchion of the goal post and duck down to get a head-on view of the team coming out from behind the steel pull-down door. This time, “SEC Insider,” which had videographers shooting the game for a Missouri-centered segment, claimed the space.
Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers junior receiver Logan Muckey (82) leads his team out of the tunnel before their season opener against the Murray State Racers at Faurot Field. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI
What they, and the rest of us — from a worse vantage point — saw from the Tigers’ entrance was different than what it had been in the past. I didn’t know exactly what it was going to look like, but thanks to a security briefing that took place right in front of me, I could imagine.
“Did you hear about the new walk-out?” one of the officers near me was asked. He said no.
“The players are going to walk right down the aisle arms linked, with Coach in front,” he was told.
I thought that was interesting. Plus, it was cool to get the info before anyone else.
Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive back Daylan Carnell (13) leads a group of his teammates back to the locker room prior to facing the Murray State Racers at Faurot Field. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI
Last season, it was a big display when Missouri ran out from the steel gate — partly because of the banging they would do on it beforehand and partly because of the smoke and pyro.
The latter was still present, but not before the Tigers decided to make a statement. Last year, the name of the game was “Something to Prove.” Missouri wanted to show it belonged in the SEC, and it did. It ran out the tunnel all season and proved it.
This year, however, the Tigers were calm.
Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers receiver Mekhi Miller (10) looks at the crowd prior to his team’s matchup against the Murray State Racers at Faurot Field. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI
They let the gate rise and walked through the smoke, arms linked and with a slow pace.
“I thought it was pretty cool,” Eli Drinkwitz said of the new entrance.
I did, too. There was a difference in feel. The Missouri Tigers were more poised — they were a team worthy of fear, even. At least, that’s how they carried themselves. And how did they back it up? A 51-0 shutout win.
Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers receiver Luther Burden III (3) celebrates in the end zone after scoring a touchdown against the Murray State Racers at Faurot Field. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI
Needless to say, the game was exciting … for about one quarter.
The excitement at Memorial Stadium was palpable, and with every touchdown, big play, interception, defensive stop — there were a lot of those — it only got bigger. Perhaps its peak, however, was when Toriano Pride Jr. took home a pass from Racers quarterback Jayden Johannsen.
When I took the below photo, I didn’t even realize I had gotten Drinkwitz in the background. I guess he was included among the screams that broke out midway through the first quarter.
Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. (2) celebrates on the sideline after scoring a pick-six against the Murray State Racers. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI
The next two photos played out exactly the way I had hoped. And with rushing touchdowns, that’s hardly ever the case.
Thursday’s season opener featured a sold-out crowd for the Tigers, but if it were a recorded stat, it also featured a sold out media presence. There were more white vests — incorrectly labeled as Vanderbilt credentials — than I had seen in a long while, which made red zone drives tough.
When Brady Cook gets his offense within the 20 yard line, every photographer is either already there, or working to be. Finding a spot on the back sideline — where they let you shoot from — is hard.
This time, I got lucky.
Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Marcus Carroll (9) rushes for a touchdown against the Murray State Racers at Faurot Field. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI
When I found my spot, I realized that there was about a fifty-fifty chance I got a good shot. Most times, you can be close to the spot of the ball and still miss the shot. But Marcus Carroll didn’t just run into frame, he ran right at me.
Then, he danced. His eyes showed you his mood.
He was almost laughing.
Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Marcus Carroll (9) celebrates after scoring against the Murray State Racers at Faurot Field. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI
Luther Burden III, on the other hand, did the same. This one was a little less expected.
After a missed connection with Cook, the receiver ran through his route and slow-walked back to the sidelined — clearly frustrated — and it just so happened that he had to come near me to get there. I zoomed in for this, by the way. My intention was not to step in his path or get in his face.
I was just glad to get his facial expression.
Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers receiver Luther Burden III (3) tilts his head in disappointment after an overthrown pass against the Murray State Racers at Faurot Field. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI
This feels like a celebration I’ll get multiple different angles of throughout the season.
Aug 29, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) celebrates with receiver Marquis Johnson (2) after scoring a touchdown against the Murray State Racers at Faurot Field. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI
Thanks, Brady.
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Publish date : 2024-09-02 13:00:00
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