Missouri State football held its annual media day on Saturday, ahead of its first season in Conference USA and as an FBS member.
A new backdrop sat behind Missouri State football coach Ryan Beard when he sat behind a Plaster Stadium table for the first time this season as he participated in his program's third media day since he took over as head coach.
The "Conference USA" logo was front and center. During his opening remarks, construction could be heard through the walls of the lower concourse as stadium renovations continue to take place over a month before the team's home opener.
"As you can hear in the background, that's a good sign," Beard said. "You want to be somewhere where you hear construction, where you hear banging and clanging. If anyone's out there who wants to be a Missouri State Bear, growth is here, and we're moving in the right direction."
Missouri State opens its first FBS season on August 30 in Los Angeles, when the Bears take on USC. Their first season in Conference USA arrives with many new features, whether it's the turf on the field or the latest features that the school will have ready by the time they play their first home game against SMU on Sept. 13.
The Bears will also have many new names on the roster, particularly on the defense, as they attempt to show they belong in the higher subdivision after an 8-4 year in their Missouri Valley Football Conference swan song.
"We're at a national level now, which is crazy," center Cash Hudson said. "We just keep reinforcing it in the back of our heads that, as a kid, we dreamt of something like playing in CUSA in FBS."
Here were our biggest takeaways from media day.
Ryan Beard, Missouri State players brought up Jalen Brooks a lot
Among the many new names on Missouri State's roster entering 2025, no one's was mentioned more than Campbell transfer Jalen Brooks, as he seemingly slides right into a starting spot in the Bears' rebuilt linebacker corps.
Brooks started his career at North Carolina, playing in 32 games under Mack Brown, before playing last season at FCS Campbell, where he was a second-team All-CAA performer with 118 total tackles. He was brought to MSU after it lost its three starters to the transfer portal.
"I was excited when we recruited him, and I'm even more excited now because his vision for the ball and his feel for the game are next level," Beard said. "For a guy that's only been here for a short time, he understands football, he's a big, strong, powerful young man, and he plays the game the right way."
Beard said Brooks will likely be counted on as a voice in communication for the defense, sharing some responsibilities with safety J.J. O'Neal. Two other new linebackers will rely on him heavily, with Kanye Young, Jashawn Cooper and Jared Lloyd being in the mix for starting roles.
"From the moment he got here, he's encouraged people to work harder," defensive end Davon Townley Jr. said. "We've seen it in the weight room, and now he's a leader on the field with how he communicates. He's going to be a guy who definitely opens up some eyes."
How is the competition along Missouri State's offensive line shaping up?
Missouri State has a lot of competition along the offensive line and could have two to three new starters this season. Hudson, a lock to start at center, said both guard spots seem up for grabs. Healthy returnees Cristian Loaiza and Erick Cade should be favorites at the tackles, but competition is ongoing.
It sounds like Beard is in favor of continuity; he noted those who had been together since they were sophomores, which should bode well for Mark Hutchinson retaining a guard spot. Others he mentioned by name include Matthew Greene, Justin Curtis, Noah Gardner and Ebubedike Nnabugwu.
"The depth chart is changing every day," Hudson said. "We just have to make sure the competition stays at a high level because we're going to see a high level this year. No spot is secure."
How will Missouri State football go about its backup quarterback competition?
The Bears are thankful to enter their new era with perhaps the best quarterback to ever put on a Missouri State uniform. Jacob Clark is the undisputed starter, but there is a massive question about who will back him up.
No quarterback behind him has any meaningful game experience at the collegiate level. The most experienced of the group from the spring season transferred away after the spring, leaving sophomore Cole Feuerbacher, redshirt-freshman Elijah Leonard and true freshman Deuce Bailey competing to back up Clark, and possibly have a leg up for the starting job in 2026 after Clark graduates.
The Bears didn't have to turn to a backup last season, and hopefully won't in 2025. Still, one was needed in 2023 after Clark required shoulder surgery, leading to Jordan Pachot starting the final six games of the season.
"Right now, there is no backup," Beard said. "We're making sure we're going to get enough reps to put them in positions to show that they can or can't do it."
Feuerbacher, a Glendale grad, may be in the driver's seat right now because he's in his third year with the program, and he may have the best arm talent on the roster. Leonard has the physical traits, but is still getting a hold of the offense. Bailey may have the highest ceiling of the three, but he is months into his time with Nick Petrino's offense.
"(Bailey) is a young, talented, athletic and smart player," Clark said. "He's picking stuff up in the film room, but there's a lot to learn when you come into college football. He's done a good job."
Who will be Jacob Clark's new go-to target at wide receiver?
In 2024, Hunter Wood caught 63 passes for 770 yards. In 2023, Raylen Sharpe caught 73 passes for 991 yards. Both leading receivers saw a lot of time out of the slot and aren't on the team anymore.
Clark has had a lot of success in creating a go-to receiver, which remains a mystery going into 2025. James BlackStrain and Jmariyae Robinson should slide back into starting roles, but it remains to be seen who Clark will depend on the most in the new season.
"I think we have a really strong group, and we're trying to figure out who the best 4-6 guys are," Clark said. "Last year, you never really knew who was going to step up and make the plays. We're going to throw the ball around to a lot of different people."
Clark said Dash Luke is getting a lot of the reps out of the slot. There is a growing hype around Stetson transfer Ronnel Johnson, who was a highly productive player over the last two seasons in the Pioneer League. Clark also went out of his way to mention Sacramento State transfer Makai Cope, a big 6-foot-3, 210-pound target who started his career at Utah.
What should we expect from Jared Lloyd after missing last season with an injury?
Beard tempered expectations on Lloyd as he returns to the field after missing last season due to a significant knee injury, caused by an offseason car accident that involved an RV, with the coach saying a year ago, "he almost got killed."
Lloyd is back on the practice field, but Beard said the Bears are being cautious with him, and it could take a little bit for him to return full speed. He was a breakout player at linebacker in 2023, finishing second on the team with 67 total tackles.
"He's a guy who wants to take every single rep and never come off the field, but that's just not where we're at with his health right now," Beard said. "I do think he'll play for us this year, as long as everything goes the right way, which will be good for us because he's a presence out there."
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State football: 2025 media day takeaways ahead of CUSA debut
Category: General Sports
