When MU football faces Vanderbilt on Saturday, Oct. 22, the Tigers will send 26 seniors and fifth year players onto the field for what may be their final Homecoming game at Faurot Field in a Missouri uniform.
Since their last Homecoming matchup at Faurot Field in 2014, when the Tigers defeated the Commodores 24-14, Missouri has faced Vanderbilt seven times. In those meetings, the Tigers have posted a 5-2 record while outscoring the Commodores 199-121. Despite the lopsided point totals, five of the games were decided by less than 10 points, including both of Missouri’s losses in 2015 and 2019.
Since the 2014 Homecoming meeting, Vanderbilt and MU have both descended toward the bottom of the Southeastern Conference totem pole. The Commodores will enter the rematch under the direction of second-year head coach Clark Lea and will roster 32 seniors and fifth year players who look to turn the tide against the Tigers.
Missouri will pose quite the test, however. The Tigers will face Vanderbilt after a bye week while the Commodores will come to Columbia following a game against last year’s national champion, Georgia.
Missouri Seniors & Fifth Years
Information about the MU seniors is sourced from the MU Athletic Department and NCAA.
Offense
Jack Abraham
Hometown: Oxford, Mississippi
Position: Quarterback
Class: Fifth Year
A college football journeyman, Abraham will join his third team in three years for the 2022 season. The 24-year-old quarterback passed for 7,067 yards and 41 touchdowns in three seasons at Southern Mississippi before spending the 2021 season at Mississippi State, where he earned a medical redshirt after being diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome following a head injury in practice. He announced his transfer to MU on May 16, and he will serve as a backup for MU sophomore quarterback Brady Cook alongside fellow quarterbacks, freshman Sam Horn and redshirt sophomore Tyler Macon.
Barrett Banister
Hometown: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Position: Wide Receiver
Class: Fifth Year
One of the longest tenured Tigers on Missouri’s roster, Banister is a four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, and was a 2021 Burlsworth Trophy nominee, which is given to the most outstanding college football player who began his career as a walk-on. He recorded six multi-catch games last season, including a pair of six-catch performances against Vanderbilt and Army West Point. Entering the 2022 season, Banister has 93 receptions for 812 yards and two touchdowns throughout his Tiger career, and will be a captain for the Tigers in the 2022 season.
Kibet Chepyator
Hometown: Carol Stream, Illinois
Position: Tight End
Class: Fifth Year
Chepyator began his MU football career as a walk-on in 2020 and played in nine games last season on special teams and as a blocking tight end. Previously a multi-sport athlete, Chepyator will utilize his combination of height and speed to impact the offense. He was named to the area's basketball all-star team as a high school senior .
Xaiver Delgado
Hometown: Glendale, Arizona
Position: Offensive Line
Class: Senior
After making his first career start in 2020 against No. 2 Alabama, Delgado earned eight starts in 2021, including four in SEC play. The 6-foot-4 offensive guard was rated as a three-star recruit out of Deer Valley High School in Arizona by Rivals.com and 247sports.com. On top of playing football, Delgado is also pursuing a major in health sciences.
Tauskie Dove
Hometown: Denton, Texas
Position: Wide Receiver
Class: Senior
Dove emerged as one of Missouri’s top wideouts a season ago, leading the team in receiving yards (576) and placing third in receptions (38). His breakout game of 2021 came against Boston College, where he tallied a career-high 89 receiving yards on three receptions. Overall, Dove has 70 catches for 924 yards and two touchdowns in his first three seasons as a Tiger and will be a captain this season. He was named to the 2020 SEC Academic Honor Roll, earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management in spring 2022 and will continue with his graduate studies.
Javon Foster
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Position: Offensive Line
Class: Senior
Tabbed as a 2022 Preseason All-SEC Second Team selection by the SEC coaches, Foster started all 13 games at left tackle for the Tigers in 2021. Pro Football Focus named Foster the third-best starting left tackle in the NCAA at run blocking and an All-SEC honorable mention. He was listed on the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2020 and 2021, and is one of eight captains on the team for the 2022 season.
Bobby Lawrence
Hometown: St. Joseph, Missouri
Position: Offensive Line
Class: Senior
A two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, Lawrence has earned starts at both offensive tackle positions throughout the past two seasons. He appeared in Missouri’s first ten games in 2021 and played 146 snaps at both tackle positions in the 2020 season. Lawrence, a three-star recruit out of high school according to 247sports.com, chose the Tigers over Nebraska, Iowa State and South Florida.
Nathaniel Peat
Hometown: Columbia, Missouri
Position: Running Back
Class: Senior
Peat, a Rock Bridge High School graduate, will begin his first season at Missouri in 2022 after playing his first three seasons at Stanford, where he excelled on the special teams. The 5-foot-10 running back earned the 2020 and 2021 Phil Moffat Awards, which are given to the most outstanding special teams' player. Peat averaged 5.1 yards per carry at Stanford en route to a team-high 404 yards with three touchdowns, while also leading the Pac-12 with 663 kickoff return yards. At Rock Bridge, Peat left the school as the program’s all-time leading rusher at 4,448 yards and was a 2018 state champion in the 100-meter in track and field.
Zeke Powell
Hometown: Georgiana, Alabama
Position: Offensive Line
Class: Fifth Year
Powell joined the Tigers following two years at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kansas, and made an immediate impact. The offensive lineman made seven starts at left tackle in 2020 and made five appearances for Missouri along the offensive line in 2021. Those appearances included three consecutive starts against Southeast Missouri State, Boston College and Tennessee. He began his career as a redshirt freshman at South Alabama before venturing to Coffeyville and Missouri.
Cody Schrader
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Position: Running Back
Class: Senior
Schrader, the NCAA D-II leading rusher in 2021 with 2,074 yards and 24 touchdowns, transferred to Missouri after being named the Co-Great Lakes Valley Conference Most Valuable Player and a unanimous All-GLVC First Team selection. He surpassed the 200-yard rushing mark five times and recorded 100 yards in all but one game at Truman State in Kirksville, Missouri. He graduated from Lutheran South High School in the St. Louis-area, where he totaled 111 high school touchdowns and 6,759 rushing yards.
Richard Taylor
Hometown: Ellenwood, Texas
Position: Offensive Line
Class: Senior
Taylor has not appeared in any games for the Tigers, but he is a two-time selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll who earned a degree in statistics during the spring of 2021. He will serve as a backup center in 2022 after making the depth chart while continuing his education and counseling psychology program.
Hyrin White
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Position: Offensive Line
Class: Fifth Year
After not playing in 2020 due to an injury, White helped to anchor an offensive line that blocked for running back Tyler Badie, who set the single season rushing record for Missouri in 2021 . He started 11 games at right tackle last season, culminating in a PFF All-SEC honorable mention selection. White was named to the 2021 SEC Academic Honor Roll and earned his undergraduate degree in general studies in December 2021.
Connor Wood
Hometown: Meridian, Idaho
Position: Offensive Line
Class: Fifth Year
After graduating high school, Wood decided to stay close to home to play for Montana State, where he started in 24 games and earned Hero Sports Sophomore All-American Honorable Mention honors in 2019. He then transferred to Missouri after the Bobcats’ 2020 season was cancelled and made eight starts along the offensive line in 2021. He became a key piece at the guard position and started the final six games of the season for the Tigers.
Defense
Chad Bailey
Hometown: Missouri City, Texas
Position: Linebacker
Class: Senior
Bailey played in all 13 games last season, making eight starts at linebacker and producing a career-best 55 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss. He made a career-high 10 tackles against No. 1 Georgia on Nov. 6 before recording three tackles for loss against Florida on Nov. 22. Bailey will serve as a captain for Missouri in the 2022 season while helping to hold down the linebacker position as well.
DJ Coleman
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Position: Defensive Line
Class: Fifth Year
Coleman became a decorated defensive lineman at Jacksonville State, where he appeared in 46 games throughout his four-year tenure and tallied 180 tackles alongside 18 sacks. He earned All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team honors as a junior while leading the OVC with nine sacks, which ranked second nationally. As a sophomore, he was an All-OVC Second-Team Defense selection. Coleman was named a Stats Perform Second-Team All-American in 2020 and 2021 before joining Missouri for the 2022 season.
Realus George Jr.
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Position: Defensive Line
Class: Senior
George appeared in seven games in 2021 and recorded four consecutive games with a tackle. He totaled nine tackles, including six solo tackles, after beginning his career at Miami as a fullback. He transferred to Independence Community College before transferring to the Tigers for the 2021 season. George, who left high school as one of the country's highest rated fullbacks, played on both sides of the ball in high school at Pace Academy.
Chuck Hicks
Hometown: San Diego, California
Position: Linebacker
Class: Senior
Hicks spent three years at Wyoming before transferring to Missouri in 2021. He recorded 21 tackles, 3.5 of those for a loss, two sacks and three turnovers in the 2020 season. After joining the Tigers, Hicks made seven consecutive appearances to end the season. His 2022 season was cut short in training camp when he suffered a season-ending torso injury.
Tyrone Hopper
Hometown: Roswell, Georgia
Position: Defensive Line
Class: Fifth Year
Hopper spent five years at North Carolina before suffering a season-ending injury in 2021 and entering the transfer portal. He played in all 12 of the Tar Heels’ games in 2020, including 10 starts, recording 27 tackles and two sacks. In Hopper’s first three seasons at North Carolina, he totaled 34 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He will join the Missouri defense as a backup defensive end in 2022.
Trajan Jeffcoat
Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina
Position: Defensive Line
Class: Senior
After being named to the AP and Coaches First Team All-SEC in 2020, Jeffcoat followed up the performance with another solid year on the defensive line. He started all 13 games and registered 34 tackles, including 23 solo tackles. Jeffcoat was honored as the Week 12 Defensive Lineman of the Week after notching 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack against Florida. He also earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll for the second consecutive season. Throughout his tenure as a Tiger, Jeffcoat has recorded 62 tackles, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Josh Landry
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Position: Defensive Line
Class: Redshirt Senior
Landry appeared in 24 games for the Baylor Bears before transferring to Missouri over the offseason. The former four-star ESPN recruit out of Lamar High School totaled 17 tackles, including three for loss, and blocked a kick during his final two years at Baylor. He will line up at the defensive tackle position for the Tigers in the 2022 season, sharing snaps with fellow tackle Realus George Jr.
Martez Manuel
Hometown: Columbia, Missouri
Position: Defensive Back
Class: Senior
Manuel filled up the stat sheet as a defensive back last season, starting all 12 regular season games and racking up six tackles in four contests on the season. He finished the season third on the team in tackles with 77 and added eight tackles for loss as well as four sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. Manuel will enter the 2022 season with 134 tackles, 6.5 sacks and eight pass deflections. He will captain the team for a second consecutive year. As a sports management major, Manuel was named to the 2019-20 SEC First Year Academic Honor Roll too.
Isaiah McGuire
Hometown: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Position: Defensive Line
Class: Senior
McGuire started all 13 games last season for the Tigers, which included 12 starts at defensive end and one at defensive tackle. He finished fourth on the team with 55 tackles and led the team with six sacks for a total loss of 36 yards. In the bowl game against Army West Point, Robinson produced a career-high 13 tackles. The experience and leadership he displayed carried over to training camp, when he was named a captain for the 2022 season. His standout performance last season came in Week 11 when he was named the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after posting six tackles and 1.5 sacks against Arkansas.
Devin Nicholson
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Position: Linebacker
Class: Senior
A seasoned veteran in Missouri’s linebacker room, Nicholson recorded 156 tackles, 3.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and one interception in his first three years with the Tigers. He appeared in all 13 games a year ago, including eight starts. Nicholson made five tackles for loss and made a season-high nine tackles against Kentucky on Sept. 11. He registered at least one tackle in every game while building off his dominant 2020 season where he made 82 tackles , second-most on the team. Adding to the success, Nicholson was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2020.
Darius Robinson
Hometown: Southfield, Michigan
Position: Defensive Line
Class: Senior
Named a captain for the 2022 season, Robinson battled through injuries last season to appear in 10 games with six starts. He recorded 21 tackles in 2021, including a career-high eight tackles in the bowl game against Army West Point. Robinson made at least one tackle in each of the last seven games he played in and notched nine solo tackles in total. Throughout his Missouri career, Robinson has made 42 tackles with one sack and one pass deflection.
Special Teams
Jake Hoffman
Hometown: Kearney, Missouri
Position: Long Snapper
Class: Senior
Hoffman appeared in all 13 games, serving as the Tigers’ long snapper on punts throughout the 2021 season. He took over as Missouri’s primary long snapper in the 2019 season and impressed, leading to his return to the position in 2020. The long snapper may not see much action during each game, but he has recorded four tackles in his career. Outside of football, Hoffman is majoring in business administration and has been named to the last two SEC Academic Honor Rolls.
Sean Koetting
Hometown: Columbia, Missouri
Position: Kicker
Class: Fifth Year
A four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, Koetting handled kickoff duties for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He appeared in all 13 games last season, where 85% of his kickoffs went for a touchback. Koetting’s kickoffs averaged 62.5 yards per kick totaling 4873 yards in 78 attempts. For the 2022 season, he will handle punting duties after punting seven times for an average of 46.3 yards in the 2021 season. Koetting joined his hometown team, Missouri, after being a standout prep soccer player at Rock Bridge.
Ten Key Vanderbilt Seniors and Fifth Years
All information and photos about Vanderbilt’s seniors is sourced from the Vanderbilt Athletic Department and NCAA.
Offense
Devin Boddie Jr.
Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee
Position: Wide Receiver
Class: Senior
Boddie played in all 12 games of the 2021 season after not making a single appearance in his first two seasons. The 5-foot-11 receiver made one start for the Commodores and logged three games with five or more receptions, including a six-catch performance against UConn when he gained 66 yards. He finished fourth on the team with 263 receiving yards on 29 catches and recorded his first collegiate touchdown against Stanford. Boddie caught Vanderbilt’s longest pass of the season with a 66-yard reception against Mississippi State. He will likely see more playing time in 2022 as a possible deep threat.
Ben Bresnahan
Hometown: Cumming, Georgia
Position: Tight End
Class: Fifth Year
Bresnahan will enter the 2022 season on the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and the John Mackey Award Watch List as well as a nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. He will begin 2022 with 45 receptions for 509 yards and four touchdowns in a Vanderbilt uniform after being a key cog throughout the offense in the last two seasons. His breakout season was in 2020 when he ranked second on the team in touchdowns and points scored while ranking sixth in receiving yards among SEC tight ends. His performance also included a selection on the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
Ray Davis
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Position: Running Back
Class: Senior
Davis spent his first two seasons at Temple, appearing in 16 games before transferring to Vanderbilt at the beginning of head coach Clark Lea’s tenure. He earned PFF First Team Freshman All-America accolades in 2019 after posting a stat line of 271 carries for 1,259 yards and nine touchdowns. The pass-catching back added 27 receptions for 243 yards and two scores as well. Last season, Davis's first at Vanderbilt, he ran for 238 yards before suffering a season-ending injury in week three. The yardage included a 93-yard performance against Colorado State, and he also posted a rushing touchdown versus Stanford.
Julian Hernandez
Hometown: Davie, Florida
Position: Offensive Line
Class: Senior
Hernandez played in all 12 games last season, starting the final 10 at the center position. After rising through the ranks, Hernandez allowed just one sack and two quarterback hits on 713 total snaps. He earned a PFF Pass Block grade over 80 in his games against Ole Miss and UConn, which further solidified his spot on the offensive line. During Hernandez’s sophomore season in 2020, he was part of an offensive line that provided pass protection for the nation’s No. 31 ranked completion percentage at 63.8%.
Defense
BJ Anderson
Hometown: Andalusia, Alabama
Position: Cornerback
Class: Fifth Year
Anderson’s best year statistically was in 2019 when the then-sophomore played in 12 games, including nine starts at cornerback. He registered 25 tackles and two passes defended, but his top performance came against Missouri. Facing the No. 21 Tigers, Anderson recorded a season-high five tackles in an upset victory for the Commodores. He did not see action in 2020, but played in three games last season, making one tackle in each. Anderson will play a more prominent role for the Vanderbilt defense in 2022.
Christian James
Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee
Position: Defensive Line
Class: Senior
James appeared in 18 games throughout the past two seasons, recording 24 total tackles. He tallied at least four tackles in each of the final three games of 2021 and notched his first career tackle for loss against Ole Miss on Oct. 31, 2020. James posted a pair of five tackle performances in 2021 against Kentucky and Tennessee, which were season bests. Outside of football, James enjoys piloting airplanes, and he is double majoring in human and organizational development and economics.
Jaylen Mahoney
Hometown: Rock Hill, South Carolina
Position: Cornerback
Class: Senior
A 12-game starter last season, Mahoney ranked third on the team with 53 total tackles, while his four sacks were good for second on the team. He grabbed two interceptions on the season against Colorado State and Mississippi State, respectively. During the 2020 season, Mahoney ranked 17th in the SEC in tackles per game at 7.1 and posted eight or more tackles five times. He saw action as a true freshman, where he flashed potential with 23 tackles, one interception and one sack in 10 games. Mahoney’s brother, Jordan, plays football for the University of Massachusetts.
Anfernee Orji
Hometown: Rockwall, Texas
Position: Linebacker
Class: Senior
The Commodores' lone All-SEC Preseason Coaches selection, Orji will enter the 2022 season on the watch lists for the Bednarik Award and Butkus Award. He led Vanderbilt with 93 tackles and 13 tackles for loss last season while starting all 12 games. Orji added one sack, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble as well. Throughout his three seasons at Vanderbilt, the linebacker has recorded 165 tackles, showcasing his versatility and dominance for the Commodores. Orji made a team-high 13 tackles at Colorado State, which was the most by a Vanderbilt player in 2021.
Maxwell Worship
Hometown: Coral Springs, Florida
Position: Safety
Class: Fifth Year
Fourth on the team with 52 tackles in 2021, Worship started all 12 games and recorded a season-best nine tackles against eventual national champion Georgia. His impact extended beyond that however as he intercepted passes against UConn and Missouri as well. Worship was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2020 and notched six or more tackles in three contests during the 2020 season. After being one of 12 true freshmen to see action in his first season, Worship has become one of the longest tenured Commodores on the roster.
