A rocky offseason in Columbia has only gotten rockier for the Missouri Tigers.
The same day backup quarterback Corbin Berkstresser became the second Tiger quarterback arrested this year, a Mizzou spokesman confirmed to the Columbia Daily-Tribune that junior safety Tavon Bolden has been dismissed from the team for a second time, this time permanently. Bolden missed the 2011 season after being booted for "undiclosed academic reasons" but returned to the team before their Independence Bowl win over North Carolina.
"Academic and disciplinary" issues led to Bolden's latest dismissal, a source told the Tribune.
Despite his previous off-field troubles and lost 2011 season, Bolden had been expected to play a substantial role in the 2012 Tiger secondary. A talented athlete, Bolden collected 14 tackles in regular time as a freshman in 2010, and after a productive spring had been slotted in as the second-string strong safety and a "starter" in the Tiger nickel package.
"From a size-speed-athletic standpoint, he’s a guy who possesses a lot of tools and has the ability to throw his body around and be physical, too, which is obviously huge at the safety position," safeties coach Alex Grinch said of Bolden just last month.
The good news for Mizzou is that they return three safeties with starting experience in Matt Whire, Braylon Webb, and Kenronte Walker, and one of the better pairs of cover corners in the SEC in Kip Edwards and E.J. Gaines; Bolden or no Bolden, the secondary should remain one of the strengths of the team. But it's easy to say that in May--come Week 10 or 11 of a grinding SEC schedule when depth becomes all the more paramount, Bolden's inability to stay in Gary Pinkel's good graces could cost his team substantially.
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