A friendlier, more well-mannered player has probably never pulled on a Missouri jersey, but the Tigers quickly learned last year that quarterback James Franklin isn’t Mr. Rogers all the time.
In a Week 2 game at Arizona State, Franklin lugged the ball 27 times, taking shot after shot from the Sun Devils’ aggressive defense. He dropped back to pass 42 times. The Tigers lost in overtime but discovered their new fearless leader.
A month later at Texas A&M, after the Tigers lost three of four games, Franklin’s statement-making 20-yard touchdown scramble on the game’s opening possession — he took out four defenders, including a 260-pound linebacker — left teammates in awe.
It wasn’t a perfect season for the first-year starter, but no one will ever question the toughness that hid behind Franklin’s cheery demeanor.
But will the unforgiving defenses in the SEC rattle the junior quarterback?
He’ll have to get back on the field first. Franklin suffered a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder March 13 while trying to retrieve his own fumble near the goal line during a live practice drill. He underwent surgery 10 days later and missed the rest of spring practices.
The team’s medical staff expects him back for the start of the season.
“He’s a pretty special guy,” Gary Pinkel said. “He’ll heal quick. He works tremendously hard in that training room. … And so much of it is having a great attitude.”
Said Franklin after the team’s Black and Gold Game on April 14: “I want to be out there. I want to be getting better, because I know I had a lot I wanted to work on from last season going into this year.”
Franklin, who completed 63.3 percent of his passes, surpassed the coaches’ expectations as a downfield thrower, completing twice as many 30-yard passes (20) than first-round NFL draft pick Blaine Gabbert completed in 2010 (10).
Franklin watched as backup Corbin Berkstresser ran the No. 1 offense for most of the spring and was expected to do the same during the team’s voluntary passing sessions throughout June.
But offensive coordinator David Yost didn’t expect Franklin’s layoff to set him back heading into the fall. His knowledge of the Tigers’ spread offense and recognition of defenses has improved significantly since the start of last season, Yost said.
“He’s very advanced now, and he sees it all,” Yost said. “He can still grow and become a better quarterback after going through this.”