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Mizzou's Connor Tollison Named to Rimington Trophy Watch List: The Buzz

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Brady Shanahan|
Oct 12, 2024; Amherst, Massachusetts, USA; Missouri Tigers offensive lineman Connor Tollison (55) snaps the ball during the first half against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2024; Amherst, Massachusetts, USA; Missouri Tigers offensive lineman Connor Tollison (55) snaps the ball during the first half against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

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Missouri Tigers

With questions remaining as to who will fill out the front line for the Missouri Tigers offense, Connor Tollison's place in the middle is for certain. The senior center has been a cornerstone of the Mizzou offensive line for years now. Entering his final year of eligibility, Tollison's presence is recognized on the national scale. Now named to the Rimington Trophy watch list, Tollison is included in the short conversation of top centers at the collegiate level.

Tollison began his stint with the Tigers in 2021 and later took on a starting role in 2022 — a role he holds to this day. He made 35 consecutive starts before suffering a season-ending knee injury near the end of his 2024-2025 season. Tollison brings three years as a starter and 2,356 snaps worth of experience to the table as the Tigers will field a significantly different unit from his last time around.

The Rimington Trophy is awarded to the Nation's top center, and Tollison's name feels appropriate on the watch list. His veteran presence, paired with his talent, makes him one of the top linemen in the country that few teams have the luxury of. However, it remains to be seen if Tollison will return to his pre-injury form.

With his final campaign as a Tiger fastly approaching, Tollison is tasked with leading Mizzou in the trenches. With Brady Cook off to the NFL with the New York Jets and the running back duo of Marcus Carroll and Nate Noel graduated, Tollison has a new crop of Tigers to protect. His ability to bounce back from injury will be integral to Mizzou's success this season. He will take the field with the Tigers for the first time since his injury on Nov. 9 against Oklahoma when Missouri kicks off its season versus Central Arkansas on Aug. 28 in Columbia.

Did you notice?

  • Former Mizzou running back Nate Noel has been added to the Indianapolis Colts roster. He was recently waived by the Miami Dolphins.
  • Mizzou basketball standout Sean East III has continued to shine at the next level. He recently became just the third player in Canadian Elite Basketball League history to reach 500 points scored in a single season.
  • Assistant men's basketball coach Dickey Nutt has been named as one of the latest inductees into the Arknsas Stateathletics Hall of Fame.

Countdown to Mizzou Football's 2025 Football Season Opener:

19 days.

Mizzou Quote of the Day:

“When you become the teacher, you learn even more. When you can teach an offense, that means you know an offense that much better. If you can teach a player how to prepare week in and week out and what needs to get covered and how this offense from KC is run, there was a lot more on my plate, which was awesome because it made me better at my job.”
Chase Daniel

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Brady Shanahan
BRADY SHANAHAN

Brady Shanahan is a journalism student at the University of Missouri, and covers baseball and softball for Missouri Tigers On SI. He's from the St. Louis area and has contributed to The Maneater student newspaper, Columbia Missourian, KOMU 8, and KCOU as a beat reporter.

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