Missouri State Bears' Off-Season Program (Season 1)

Larkdight Studios Missouri State Bears' Program Rebuild (Season 1) August 31, 2025 9:00AM CST

The Missouri State Bears enter the Off-Season Program in very high spirits, despite finishing the season on a loss. Together, under new Head Coach Mitchell Franconia, the Bears had their best season ever that nearly seen them getting a huge upset win over the Penn State Nittany Lions in the opening round of the 2025 College Football Playoffs. This season was a great foundation-building season that will hopefully set this program up for many, many years to come. So, without any further ado, let's get into HC Franconia's 2026 Off-Season Program!

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DEPARTURES (-37)

NFL DRAFT (-2)

ED Davon Townley Jr (Sr)

S Gregory Alexis (Sr)

GRADUATION (-19)

QB Jacob Clark (Sr)

RB Shomari Lawrence (Sr)

WR James BlackStrain (Sr)

TE Gavin Kahler (Sr)

TE Gary Clinton (Sr)

T Cristian Loaiza (Sr)

G Hutson Lillibridge (Sr)

G Justin Curtis (Sr)

DT Sterling Smithson (Sr)

ED Ryan Williams (Sr)

ED Caleb Dietlin (Sr)

LB Jalen Brooks (Sr)

LB Kanye Young (Sr)

LB Eunique Valentine (Sr)

CB Thomas Anderson (Sr)

CB Dylan Simmons (Sr)

S Keaton Renfro (Sr)

S Khalil Anderson (Sr)

S JJ O’Neal (Sr)

TRANSFER PORTAL (-16)

QB Cole Feuerbacher (So) (Playing Time)

QB Elijah Leonard (Fr) (Playing Time)

RB Damien Drake (Jr) (Playing Time)

RB Ramone Green Jr (Jr) (Conference Prestige)

FB Cade Townsend (Fr) (Playing Time)

WR Ronnel Johnson (Sr) (Playing Time)

WR Zeus Lloyd (Jr) (Playing Time)

WR Sean Reese (Jr) (Play Style)

WR Ryan Boyd (So) (Playing Time)

WR Juan Nixon Jr (Fr) (Playing Time)

T Brayden Thompson (Fr) (Play Style)

G Ben Liedtke (So) (Conference Prestige)

G Brandon Ventross (So) (Brand Exposure)

ED Caiden West (Sr) (Playing Time)

CB Quavez Demps (So) (Playing Time)

S Tanner Turner (Jr) (Pro Potential)

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ADDITIONS (+32)

IN-SEASON COMMITMENTS (+16)

QB Legend Ekuale, 3*

QB Devon Miranda, 2*

QB Jeremy Warrior, 1*

WR Jamichael Harris, 3*

WR Antoine Yancey, 3*

WR Kendall Coat, 1*

T Shakim Starr, 2*

DT Darrel Kendricks, 3*

ED Rico Dugans, 3*

ED Mohammed Ozigbo, 3*

ED Manny Camp, 3*

ED Cordell Trapp, 3*

LB Shakir Mare, 2*

S Major Korsak, 3*

S Devante Waddy, 3*

ATH Courland Merchant, 3*

LATE COMMITMENTS (+6)

WR Dewayne Matthews, 2*

T JJ Lefotu, 2*

G Denario Addington, 2*

C Tyree Sails, 2*

CB Shawn Kaddu, 3*

ATH Tevin Bayer, 3*

TRANSFER PORTAL (+10)

QB Malachi Nelson (So) (UTEP)

RB Parker Jennings (Jr) (East Carolina)

RB Cam Wallace (So) (Penn State)

WR Vandrevius Jacobs (So) (South Carolina)

TE Var’Keyes Gumms (Jr) (UNLV)

C Carter Miller (Jr) (UCF)

DT Ansel Din-Mbuh (Jr) (TCU)

DT Jourdin Crawford (Fr) (Auburn)

LB Davhon Keys (So) (LSU)

S Koi Perich (So) (Minnesota)

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COMPLETE LIST OF SEASON 2 (2026) COMMITMENTS (57TH OVR CLASS) (1ST C-USA)

QB Malachi Nelson, 3*

QB Legend Ekuale, 3*

QB Devon Miranda, 2*

QB Jeremy Warrior, 1*

RB Parker Jennings, 3*

RB Cam Wallace, 3*

WR Vandrevius Jacobs, 3*

WR Jamichael Harris, 3*

WR Antoine Yancey, 3*

WR Kendall Coat, 1*

TE Var’Keyes Gumms, 3*

T Shakim Starr, 2*

T JJ Lefotu, 2*

G Denario Addington, 2*

C Carter Miller, 3*

C Tyree Sails, 2*

DT Ansel Din-Mbuh, 3*

DT Jourdin Crawford, 3*

DT Darrel Kendricks, 3*

ED Rico Dugans, 3*

ED Mohammed Ozigbo, 3*

ED Manny Camp, 3*

ED Cordell Trapp, 3*

LB Davhon Keys, 3*

LB Shakir Mare, 2*

CB Shawn Kaddu, 3*

S Koi Perich, 4*

S Major Korsak, 3*

S Devante Waddy, 3*

K Yousef Obeid, 1*

ATH Courland Merchant, 3*

ATH Tevin Bayer, 3*

4* - 1x

3* - 22x

2* - 7x

1* - 3x

Total – 182.55 PTS

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LEAGUE-WIDE TRANSFERS OF NOTE (NEW!!)

QUARTERBACKS

• Noah Fifita (Arizona to Clemson)

• Rocco Becht (Iowa State to Alabama)

• Alonza Barrett III (James Madison to North Carolina)

• Fernando Mendoza (Indiana to Miami)

• Devon Dampier (Utah to Texas)

• Marcel Reed (Texas A&M to LSU)

• Maddux Madsen (Boise State to Pitt)

• Tavien St. Clair (Ohio State to Boston College)

• Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati to Auburn)

• Connor Weigman (Houston to Arizona State)

• Maalik Murphy (Oregon State to LSU)

• Jaylen Raynor (Arkansas State to Clemson)

• Ashton Daniels (Auburn to Alabama)

• Air Noland (South Carolina to Michigan)

• Keyone Jenkins (FIU to UConn)

• Malachi Nelson (UTEP to Missouri State)

RUNNINGBACKS

• Isaac Brown (Louisville to Georgia)

• Jaheim White (West Virginia to Ohio State)

• Jadarian Price (Notre Dame to Texas)

• Cam Wallace (Penn State to Missouri State)

• Parker Jennings (East Carolina to Missouri State)

WIDE RECEIVERS

• Cam Coleman (Auburn to Oregon)

• Denzel Boston (Washington to Oregon)

• Isaiah Horton (Alabama to Oregon)

• Nyziah Hunter (Nebraska to Oregon)

• Kevin Concepcion (Texas A&M to Tennessee)

• Kam Shanks (Arkansas to Alabama)

• Ray Ray Joseph (Miami to Alabama)

• Vandrevius Jacobs (South Carolina to Missouri State)

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

• Jordan Seaton (Colorado to Penn State)

• Carter Smith (Notre Dame to Indiana)

• Brady Small (Army to Pitt)

• Carter Miller (UCF to Missouri State)

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

• Keldric Faulk (Auburn to LSU)

• Colin Simmons (Texas to Texas Tech)

• Jayden Virgin-Morgan (Boise State to Arizona State)

• Adepoju Adebawore (Oklahoma to Colorado)

• Samuel Okunlola (Colorado to Duke)

• Dashawn Womack (Ole Miss to Oklahoma)

LINEBACKERS

• Whit Weeks (LSU to Alabama)

• Harrison Taggart (Cal to Oregon)

• Taariq Al-Uqdah (Washington to Oregon)

• Davhon Keys (LSU to Missouri State)

CORNERBACKS

• Jeremiah Wilson (Florida State to Kansas State)

• Eli Bowen (Oklahoma to Alabama)

• DJ McKinney (Colorado to Texas A&M)

• Christian Gray (Notre Dame to Kansas State)

• DJ Pickett (LSU to Baylor)

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ADDITIONAL NEWS

• HC Mitchell Francolia has turned down offers from Ole Miss (HC), Notre Dame (OC), Oklahoma State (OC), West Virginia (OC), Washington (DC), Cal (HC), Louisiana (HC), Virginia (HC), Northern Illinois (HC), Toledo (HC), Akron (HC), and Arkansas State (HC) to remain the Head Coach of Missouri State

• Missouri State will not extend Offensive Coordinator Nick Petrino’s contract, due to the offensive struggles the Bears had despite finishing with a perfect regular season. HC Francolia believed that the Bears’ offense was capable of much more, while also wanting to change up the scheme moving forward. OC Petrino will coach until the end of the season, while the Bears’ search for the right offensive coordinator begins. (Update – the Bears have hired Troy’s HC Gerad Parker to be the new Offensive Coordinator; he runs a Power Spread scheme and is a Strategist with C- Prestige)

• Missouri State has signed Defensive Coordinator LD Scott to a five-year extension for helping lead the Bears to the #1 defense in the nation. DC Scott’s defensive scheme and leadership were pivotal in getting the most out of Senior DE Davon Townley Jr, Junior DE DJ Wesolak, and Junior DT Heath Smith. Together, the three of them finished the regular season with a combined 109 tackles, 65 tackles for loss, 36 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries. A very impressive stat line for a team many weren’t sure could hang with Division 1 talent. Somehow they all got snubbed and weren’t in the running for any of the defensive awards this year.

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PROGRAM REBUILD GOAL UPDATE (6/10, 60%)

• Have at least 2 winning seasons (1/2) (S1 13-1)

• Out-recruit in-state rival Missouri (0/1)

• Beat/Upset Missouri once (1/1) (S1 def MIZ 31-28)

• Win a College Football award (2/1) (S1 Bear Bryant + Broyles)

• Be in consideration for Coach of the Year (1/1) (S1 Bear Bryant)

• Qualify for a bowl game (1/1) (S1 13-0)

• Recruit a top 25 class (0/1) (S1 57^th)

• Land at least 1 5* recruit (0/1)

• Have at least 1 player drafted (2/1) (S1 ED Townley Jr + S Alexis)

• Finish a single season ranked in the AP Polls (1/1) (S1 #12)