Indoor practices keep Tigers on their toes

Thursday, August 7, 2014 | 9:38 p.m. CDT; updated 10:58 p.m. CDT, Thursday, August 7, 2014

COLUMBIA Missouri freshman wide receiver Lawrence Lee streaked toward the end zone. Overhead, the football floated under the lights.

Lee made a quick adjustment with his body and reached out his hands. The ball grazed his fingertips and bounced on the turf, tumbling toward the end zone.

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Lee pursued the pigskin, scooping it up and veering off his route at the last second saving himself and the ball from careening into the offensive linemen who were practicing blocking drills in the Devine Practice Facility end zone.

On Thursday, rain forced the Tigers' practice indoors. In the tighter confines, players had to maintain spatial awareness. As Missouri assistant coaches explained, safety is a concern in such close quarters. Quarterbacks can't throw the ball deep as often. And receivers must adjust to the lighting and the fact that offensive linemen are tussling in the end zone.

The indoor facility houses a 90-yard field with a single true end zone including a goalpost at one end.

It's apparent the loss of space can create some hazards.

Aside from Lee's close call with the offensive linemen, there were two other near collisions during the first 45 minutes of practice. On one occasion, redshirt freshman Eddie Serrano fell over fellow defensive lineman A.J. Logan during a defensive pass-catching drill. Logan, a Rock Bridge graduate and also a redshirt freshman, was retrieving a football when Serra back-pedaled into him.

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Indoor practices keep Tigers on their toes