SPRINGFIELD — Long passes and big hits filled Plaster Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 15.
Missouri State hosted a full speed scrimmage with many players showcasing their talents, though other areas need improvement before the first game of the season.
Here are some takeaways from the Bears' scrimmage.
Skyler Locklear takes majority of quarterback snaps
Skyler Locklear is one of two quarterbacks competing for the starting job. Locklear is a fifth-year senior transfer from UTEP.
He played the most snaps and played primarily with the No. 1 roster against the No. 1 defense for Missouri State throughout the scrimmage.
Across the practice, Locklear went 13-for-21 passing. The scrimmage included drives starting inside his own 5-yard line, 25-yard line, red zone, along with two-minute offensive drills.
State football: Running back Ramone Green Jr. eyes big year
During the two-minute offense, Locklear threw a perfectly placed ball on the sidelines for a 30-yard gain to wide receiver Mekhi Miller.
Locklear’s other big play was a 55-yard pass to star wideout Jmariyae Robinson, whose feet did most of the yardage gain. But Locklear's on-time delivery was key.
“I think our guys rally around him and believe in him,” Woods said. “You can see why he’s been a starter in certain times and he’s won some games.”
While Locklear did have some big plays, he struggled with consistency. When the ball was set inside the two-yard line, Missouri State rarely earned a first down. The Bears defense was on the mark.
“He’s still a little careless with the ball,” Woods said. “He can be impatient in the pocket on occasion, but we move the ball when he is in the game.”
Injuries to key players affect scrimmage
Henry Belin IV is the other quarterback competing with Locklear for the starting role.
Belin is a fifth-year transfer from Duke and played a majority of the scrimmage with the second unit.
Unofficially, Belin went 3-for-6 across the scrimmage. He did not play the final 45 minutes of the event, which included red zone and two-minute offense drills.
“Henry has been battling a little bit of shoulder soreness,” Woods said. “We need to see where that is at. What does that look like in the short term future, long term future. That will impact our decision.”
Another key absence during the scrimmage was running back Breezy Dubar. The Boise State transfer has been at the top of the depth chart throughout camp. In his place, Nixa native Ramone Green Jr. played alongside Locklear.
“He (Dubar) has been nursing some soreness and some things,” Woods said. “We wanted to make sure that we were taking care of him.”
Special teams success highlighted by Yousef Obeid
During the second half of the scrimmage, Missouri State’s defense was humming. Deflections and tackles for loss were commonplace, with players like linebacker Jared Lloyd and Iowa State defensive end transfer Markell Chapman making an impact.
Thanks to the defensive stops, special teams were utilized often. Starting kicker Yusef Obeid was on the mark throughout.
He hit field goals of 41 and 44 yards with ease. During the two-minute drill, Obeid nailed a 57-yard field goal to give the offense the win.
Obeid was unable to go perfect throughout the scrimmage. Logan-Rogersville’s J.J. O’Neal was able to fight through the line and block one of the kicks.
Michael Osei-Bonsu’s early role with the team
Fan favorite Michael Osei-Bonsu took another step forward in his football career. The basketball star-turned-first-year football player made an impact as a third-team defensive end.
He was also a starter during field goals, playing as the team’s right tackle.
“We have a developmental plan all the way through November,” Woods said. “Guys like Mike Osei-Bonsu, not ready to be an every down player right now. But, he very well could be in a month and a half.”
Liam Keating covers high school sports and Missouri State athletics for The Springfield News-Leader. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Inside Missouri State football's fall camp scrimmage
