COLUMBIA, MO. • Rickey Hatley was shocked. As Missouri players reported for preseason camp Wednesday, they learned two core players were no longer with the team. First-year coach Barry Odom dismissed defensive end Walter Brady for breaking team rules and defensive tackle Harold Brantley for academic reasons.
“Man, that hurt,” said Hatley, MU’s senior defensive tackle, after Thursday’s practice. “Especially Harold. He came in with me. It was like losing another classmate. We worked all this summer. We know he had that big injury. He was working hard. He (gave us) vocal leadership. Losing him, we’ve got to pick it up another notch.