COLUMBIA, Mo. • As Missouri prepared for spring practices in 2014, defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski came to Nate Crawford with an offer. Would the redshirt freshman defensive tackle move across the trenches and play on the offensive line?
“I said no at first,” Crawford said. “I wanted to play D-line. I was stubborn.”
Crawford stood his ground — the first requirement of any good offensive lineman.
The coaches couldn’t force Crawford to switch positions, but they didn’t back off either. Offensive coordinator Josh Henson, who recruited Crawford out of Pensacola, Fla., had to rerecruit him to his side of the ball.