Mizzou’s recruiting class for the upcoming football season has gotten quite a bit smaller. Eight of the 25 players Larry Smith signed as recruits have failed to qualify academically. Those eight include some of the top players in the class: quarterback Brandon Blake and fullback Eugene Sweazie are out. Sweazie will attend junior college, Blake will take the qualifying tests again this fall, and try to enroll in January. Blake is the brother of New Orleans Saints quarterback Jeff Blake. Joe Bruce, brother of Rams receiver Isaac Bruce, also failed to qualify. He and cornerback Randy Jackson hope to enroll in January. Most of the players who didn’t qualify plan to attend junior college instead. One, receiver Shirdonya Mitchell of Texas, is a partial qualifier and can practice this fall.
