Center Tim Barnes and nose tackle Jaron Baston show up back-to-back on Missouri’s alphabetical roster, but they were nose-to-nose yesterday. When 600 pounds of linemen collided in a 1-on-1 pass-rush drill - or pass-block drill from Barnes’ perspective - the center won this particular battle. With Baston blasting through the pocket, Barnes stood his ground, countered a quick spin move and drove the defender away from the target, a curled up towel representing the quarterback.

Barnes	Baston

If their names aren’t familiar just yet, give them time. Like a few months.

For now, Barnes and Baston back up two of the most experienced and decorated seniors on Missouri’s roster, center Adam Spieker and nose tackle Lorenzo Williams, both of whom earned first-team All-Big 12 honors this season. After No. 7 Missouri (11-2) plays No. 25 Arkansas (8-4) in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day, Barnes and Baston figure to be next in line.

"It’s going to be tough, but I’ve had the best to learn from," Barnes said of Spieker, who will extend his school record for consecutive starts when he makes his 50th against Arkansas. "He’s taught me a lot and looked after me. I feel like with just a little more practice, I should be fine. I’m looking forward to the challenge."

The same goes for Baston, who has nearly split playing time with his mentor, Williams, since midway through the season. Typically, defensive linemen rotate throughout the course of a game, unlike their counterparts on the offensive line. Baston, a 6-foot-1, 295-pound sophomore from Blue Springs, has played in all 13 games and made 12 tackles.

When the season began, Baston said he saw the field two plays for every four Williams played. Now, he said, they’re splitting snaps evenly. Should Baston earn the No. 1 nose tackle job next season, barring some unforeseen defections, he should be the only new starter among Missouri’s front seven.

"I’m already thinking about what I want to do for next year," he said. "I’m much more confident playing against teams like Oklahoma. I felt like I did a good job against top competition like that. I just feel like next year I’ll have all that confidence and let it all unleash."

"Just make sure you mention that I taught you everything you know," Williams chirped from nearby.

Spieker’s protégé will have less game experience should he win the job next year. At 6-4 and 305 pounds, Barnes has the size and strength to handle the position. It’s only experience he’s lacking, and that’s why the last four practices have been so valuable. Missouri’s starting offensive linemen have watched from the sideline as backups such as Barnes have taken nearly 90 percent of the reps. When practice resumes tomorrow, MU will focus more on preparing for Arkansas’ personnel and schemes, but the last four days were spent developing depth and giving offensive coordinator Dave Christensen a chance to evaluate freshman linemen such as tackle Elvis Fisher and guard Jayson Palmgren, who spent the regular season working on the scout team.

"That’s what’s so great about playing in a bowl game," Christensen said, "because if you’re not, you’re waiting until spring ball to figure out if these guys can actually play."

In Barnes’ case, Christensen has no doubt.

"He’s played some this year, and he’s continued to work on his consistency with the snap, which is always crucial when you’re in the shotgun," Christensen said. "Adam had to shotgun snap over 1,000 times this year. You’ve got to get the consistency of doing that, and Tim’s worked hard at that. He’s getting better."

Barnes works with Spieker and freshman center J.T. Beasley on shotgun snaps before and after every practice, especially if he has an errant one like he did during yesterday’s workout in the Devine Pavilion.

"I just work on it enough to where I don’t need to worry about it," Barnes said. "It’s just one of those things that needs to become second nature. It’s not the most fun thing to do, but somebody’s got to do it."

Should Barnes become the No. 1 center next season, he’ll become just the fourth to start the position for Missouri in more than a decade, following Rob Riti (1997-99), A.J. Ricker (2000-03) and Spieker (2004-07), each of whom earned first-team all-conference honors - consensus All-American honors in Riti’s case.

In the seven years Gary Pinkel and Christensen have been at Missouri, only two centers have started a game, Ricker and Spieker.

"That’s one position to have on the offensive line that you don’t want to change up a bunch," Christensen said. "The consistency of the snap is so crucial that having a guy come in and be able to do that year after year is a huge benefit for us."

"I just hope I can keep it going," Barnes said. "I’ve been behind a lot of great names, Adam especially. To be behind him and then to try and fill his shoes, it’s a special opportunity."

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