Take a look at the accolades: 2013 SEC East Champions, 2013 Cotton Bowl Champions, and six NFL draft picks in the last 2 years, just to name a few.
For the University of Missouri football team, the formula for success starts well before the playbook, routes, or rushing yards; it starts in the cafeteria. I sat down with players from the Mizzou Football team and had them take me through their daily diet.
Mizzou Nutritional Structure
For 5’10’’, 180 pound starting defensive back, sophomore Aarion Penton, it’s all about strength and speed. Although he had 16 tackles in 14 games last season as a freshman, Penton, like his teammates, also keeps track of his calories.
“For breakfast, it’s eggs, omelets, and chicken sandwiches, stuff like that. But during the fall, for lunch they have baked chicken, baked fish, steak, and stir-fry. They really want to make sure you get the right amount of protein, fruits and vegetables.”
Without eating, Penton said he feels “totally different and sluggish.”
“Eating something healthy and getting enough fuel really makes the difference,” Penton said.
Team nutritionist Ted Katz and the rest of the athletic staff stress the importance of proper nutrition. MU has a nutrition plan set up for each player.
“If they’re performing on an empty stomach, they’re going to fatigue faster, they’re not going to be able to go as long,” Katz said. “If they’re coming in on an empty stomach, they might be burning skeletal muscle as a fuel source.”
That oversight has helped Penton make the transition from high school to college.
“Having everyone here at Mizzou, it’s really helped me become a better athlete and I’m using everything they’re telling me just to become the best player I can; and it’s working so far,” Penton said.
Something consistently stressed in all sports, but heavily on the Mizzou football team, is hydration.
“After a hard practice, hard training, or hard game where you’re sweating a lot, using lots of electrolytes, Gatorade is perfect for replenishing.”
Penton went deeper into the extensive health program that is in effect at Mizzou. He showed me the program’s DXA (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) machine; an advanced form of x-ray technology that measures muscle mass, body fat percentage, and other dynamics.
“I came in my freshman season weighing 175, and I actually gained 10 pounds of muscle so now I’m at 185-186, and also lost body fat,” explained Penton. “I’ve been eating healthy, watching what I eat, not a lot of fast foods. I’m losing body fat, while gaining muscle mass so it’s really great!”
Gary Pinkel’s top commit from 2013, defensive tackle Josh Augusta, might surprise you with his daily intake.
“It’s really important for me, because I’m big,” laughed the 6’4’’, 335-pound tackle. “What I eat is grilled chicken and vegetables – that’s all I eat.”
Many would think a player of Augusta’s size could eat anything he wants and get by, but that’s hardly the case for the sophomore, who appeared in all 14 games last season as a true freshman.
For me, I’m not really a morning eater, so I just make sure I get something in my system like a bagel or a fruit bar or something,” Augusta said.
Augusta explained hydration as the “single most important thing” for he and his teammates, explaining the fear every athlete has of tearing a muscle, taking them out of the lineup. Augusta also explained how the training staff presses them on hydration to prevent muscle injuries.
Like Augusta, 315-pound center Evan Boehm needs a lot of calories and knows he needs to eat well to perform well.
“You can tell the days when you weren’t eating right or enough; you definitely feel more sluggish, tired,” Boehm said. “But the days you do, you perform well.”
Boehm eats balanced meals at both breakfast and lunch, focusing on protein, and gets a boost just before practice.
“Normally, I grab a protein bar or shake before practice just to give me the energy and carb-load before I go out there and have that long practice,” Boehm said.
The person Boehm bodyguards, quarterback Maty Mauk, obviously can’t eat the same way as the players who protect him. Mauk, a 2014 Heisman watch-list player, described a diet different than other players solely because of his position.
“I think quarterback is a little different than everyone else because you have to be out there really thinking but you don’t necessarily need the energy that these guys require while they’re out there running routes and running around,” explained the 6’0’’ 200 lb Ohio native.
“Before practice, I always put something in my body,” said Mauk. “Whether it’s just a granola bar or pack of peanuts, I always try to get something.”
“I think it definitely affects you, there’s been times where I haven’t eaten anything and went out to practice and it seems like I’m slacking off but I’m just not all the way there because my body needs something in my stomach. When you don’t, you can start to lose focus and distractions can occur.”
Mauk explained that his pregame diet consists of a carb-filled breakfast with fruit followed by a chicken breast, baked potato, green beans, corn, and a salad. He also expounded on the staff’s efforts to continually improve the meals for players.
“It makes us want to eat, and they’re always pushing us to try and get a meal or just something in our stomach(s),” Mauk said.
“Post game is where I fall down in the category,” shyly admitted a smiling Mauk. “I try and eat right but after the game I usually get something like Chipotle that will actually fill me up because it helps me recover quicker.”
In addition, for Mauk’s recovery, it’s protein shakes. He explained that he stays away from the sugar-filled drinks in an attempt to keep unnecessary weight off.
“For me, and it’s safe to say for the entire team, it’s about getting in the best shape possible and elevating my game to the highest level.”
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on twitter @Jhumms8. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
For the latest sports injury news, check out our friends at sports injury alert.
Football fans… check out our two partnered NFL podcasts – Thursday Night Tailgate Radio and Overtime Ireland. Both shows bring you interesting commentary, critical analysis and fantastic guests including former and current NFL players, coaches and personalities.
