Staff photo by Mike Buhler University of Missouri and Hayti native William Moore (left), Mizzou radio personality Gary Link and Caruthersville native Jimmy Jackson field questions during a luncheon at the Kennett Country Club Tuesday afternoon. [Click to enlarge]

With the vast majority of their starters coming back from a 12-2 team that ended last season ranked fourth in the nation, it would be understandable if the Missouri Tigers were feeling the pressure of national title expectations.

But that is not the case, not if Tuesday means anything.

Tigers' football players William Moore and Jimmy Jackson were joined by offensive coordinator Dave Christensen, former coach John Cadillac and athletics director Mike Alden and several others in a midday luncheon at the Kennett Country Club.

Coming off its most successful season in half a century and with almost every key player returning, the Tigers could be right in the thick of the national title race this fall.

So, is the pressure of pursuing a national title there this season? Not according to Moore, who added that this year's team motto is sacrifice.

"The whole senior group gets together each year and comes up with a motto for the team (for that year)," Moore said. We picked sacrifice because we told each teammate to sacrifice more than you did last year."

Not only is the team not letting the pressure get to it, the Tigers aren't even looking past the season opener against Illinois.

"We don't like to look ahead," said Moore. "We like to take it one game at a time. Coach Pinkel does a good job of preaching that. We celebrate a win for one day afterwards them start focusing on the next game."

Sounds like the mindset of a champion to me. If fans thought 2007 was a year to remember, this season might be a dream come true for the black and gold.

The Tigers also host Southeast Missouri State on September 6 -- the first of three straight home games -- and also has Big 12 Conference home games against Oklahoma State (October 11), Colorado (October 25) and Kansas State (November 8), a game which will also feature former Hayti lineman William Cooper, who signed with Kansas State in February.

Mizzou wraps up the regular season November 29 against archrival Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Several former Mizzou alumni were in attendance at the event, as were several members of the Kennett High School football team and KHS coach Kirk Welch, who coached Moore when the latter was a senior in high school in 2004.

Earlier in the day, Moore and Jackson traveled and spoke at the high schools in Hayti and Caruthersville, which are the alma maters of Moore and Jackson, respectively.

One thing is certain: it will be interesting.

Speaking of football: It's hard to believe, but the start of high school football is closing in on us.

The Kennett Indians kick off the season August 29 at Charleston, but the Tribe's kickoff event -- the Powerade/soap game -- is less than two months away.

Like the Tigers, expectations are running high ahead of the season. Kennett recorded its first winning season since 2000 last year and returns several starters, including standout quarterback Blake Parr.

The senior signal-caller has been receiving attention from several schools, including some Division I Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) teams. Parr, who has packed on approximately 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason, threw for over 1,300 yards last season and was intercepted just three times in 165 attempts.

Mike Buhler is the sports editor of the Daily Dunklin Democrat. Contact him at mbuhler@dddnews.com