The Tigers’ Tommy Saunders enters the 2008 football season with the same wavy, poofy style of hair that he’s worn the past few seasons. In fact, in the three years since he walked on at MU, not much has changed with Saunders - nothing except that he continues to get better and better.

Saunders has perhaps been the flashiest offensive player through the first few days in camp. Granted the players aren’t in full pads and the drills are fairly scaled back, but when Saunders catches the ball and runs, you don’t have to look at his No. 84 to see who it is.

Saunders’ teammates recently recognized what he means to the team by naming him one of the Tigers’ captains for this season.

“In our program, I don’t care if you’re walking on or you’re a scholarship and you’re All-America . . . we don’t really care,” MU coach Gary Pinkel said. “Tommy Saunders has got a scholarship now and he’s a captain. I think that speaks volumes. If you earn your position, you’re going to move up. Obviously he showed his leadership and his team voted him captain. There’s really no greater honor than your team votes you captain. I think it says wonders about Tommy Saunders. Shoot, I’m going to miss that guy. You talk about missing a guy . . . holy, cow!”

Not so fast . . . Saunders has another season. And after catching 41 passes for 397 yards last season, he’s looking forward to his most productive with the Tigers.

“Everybody’s role is going to have to step up . . . we’re going to have to make more plays,” Saunders said. “But we have a lot of play-makers on this team with Jeremy Maclin, Jared Perry, Chase Coffman, Chase Daniel . . . wherever the offense takes us. You never feel your role on a team until the season starts, but whatever it takes for us to win. If it takes no catches a game, or it takes five catches a game . . . whatever it takes.”

Saunders said that through spring practice and the first few workouts of training camp his chemistry with QB Chase Daniel has developed beyond what it was following the Cotton Bowl.

“You just feel real comfortable with him,” Saunders said. “He knows who runs good drop-out routes, posts, whatever it is. I’m on the same page with him. He’s an excellent passer. You never have any bad passes. We’re getting better everyday.”

Wide receivers coach Andy Hill continues to be amazed by Saunders.

“Amazing is a great word for him,” Hill said. “He is such a responsible, over-do-it type of guy. His work ethic is unmatched. He’s always trying to find a new way to be better. He’s asked me 20 times in the last month, ‘What can I do to be better?’ He means it. Everyday he goes out with a goal for the day. It’s either run the first 5 yards hard, or catch the ball behind his back, or whatever. He has a goal and he’s trying to get it accomplished.”

With Martin Rucker (84 catches, 834 yards) and Will Franklin (49 catches, 709 yards) no longer in Columbia, what will be expected of Saunders?

“I just think he has such an increased role,” Hill said. “Every year he keeps getting better and better. We know he’s a responsible person and certainly when you throw the ball to him, he’s going to catch it and do something with it.”

The Tigers coaches were wearing T-shirts today that read, “It’s all about the ball.” It might have been coincidence, but there were either a lot more fumbles in today’s practice or players were more vocal than they’ve been all week. The entire defense shouted “B-A-L-L” throughout the morning when it was loose.

Winning the turnover margin was a huge help to the Tigers’ successful season in 2007. They gained 33 turnovers (17 interceptions, 16 fumbles) and lost 20 (13 interceptions, seven fumbles), and the plus-13 ranked them 11th in the nation, according to Pinkel. Their goal last year was to be in the top 10, and they have the same goal this year.

“If we were top 5 (in the country), we probably would have been undefeated,” Pinkel said. “Two years ago, we were 20th, and I told the players if you want to win a championship, that stastic will drive us there quicker than any. There’s no statistic that determines the outcome of a game more than turnovers. You can say it’s luck, but I’ve always believed that we have control over it. They know it’s huge and we make it a big deal around here.”

LB Brock Christopher pointed out a few turnovers last year that made a difference in winning or losing.

“You have to say in the Illinois game, Pig Brown’s fumble recovery for a touchdown . . . and his game-winning interception,” Christopher said. “I think Willy Mo’s pick in the end zone against Kansas . . . that was huge, too. They’re all big in their own right, but those two stick out.”

The players did take notice of the shirts today.

“That’s the name of the game,” Christopher said. “In practice, we’re always trying to get the ball out, and the offense is trying to protect it. We get chewed at if we’re not trying to strip the ball.”

The Tigers will be in full pads for the first time Friday, although Pinkel says there won’t be any tackling.

“There’s a process to get there,” Pinkel said. “Pads are exciting. Our pad practices are intense, very physical. I think they’re excited about it. There will be a lot of energy out there . . . the enthusiasm level is good, but it will really crank up now. Everybody wants to win everything. Every drill out there, there’s a winner and a loser. It’ll be fun.”

Pinkel said today there are no updates in the NCAA Clearinghouse cases involving Drew Temple, Aldon Smith and Rolandis Woodland.

- Jeremy Rutherford