Jackson alum Connor Tollison reflects on successful season with Mizzou

Nearly every football fan in the region is familiar with the name Connor Tollison.

Tollison, a Jackson graduate and a member of the 2020 state championship Indians, is now starting at center for the Missouri Tigers.

When looking back at the state championship win with the Indians, Tollison recalls the bond he shared with his teammates.

“What stands out most is the brotherhood and friendships we had on the team,” Tollison said. “We grew up together so we were about as close as we could have been.”

The winning pedigree Tollison developed at Jackson has carried on to his time at Mizzou as Tollison helped lead the Tigers to an 11-2 season and a Cotton Bowl victory over Ohio State.

For Tollison, playing in the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State and at AT&T Stadium in Arlington made it one of his favorite games of all time.

“Playing in an environment like that against a team with the brand like that and with the atmosphere we created, it was an all time game for me,” Tollison said on a recent appearance on the SEMO Scramble.

Coming in to the 2023 campaign, Tollison said the Tigers felt they had something to prove.

“We had been doubted all offseason,” Tollison said. “Nobody was talking about us, which doesn’t matter because we fuel from the inside anyways, but just knowing what we were capable of we were just proud of ourselves and proud of each other because we knew we could accomplish this.”

Tollison spent the entirety of his career at Jackson playing left tackle, but the Tigers had other plans for him and he is now at center.

“It hasn’t been easy,” Tollison said. “I never snapped in high school. This is only my second year playing center now but I enjoy it a lot.”

Switching to center has made Tollison fall in love with the game of football again.

“It’s made the game a lot more fun again,” Tollison said. “Getting to almost relearn the game of football has been fun.”

With some big additions via the transfer portal and recruiting, all eyes are on the Tigers in 2024, especially with the playoff expanding to 12 teams.

“Our expectations are just to continue to improve,” Tollison said. “The standard has been set and it’s only going to go up. Improvement is the number one goal.”

In terms of personal goals, Tollison has considered playing at the next level, but with two-years of eligibility remaining, his focus is on the Tigers.

“One day that would always be the goal,” Tollison said. “Just to play football as long as the game lets you. I wouldn’t say my time right now is spent on focusing on making it to the next level. We’re just trying to take Mizzou as far as we can.”

Tollison and the Tigers are set to begin the 2024 season on Aug. 31 against Murray State at Faurot Field.