MU expects Smith to play against E. Illinois

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri quarterback Brad Smith should be fully recovered from a mild concussion in time to play Saturday in the Tigers' game against Eastern Illinois, the team's physician said.

Smith was held out of the second half of Saturday's 35-7 victory over Ball State with a mild concussion. Before his injury, Smith went 11-of-17 for 112 yards and had 117 yards on 13 carries.

The team physician, Dr. Pat Smith, cleared Smith to take part in Sunday night's practice and the quarterback did not have any problems during that practice. Dr. Smith said if Brad Smith does not suffer any unexpected complications, he should be able to play in Missouri's home opener.

"I err on the cautious side," Dr. Smith said.

Dr. Smith said the short-term memory loss Brad Smith suffered after he was hit on the head during a tackle in Saturday's game "didn't result in him losing consciousness." He said the quarterback suffered some mild confusion and amnesia.

Coach Gary Pinkel confirmed Saturday that Smith and linebacker Brandon Barnes had mild concussions and that cornerback Terrance Curry had a slight hamstring pull.

"That's the last information you'll get out of me on any kind of injuries," Pinkel said.

Former MU football player gets probation

Former Missouri defensive end Nick Tarpoff was sentenced Monday to five years probation and ordered not to own firearms after pleading guilty to felony possession of an illegal weapon.

He also got court permission to move to Texas, where he plans to resume his college football career.

Police found an illegal sawed-off shotgun in Tarpoff's house in February after he reported being shot by an intruder -- a story Tarpoff recanted a day later, when he acknowledged he shot himself in the arm.

"Mr. Tarpoff, this case is kind of an example of how easy it is when you start to weave a spider web of lies," Boone County Circuit Judge Gene Hamilton said after sentencing Tarpoff, 21, who was kicked off the football team after pleading guilty July 9.

Tarpoff had rejected earlier plea bargains offering 90 days in jail plus probation in exchange for guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges of filing a false police report and transferring a concealable firearm without a permit.

The felony charge could have carried a penalty of up to seven years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000.

Acknowledging Tarpoff had no prior offenses, Hamilton sentenced him to five years of supervised probation and ordered him to pay court fees plus restitution of just over $1,000 for the cost of investigating his phony police report.

-- From wire reports