Missouri Tigers baseball coach passes away

Missouri Tigers pitching coach Brian DeLunas passed away on Monday, the team announced. He had been battling with kidney disease over a prolonged period of time and was 46 years old.

“Words cannot describe how heartbroken we are in the loss of our friend, Brian DeLunas,” head coach Steve Bieser said in a statement. “In the months since his return to Mizzou, he has made an indelible impact on our team through his love of the game and his players along with his inspirational courage off the field. Brian was a tremendous husband, father, brother and coach, and our hearts go out to Johannah, Rory, Maren and the entire DeLunas family as we ask everyone to keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”

DeLunas was announced as the pitching coach for Missouri in June 2021. He had spent the previous three years with the Seattle Mariners, working as the bullpen coach and director of pitching development and strategies.

“DeLunas is survived by his wife, Johannah, son Rory and stepdaughter Maren. His nephew, Austin Cheeley, is currently a pitcher for the Tigers,” Missouri said in their statement.

Missouri Tigers football adds two coaches

The Missouri Tigers have made several key moves to bolster their coaching staff this offseason, and they aren’t done yet.

According to a report from Bruce Feldman on Friday, Mizzou is hiring Texas State offensive coordinator Jacob Peeler as an offensive assistant.

“Peeler has worked with some terrific WRs and is regarded as an excellent recruiter,” Feldman posted on Twitter.

When it comes to the defensive line in 2022, Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz will have two faces in charge of the unit, one old and one new.

The additions were announced last week.

Al Davis joined the Missouri Tigers as a defensive analyst this season and was promoted in October to defensive line coach after the firing of Jethro Franklin. He will stay on and work specifically with the interior defensemen on the line.

The new blood comes in the form of former Indiana defensive line coach Kevin Peoples. Peoples will be tasked with perfecting the edge rushers at Missouri.

“Al Davis and Kevin Peoples are strong coaches and leaders to work with our defensive line,” the Missouri Tigers coach said in a release from the school. “They’re experienced individually but also together with their relationship. We made good progress at the line as the season progressed. Out defensive linemen will learn a lot from Al and Kevin.”