Landed on many of the pre-season all-America teams in 1999 and should occupy
a prominant spot on those units at the end of the season, too ... has
reigned as one of the best in the Big 12 Conference for the last two seasons
and will be a key man for Mizzou this season as the only returning offensive
line starter surrounded by a cast of newcomers ... has started 33
consecutive games for the Tigers - nine at guard in 1996, and all 24 games
at center the last two seasons, including two bowl games ... combines
strength and mechanics to be one of the Tigers' most reliaible blockers on
both the run and the pass ... agile, too, he covers 40 yards in 4.8 seconds
... is one the strongest player ever to wear the Black and Gold ... was the
first Tiger to record a 900-lb. squat lift in 1998, then topped that with a
school-record 1,000-lb. lift during 1999's winter conditioning session ...
also had 450-lb. performances in the bench press, push press and power clean
... his three-lift set of 1,900 pounds is also a school record ... has been
a big factor in MU's rushing success the last three seasons during which the
Tiger running attack has ranked ninth, sixth and ninth in NCAA Division I-A
... with another standout season, should go down as one of the best ever to
play the position at Missouri - joining former all-America centers Darold
Jenkins (1941), Scott Anderson (1973) and Brad Edelman (1981).
1998 - Received first-team all-Big 12 Conference honors from the league's
coaches, the Associated Press and the Kansas City star after grading out at
86 percent for the season with 59 knockdown blocks ... shared Missouri's
offensive player of the week award with quarterback Corby Jones after the
Tigers' 38-14 victory over Colorado ... shared the same award with his
offensive line mates for their dominant performance in MU's season-opening,
37-0 victory over Bowling Green ... was a Mizzou Champions Club member eight
times.
1997 - Made the transition from guard to center with ease, providing one of
the dominant forces behind MU's potent offensive attack ... started every
game and had just one center-quarterback fumbled exchange ... manhandled
6-1, 320-pound Eastern Michigan nose tackle Lional Dalton, limiting him to
just two tackles in the season opener ... selected to the Champions Club six
times in 1997 ... moved to center in the spring to make up for the
graduation loss of Russ Appel and Steve Haag ... Coach Larry Smith said that
move was one of the best of the spring .
1996 - Moved from defensive line to offensive guard in the spring, then
started nine games, eight at right guard and one at left guard and graded
out superb in his first year as an offensive player.
1995 - Redshirt year ... was the scout team defensive player-of-the-week vs.
Iowa State.
HIGH SCHOOL - Two-time all-Suburban North Conference selection ... named to
Tom Lemming's Midland all-stars ... team captain .... played in East-West
All-star game ... set his high school's record for squat and power clean ...
also lettered in wrestling and track ... recruited by Stanford, Michigan
State, Air Force and Army.
PERSONAL - Business management major ... was on the fall '95 Academic
Top-Ten list with a 3.58 GPA ... parents - Robert and Kathleen Riti ... high
school coach - Tim Hayes ... born Dec. 2, 1976, in St. Louis.
