Britt gets his first game action against Illinois

Israel Potoczny israel@lebanondailyrecord.com
Sep 7, 2010
ST. LOUIS — Former Lebanon High School football and wrestling standout Justin Britt got his first action on Saturday with the University of Missouri football team as he split time at left guard during the Tigers’ season opening 23-13 win over rival Illinois at the Dome in St. Louis.

Junior Jayson Palmgren got the start at left guard, and played the first four plays, then Britt rotated in for three plays. The two players rotated in and out with Palmgren getting four plays, then Britt three throughout the game.

“It didn’t really hit me until pregame, then I started getting real nervous,” Britt said. “It is a lot faster than high school ... but I thought I did good for being my first game. It is definitely a different atmosphere, but it is something that I can do for the next four years.

“It is faster than practice, and college practice is 20 times faster than high school.”

Missouri trailed Illinois at the half, 13-3, but rebounded with a big second half for a 23-13 win.

Britt said the team receives grades the day following a game during film study and he was given a grade of 83 percent, two percent better than Palmgren. Britt also received the Hammer Award for a hit he put on Illinois linebacker Ian Thomas. Britt said he is currently uncertain of the rotation that will be employed during this week’s season opener with McNeese State.

“I haven’t heard yet, but I think they might even out our reps, if not let me start the game out,” Britt said. “I am hoping (to start) because I did better than Jayson did.”

Britt started fall two-a-days as the starter at left guard, a position he earned after a standout performance during the spring. But Britt was beaten out by Palmgren, a 6-foot-2, 305-pound lineman from Kansas City North High School.

“I didn’t have the same focus that I had during the spring,” Britt said. “In the spring I was trying to achieve the first string and I had something to strive for and I think at the beginning of two-a-days I got complacent and big headed ... I got my attitude back and I realized what I lost. You don’t realize what you’ve had until you lose it.

“I’ve been striving to get that back.”

Britt said he felt he was game-ready, in part due to the difficulty of blocking the Tigers defensive line during practice — in particular his roommate, junior Dominique Hamilton, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound junior from El Paso, Texas.

Britt called Hamilton the toughest Tiger to block during practice.

“I think we have the best (defensive) line in the Big 12, so it (his first game against Illinois) was a lot easier in the game than going against our own guys,” Britt said.