COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Chase Daniel's final Black and Gold gamewill be like none of his previous three. This time, after a 12-2 season and top-5 national ranking, Missouri is being watched much more closely during its annual spring scrimmage.

AP

Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel throws a pass during their 41-21 victory over Kansas State, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2006, in Columbia, Mo. Daniel set a single season Missouri record with his 19th touchdown pass during the game.

The Tigers are finishing a spring practice that followed one of the most successful seasons in program history and will cap it off with the scrimmage at 1 p.m. Saturday at Faurot Field. Around 20,000 fans are expected.

How much does it matter this time? Consider the scrimmage will be televised live on ESPNU.

"Saturday will be a good day for the program," Daniel, the senior-to-be quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist from 2007, said. "There's not too many people that get their spring game televised. But we've been working hard each and every day."

Missouri loses just five senior starters from its best team in recent memory, and coach Gary Pinkel believes he's filled those vacancies by what he's seen in spring drills. Daniel has praised the play of Tim Barnes, who takes over at center for Adam Spieker. Daniel is also impressed with two other potential new starters on the offensive line, Dain Wise and Elvis Fisher.

At running back, coaches are still deciding who starts in place of Tony Temple. And at wide receiver, Daniel is comfortable with the group returning. Though the Tigers lose Will Franklin to graduation, Missouri returns its other top four receivers, including Jeremy Maclin, who set an NCAA record for all-purpose yards by a freshman last season.

"We've got to step up and make more plays," Maclin said. "We definitely have work to do but we have made some strides this spring."

Tommy Saunders is one of only two senior wide receivers for Missouri. He caught 41 passes for 397 yards and a touchdown in 2007.

Jared Perry is listed as the third starter at receiver, along with Maclin and Saunders. Danario Alexander has sat out most drills this spring while recovering from a torn knee ligament suffered in the Big 12 Championship game loss to Oklahoma.

Defensively, the Tigers have focused on adding depth to a unit that loses just one starter. Still, the Tigers have seen some adversity at linebacker. Two suffered injuries, one was dismissed for disciplinary reasons and a fourth quit the team.

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