The Missouri State football Bears play their annual Maroon and White spring football game Saturday at 12 noon, at Plaster Field to conclude four weeks of spring football practice. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.

   The Bears started their spring drills in late March at the conclusion of the 10-day Missouri State spring break. Saturday’s game will be the final workout of the 15-practice spring schedule for second-year Missouri State head coach Terry Allen, his staff and a 73-member MSU spring squad.

   Allen and his staff have divided the Missouri State squad into two equal units on both offense and defense. The spring game will feature 12-minute quarters of offense and defense. There will be no live kickoffs, punts will not be returned and there will be field goal and PAT attempts.

    Missouri State’s very young roster includes only eight seniors after last year’s 25-man senior group was the largest on record for a Bears football squad. The Bears’ 28 returning lettermen from last year’s ballclub include starters back from five positions on offense and two on defense. Regulars back on offense include QB Tyler Horner, QB Matt Krapfl, WR Jeremy Nicholson, WR Chris Geisz, WR Tamarkus McElvane, FB Jeff Sargent and OC David Tillman. Defensive returning starters are LB Jeron Poole and CB Marcus Colbert. The only squad members not expected to play Saturday are Sargent, a member of the MSU baseball team, and injured freshman Skylar Smith.

    The Maroon team will have a coaching staff of head coach Sean Coughlin and assistants D.J. Vokolek, Chris Kapilovic, Kevin Sears, Derrick LeBlanc and B.J. Stotser. White team head coach Jamar Cain will work with assistants Rob Christophel, Rob Bolks, Andy Follett and Ty Davis.

    Missouri State was 2-9 last year and finished 1-6 in the Gateway Football Conference in Allen’s first season at the Bears’ helm.