You can read my ten thoughts on the loss to Tennessee here as well as some reaction to the hoops win over Lindenwood here

1) Welcome to the worst week of the football season. The one thing I really like about the SEC is that it usually gives you meaningful games early in the season. But the thing I hate is that the tradeoff for those meaningful games early is this week in November where every team schedules a glorified bye week. And make no mistake, that's what this is. There are worlds where Missouri can be in a close game or lose to New Mexico State. But the Aggies are 4-5 and their best win is probably New Mexico (which has won two games). Missouri is a four touchdown favorite. If there's any drama in this one, it's disaster.

2) There is only one thing that is interesting this weekend: Do we see Sam Horn and a lot of the other young guys we've heard about? All of these guys need to play multiple series on Saturday: Horn, Tavorus Jones, Jalen Marshall, Marquis Gracial, Isaac Thompson, Ja'Marion Wayne. We also need to see extended action for non-freshmen like Arden Walker, Johnny Walker, Dameon Wilson, etc, etc. I've got little interest in how the older players do this weekend. I want to see the kids. I want to see the players that are going to be the future of this program.

3) By Saturday night, we will likely have arrived at this: 5-6 Missouri will host 5-6 Arkansas the day after Thanksgiving with a .500 season on the line for one and hopes for a 5-7 APR bowl exception for the other. The Tigers should win their tuneup. Arkansas hosts Ole Miss. It's not out of the question the Razorbacks win because weird things happen in college football and they almost beat LSU, which is probably a little better than Ole Miss, last weekend. But the Rebels are a two point favorite and I'm still not sure KJ Jefferson is healthy.

The interesting thing is the winner of that game is actually probably in line to get a decent bowl bid. There are only nine teams that are bowl eligible in the SEC right now. Texas A&M can't get to six wins, Auburn would have to beat Alabama to get there and Vanderbilt would have to beat Florida and Tennessee. So the Mizzou/Arkansas winner is the 10th best team in the SEC. Here's what that means in terms of bowl games:

If the SEC gets two in the playoff (Georgia is almost certain and LSU or Tennessee has a good shot):

Sugar: LSU/Tennessee, whichever isn't in playoff
Citrus: Alabama
Pool of 6 (Texas, Liberty, Vegas, Gator, Music City, ReliaQuest--used to be Outback): Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, Mizzou/Arkansas winner

In this scenario, Ole Miss to the Texas Bowl makes sense. I'd think Florida and South Carolina get the Outback/Gator in some combo, Kentucky goes to the Liberty, leaving Mississippi State and the winner of Mizzou/Arkansas for Vegas and the Music City Bowl. If the SEC doesn't get two in the playoff, it is still relatively likely to have Tennessee in the Orange Bowl as the highest-ranked non-league champ and LSU or Bama in one of the other New Year's Six bowls. So the rest of the picture falls relatively the same. In other words, if the Tigers can beat Arkansas, they're probably not falling to the Mayo Bowl, Birmingham Bowl or Gasparilla Bowl. There just aren't enough teams to fill the SEC spots.

4) The question then really becomes "Does that qualify as progress?" If Missouri loses that Arkansas game and finishes 5-7, I don't really see how it can be sold as progress. Particularly if the Arkansas game isn't a close loss. If they beat Arkansas, you can sell it as progress. Or at least not a step backward. I don't know that I necessarily agree with the argument, but it's one that is defensible because a lot of the losses have been close losses including one against Georgia. It really comes down to a margin of defeat thing in that scenario. In 2021, Missouri lost seven games. Two of them were by one score and four were blowouts. In 2022, if it can win its last two, Missouri will have lost six games (with a bowl game still to go). Four of them would have been by one score and two would have been blowouts. So it's marginally better.

5) We just keep coming back to the same place: Next year has to be the year and the main part of that has to be identifying the quarterback of the present and the future. There's no way at this point that we (media and fans) go into the offseason knowing that guy is on the roster. I really don't see a scenario where it's Brady Cook. For that to happen, he would have to have an offseason where he improves as much as he did last offseason. It may be Sam Horn. But we won't really have seen anything to tell us it is for sure. It also may be a transfer. We'll see what Eli Drinkwitz does this offseason. What type of QB he goes after (starter or practice body) and how hard he goes after one is the most interesting part of the offseason. That action will tell us what he thinks of Horn's long term prospects. I honestly don't care who the starting quarterback is next year. But Drinkwitz has to be right about whoever it is. Absolutely has to be.

6) The other major thing about this team and its future is this: How many of the defensive players come back? To me, it's probably not quite as important as the quarterback question, but it's not far behind. I think those that believe next year is the year and that Drink is going to take off and be the coach here for multiple years going forward are basing that on the idea that he's fixed the defense and now he just needs to fix the offense similarly. But what if the defense goes backward next year? Let's look at the personnel:

DJ Coleman has no eligibility left
Tyrone Hopper has no eligibility left
Martez Manuel has said this is his last year
Isaiah McGuire is probably an NFL Draft pick
Ty'Ron Hopper is probably an NFL Draft pick
Darius Robinson is very possibly an NFL Draft pick
Jaylon Carlies might be an NFL Draft pick
Kris Abrams-Draine might be an NFL Draft pick
Chad Bailey has been in college for five years and has battled tons of injuries and may want to move on
Trajan Jeffcoat has been in college for five years, was forced to miss a full season and most of the guys he came in with will be gone

That's ten of the 17 defensive players that get regular snaps. I don't think they'll probably all leave, but I think it's a good bet at least half of them do. So it's not as simple as just keep the defense on track and rebuild the offense. There's going to be a bit of a rebuild on defense as well.

More on the latest 2023 DE target out of Nolensville (Tenn.)

Let's talk some hoops! (And come up with a better name for the thread).

I'll be available to answer any questions about the basketball team y'all have for the next couple of hours. Fire away.

My son’s roommate works with the program, and he is a ballboy for many games. That was the case this Saturday. He was standing next to Heupel. He took out his phone and checked the Kentucky-Vanderbilt score. Josh forcibly yanks the phone out of his hand and starts reading through his texts. Seriously. He reads his messages to his parents and to his fantasy football group and everything. And hands it back to him. That’s paranoia at another level. Thought he was texting Drink or something.
😂

Contemplated posting this because I know the response it will get.......

So when we pulled to 28-24 a little light went on for me. Am I happy with how the season is going? No. Am I happy with our record? No. Do I think we are going the wrong direction with Drink? No. It was at that point that I objectively sat back and thought to myself we have lost 4 one score games in the SEC and we are only down 4 halfway into the third qtr against the most potent offense in college football. I know how it ended but I'm not going to let the last 22 minutes of game time drastically change my opinion (yes I know it all counts).

I'm 52 and have been a diehard Mizzou fan for at least 40 of those years. I was at the fifth down game as a student. I've seen some shat in my time. I think when you step back and put the bottle down, and look at things objectively, that we are on the cusp. We are going the right direction. I'm glad the Curators or DRF or whoever see that as well. The ROAR is coming back! The fans are ready for it, the students are bought in and most importantly the administration seems to be bought in as well. The greatest sporting event I have ever attended in person was OU in 2010 and I think those times are coming back!

I've been a season ticket holder the last two years (maybe got in a little early) and the experience this year has been a blast. Keep the faith, we are close!

Super excited on the basketball front. Ready to return to the days of Peeler, Smith, Crudup and Booker. Since it was just Veterans day one of my favorite memories of hoops was in Feb of 1990 I was down in Panama chasing Noriega around and was able to actually watch the Tigers beat the #1 ranked jaybirds and then we grabbed #1 ranking and beat OU a couple days later. Those were fun times and can't wait to be competitive on the hoops side again.

Carry on!

Close late in the game. Two guys on Northwestern St with Columbia connections in Jamonta Black and Jordan Wilmore

Section 124, Row 61. Asking $30 total for the 4.

Rocky Mountain Tigers - Denver alumni group - has a custom logo of Truman with ski gear. 573 tees has some awesome merch for a limited time

It’s been ages since we’ve seen a team who can make one.

Even if we end the season with a losing record, this is fun basketball again.

Anyone know where I may find Team Store Coupons? Thank You

Two tickets to Arkansas game section 119 row 68, seats 1,2. Text 618-946-1301 for details.

The tight ends do not block well on run plays not catch the ball on pass plays! No wonder running stats are average at best. Drink has let the tight end position die… we may be better just always using an extra lineman

Were y’all not expecting to get boat raced by Tennessee? The hallmark of the Heupel offense is it looks unstoppable against teams when he has the clear talent advantage and kills his team when he doesn’t.

It was the most obvious thing in the world that we were going to get stomped. We learned nothing from yesterday.

Horrible incident involving ex- Virginia football player killing three member of team.

I have two free basketball tickets for sale for the game vs. SIUE in Section 115, Row 20, Seats 22 & 23. Please text me at 573-690-9995 if you're interested.

In my opinion, the dam finally broke on the defense with this play. It was a 42 yard gain for Tenn from their own 31 yard line by their very fast running back Sampson #42. What is utterly ridiculous, is the missed holding call on Hopper in the hole. #75 had his arm around Hopper's neck from behind pulling him out of the hole. If you haven't burnt the tape yet, go back and watch it. It took place with 5:15 left in the third quarter. Every thing seemed over after that and it was.

The play before that that put Tenn back up by 11 points was a brilliantly designed play that took advantage of their hurry up offense. They hid Hyatt behind their left tackle and sprung him for a wheel route. You just have to tip your hat to them for that play. That 42 yard run though was a huge missed call. Instead of Tenn having 1st and 20 at their own 21 yard line, it was Tenn 1st and 10 from Mizzou's 27 yard line. Like I said before, after that play the game was pretty much over and Mizzou never recovered.

I think both Cook and Mizzou played an unbelievable game up to that point. With 8:55 left in the third quarter Mizzou was absolutely in this game only being down 4 points. Yes the rest of the 3rd quarter and all of the 4th quarter sucked, but I'm proud of their effort in a very hostile environment. This game at home last year was over before the 1st half ended, hell probably the 1st quarter.

We'll be talking with Dennis Gates, Kobe Brown and Nick Honor

Eli’s offense has been awful outside of two games (lsu and Arkansas in 2020) against power 5 teams in 3 years. Scoring 15-20 points isn’t good enough to win in any conference.
If you look at the roster, we have problems in multiple spots this year with the starters
QB-his guy (Macon) hasn’t been good enough in his eyes to see the field this year and our current starter is well below average
RB - we start a guy that played at Truman last year
WR- only spot that might be good enough to compete in SEC
OL - simply awful
TE- we had to get a backup from Buffalo to start for us. That’s all that needs to be said about that spot.
We need to upgrade 4 positions next year. Drink hired (so far) the right guy for defense, we will find out if he is right guy next year to lead this team. If they don’t win 8-9 games next year with the schedule they have, I don’t know how he can lead them past next year. The floor has to be 8 games next year.

I don’t advocate firing him after this year. Next year though is a different story. He has to win games and bring an offense capable of scoring points

Poor game management, bad play calling, no balls coaching style. Cut the cord now

https://www.rockytoptalk.com/2022/1...ins-decision-to-run-up-score-against-missouriJosh Heupel explains decision to score late against Missouri

@GabeD or anyone who may know. It seemed odd they only credited Mosley with 3 assists last night when he clearly had more than that. I looked at the play log and found where they credited two of his assists to the wrong guys. First half Mosley drives baseline and then kicks it out to Honor for an open 3. Somehow they gave that to Noah Carter as an assist. In the second half with about a minute to go Mosley hooked up with Shaw for an impressive alley oop. Somehow that ended up as an assist for Kaleb Brown. There may be more, but those were the two that jumped out at me.

Not that it's a huge deal, but do they have a review process for this sort of thing? And I guess I don't pay attention to the box score that closely most of the time, but are errors like this fairly common? These seem like they would have been hard to get wrong given how clearly they were assists for one player and not the other.

Taking my 10 yr old boy to his first Mizzou bball game and am looking for 2 quality tickets either in 106 or 115 (or somewhere similar). Please let me know if you have any to sell or give away. Thanks!