I am so amp for saturday and for Mizzou football to start that I just want to talk about football all week long. So just wanted to discuss who will be 2018 overachievers for this team. Someone that not a lot of people are talking about but you believe will be a huge impact this season.
For offense, I believe Nate Brown is going to be that person. I know he didn't get to do much last year and I dont think the offense was really suited for him anyways the past two years. What I saw from him in 2015 when the offense was terrible was that he went up and made some contested catches all the time when Drew threw to him. We didn't pass well that year but any opportunities that came to him, he caught it for the most part. I think he will be a reliable 3rd down guy to move the chains and he's going to do well with running his routes. We've heard his name a little bit this fall but I think he's going to do a lot more than what most people predict him to, even if its only going to be 500-700 yards.
For defense, I think Adam Sparks will take the next step. For what he did as a true freshman last year, in the SEC, was amazing. He had 2 int at the end of the year and a couple of pass defenses. Now I don't think Acy or Sparks will be JR/SR version of EJ Gaines but I think Sparks has the ability to grow into it. Just for comparison, EJ Gaines his freshman year, he had 25 total tackles, 19 solo/7 Asst and 0 int/1 pass defended. Sparks last year had 33 total tackles, 21 solo/12 assists with 2 INTs and 4 Passes defended. Both played 11+ games their true freshman year, Gaines in a pass heavy Big 12. I think both did well in their test by fire, I know Sparks got beat once in awhile or had miscommunication on where he was suppose to be but by the end of the season, he did well.
For those wondering, Gaines' stats his sophomore season was 69 total tackles/49 solo/20 assisted with 2 INTs/16 passes defended. I don't know if Sparks can remotely reproduce that godlike Sophomore stats by Gaines but I have faith that a freshman who was tested by fire will be able to take the next step and hopefully produce the same amount of tackles and maybe 1/3 of those pass defended for his sophomore year. The game should be slower for him and he's going against one of the best QB in college every day in practice.
For offense, I believe Nate Brown is going to be that person. I know he didn't get to do much last year and I dont think the offense was really suited for him anyways the past two years. What I saw from him in 2015 when the offense was terrible was that he went up and made some contested catches all the time when Drew threw to him. We didn't pass well that year but any opportunities that came to him, he caught it for the most part. I think he will be a reliable 3rd down guy to move the chains and he's going to do well with running his routes. We've heard his name a little bit this fall but I think he's going to do a lot more than what most people predict him to, even if its only going to be 500-700 yards.
For defense, I think Adam Sparks will take the next step. For what he did as a true freshman last year, in the SEC, was amazing. He had 2 int at the end of the year and a couple of pass defenses. Now I don't think Acy or Sparks will be JR/SR version of EJ Gaines but I think Sparks has the ability to grow into it. Just for comparison, EJ Gaines his freshman year, he had 25 total tackles, 19 solo/7 Asst and 0 int/1 pass defended. Sparks last year had 33 total tackles, 21 solo/12 assists with 2 INTs and 4 Passes defended. Both played 11+ games their true freshman year, Gaines in a pass heavy Big 12. I think both did well in their test by fire, I know Sparks got beat once in awhile or had miscommunication on where he was suppose to be but by the end of the season, he did well.
For those wondering, Gaines' stats his sophomore season was 69 total tackles/49 solo/20 assisted with 2 INTs/16 passes defended. I don't know if Sparks can remotely reproduce that godlike Sophomore stats by Gaines but I have faith that a freshman who was tested by fire will be able to take the next step and hopefully produce the same amount of tackles and maybe 1/3 of those pass defended for his sophomore year. The game should be slower for him and he's going against one of the best QB in college every day in practice.
