I'm an optimist, but I'm also realistic. I fully understand and embrace that we will not be 10-2 or higher in 2022. I also don't think we're just going to crawl our way through a 4-8 season. It seems every media outlet is putting up their 2022 projected standings and Mizzou is almost always 13th and either 5-7 or 4-8. I also understand that preseason projections are literally pointless and don't matter. I understand that this happens every year. So don't come at me with the cliche's in the comments.
But I feel more disrespected by the preseason rankings this season than I've felt going into any other season I can remember.
We have pieces to build a solid 8-4 type of football team with a floor of 6-6/5-7 at worst. Our defense looks freaking stout this season. Our defensive line is going to contain multiple all-SEC defenders by the end of 2022. The Hopper transfer from Florida looks to be a stud. Kris Abrams-Draine is already getting draft buzz. I think we have solid offensive threats to build around too that aren't named Luther Burden. I think Peat is particularly going to turn some heads this year. Tauskie Dove has proven to be solid. Javon Foster could be all-SEC. Brady Cook, I believe, could at least be a nice game manager.
I think we look comparable to the 2015 team. Great defense, but we have a lot of question marks offensively. I get that. I will take Drinkwitz over Josh Henson any day of the week, though. Henson's offense was just bland and really relies on winning 1v1's (in the run game and/or pass game) to have any sustained success. So yes, I understand that the 2015 team that had a litany of other issues went 5-7. I think our offensive system is more conducive to the underdogs than Henson's, though.
I guess the point of this message is that we don't look hopeless. If I'm right and we're somewhere around 8-4/7-5, I'll be plenty satisfied. If I'm wrong and we DO go 4-8, I'll still be patient with Drink. We cannot run him out of town if he does poorly this season. We are getting talent, albeit YOUNG talent, at levels that Mizzou has never seen before. But like I said, I don't think we're going to just crawl out of this season praying to miraculously hit 6-6.
But I feel more disrespected by the preseason rankings this season than I've felt going into any other season I can remember.
We have pieces to build a solid 8-4 type of football team with a floor of 6-6/5-7 at worst. Our defense looks freaking stout this season. Our defensive line is going to contain multiple all-SEC defenders by the end of 2022. The Hopper transfer from Florida looks to be a stud. Kris Abrams-Draine is already getting draft buzz. I think we have solid offensive threats to build around too that aren't named Luther Burden. I think Peat is particularly going to turn some heads this year. Tauskie Dove has proven to be solid. Javon Foster could be all-SEC. Brady Cook, I believe, could at least be a nice game manager.
I think we look comparable to the 2015 team. Great defense, but we have a lot of question marks offensively. I get that. I will take Drinkwitz over Josh Henson any day of the week, though. Henson's offense was just bland and really relies on winning 1v1's (in the run game and/or pass game) to have any sustained success. So yes, I understand that the 2015 team that had a litany of other issues went 5-7. I think our offensive system is more conducive to the underdogs than Henson's, though.
I guess the point of this message is that we don't look hopeless. If I'm right and we're somewhere around 8-4/7-5, I'll be plenty satisfied. If I'm wrong and we DO go 4-8, I'll still be patient with Drink. We cannot run him out of town if he does poorly this season. We are getting talent, albeit YOUNG talent, at levels that Mizzou has never seen before. But like I said, I don't think we're going to just crawl out of this season praying to miraculously hit 6-6.
