Welcome to Four Down Territory which is a spin-off of Ten Thoughts.
So, I’ll give you three thoughts on Missouri football or college football in general. Then, the last thought will be whatever I want it to be.
1. The offense is in the driver’s seat.
I alluded to this a little bit after the game, but the offense is what makes this team go. In 2021, it was the offense. Last season, it was the defense, and now it’s back to the offense led by Brady Cook and this passing offense.
Who would’ve thought that would be the case a year ago? Even six weeks ago? Most of Cook’s biggest fans probably weren’t expecting him to go on the tear he’s on, but he's reaching levels of quarterback play that the team hasn't seen in years (more on Cook below).
Mizzou averaged 24.8 points per game last season and is now averaging 32 points per game. What’s crazy is that only ranks ninth in the Southeastern Conference. But don’t let that ranking fool you, offensive coordinator Kirby Moore has this offense rolling.
The team still boasts the fifth-best offense in the league averaging 453.4 total yards per game, the fifth-best passing attack averaging 304.4 yards per game and the receivers have the fifth-most touchdown passes with 12.
Last season, the defense allowed 25.2 points per game and is currently allowing just 20.75 points per game which makes it the 50th-best scoring defense in the FBS, and it's still the 29th-best defense allowing 317.2 yards per game.
So, the defense is still pretty good but it has had its struggles. Whether it be injuries piling up, taking its foot off the gas and not playing a complete game, playing hero ball, etc.
It’s just been a mixed bag from the defense, especially down the stretch.
Up 23-10 versus MTSU in the fourth quarter, it allowed an 87-yard touchdown drive. However, when the score was 23-19 the defense made a stand to seal the game.
Versus Kansas State with the game tied at 27 late in the fourth quarter, the unit forced Kansas State to punt with less than 1:30 and that game ended with Harrison Mevis hitting a 61-yard field goal for the win.
Against Memphis, it allowed 27 points, including two touchdowns and a field goal on three of its final four possessions.
Last week, after shutting Vanderbilt down for three quarters it gave up 14 points to make the game closer than the 38-21 score would indicate.
Then add in the third down struggles it had for a few weeks and the safeties struggling in coverage and you just wonder how some stuff is happening.
Before, you kind of knew the defense was good to give up a bad drive or two. Usually, those bad drives happened after the offense would put them in a bad spot or just because of the nature of the game. The defense can’t stop everyone on every drive every game.
But now, the offense has gotten better. In fact, the offense is the one sealing the games, which I think most football fans would prefer. If your favorite team has a competent offense and a really good defense, most fans would still like to see their favorite team’s offense win the game as opposed to their defense.
Unless the defense is an all-timer like Alabama’s 2011 defense that allowed eight points per game and 183 total yards per game.
In the last three games, Missouri has won on a game-winning field goal after the offense led a 10-play, 38-yard drive to get Mevis in position for the aforementioned game-winner versus Kansas State. Cody Schrader put the game away with a 37-yard touchdown versus Memphis to extend the lead to 34-20 late in the fourth quarter (although Memphis would come back and score a touchdown almost instantly).
Then, last week, Cook hit Luther Burden III for a 17-yard touchdown to give the team a three-possession lead. It should be noted that the defense got a big sack and forced a turnover on downs the possession before to give the offense great field position.
But the game shouldn’t have been as close as it was to begin with.
This defense isn’t bad. It’s still pretty good, it just has to finish games better. It has to play a complete game.
The gap between the offense and defense isn’t that wide. It’s certainly not as big a gap as it was last season when the defense was far and away the better side of the ball.
Tigers fans should be happy, though. There’s a balance to the team. The offense is legit, the defense is still strong, Missouri is 5-0 and it hasn’t even played its best game yet.
So, I’ll give you three thoughts on Missouri football or college football in general. Then, the last thought will be whatever I want it to be.
1. The offense is in the driver’s seat.
I alluded to this a little bit after the game, but the offense is what makes this team go. In 2021, it was the offense. Last season, it was the defense, and now it’s back to the offense led by Brady Cook and this passing offense.
Who would’ve thought that would be the case a year ago? Even six weeks ago? Most of Cook’s biggest fans probably weren’t expecting him to go on the tear he’s on, but he's reaching levels of quarterback play that the team hasn't seen in years (more on Cook below).
Mizzou averaged 24.8 points per game last season and is now averaging 32 points per game. What’s crazy is that only ranks ninth in the Southeastern Conference. But don’t let that ranking fool you, offensive coordinator Kirby Moore has this offense rolling.
The team still boasts the fifth-best offense in the league averaging 453.4 total yards per game, the fifth-best passing attack averaging 304.4 yards per game and the receivers have the fifth-most touchdown passes with 12.
Last season, the defense allowed 25.2 points per game and is currently allowing just 20.75 points per game which makes it the 50th-best scoring defense in the FBS, and it's still the 29th-best defense allowing 317.2 yards per game.
So, the defense is still pretty good but it has had its struggles. Whether it be injuries piling up, taking its foot off the gas and not playing a complete game, playing hero ball, etc.
It’s just been a mixed bag from the defense, especially down the stretch.
Up 23-10 versus MTSU in the fourth quarter, it allowed an 87-yard touchdown drive. However, when the score was 23-19 the defense made a stand to seal the game.
Versus Kansas State with the game tied at 27 late in the fourth quarter, the unit forced Kansas State to punt with less than 1:30 and that game ended with Harrison Mevis hitting a 61-yard field goal for the win.
Against Memphis, it allowed 27 points, including two touchdowns and a field goal on three of its final four possessions.
Last week, after shutting Vanderbilt down for three quarters it gave up 14 points to make the game closer than the 38-21 score would indicate.
Then add in the third down struggles it had for a few weeks and the safeties struggling in coverage and you just wonder how some stuff is happening.
Before, you kind of knew the defense was good to give up a bad drive or two. Usually, those bad drives happened after the offense would put them in a bad spot or just because of the nature of the game. The defense can’t stop everyone on every drive every game.
But now, the offense has gotten better. In fact, the offense is the one sealing the games, which I think most football fans would prefer. If your favorite team has a competent offense and a really good defense, most fans would still like to see their favorite team’s offense win the game as opposed to their defense.
Unless the defense is an all-timer like Alabama’s 2011 defense that allowed eight points per game and 183 total yards per game.
In the last three games, Missouri has won on a game-winning field goal after the offense led a 10-play, 38-yard drive to get Mevis in position for the aforementioned game-winner versus Kansas State. Cody Schrader put the game away with a 37-yard touchdown versus Memphis to extend the lead to 34-20 late in the fourth quarter (although Memphis would come back and score a touchdown almost instantly).
Then, last week, Cook hit Luther Burden III for a 17-yard touchdown to give the team a three-possession lead. It should be noted that the defense got a big sack and forced a turnover on downs the possession before to give the offense great field position.
But the game shouldn’t have been as close as it was to begin with.
This defense isn’t bad. It’s still pretty good, it just has to finish games better. It has to play a complete game.
The gap between the offense and defense isn’t that wide. It’s certainly not as big a gap as it was last season when the defense was far and away the better side of the ball.
Tigers fans should be happy, though. There’s a balance to the team. The offense is legit, the defense is still strong, Missouri is 5-0 and it hasn’t even played its best game yet.
