1. Beating Ohio State absolutely counts.
Missouri’s 14-3 win over Ohio State is valid. Look, I’m all about accountability.
If Missouri had not only lost to a Marvin Harrison Jr.-less team but a team that played a second-string quarterback and a third-string quarterback, Ohio State fans would be touting it. Missouri’s rival fan bases would be touting it. The media would be touting how great Ohio State is to beat a top-10 team at full strength with backups.
I certainly would’ve had something to say (just being honest) if the Tigers would've lost 3-0 because that's worse than losing by 40. It would’ve been like the Chiefs defense allowing just one touchdown versus the Raiders on Christmas and the Kansas City offense literally giving the game away with two giveaways that led to touchdowns.
In short, if it was going to count if Ohio State won. It's going to count because Missouri won.
Brady Cook looked pretty bad in the first half but he came alive in the second half. That 50-yard completion to Speedy Johnson changed the tide of the game.
Two 90-yard drives to not only take the lead but put the game away in consecutive series.
Now, I’d like to say that I think Cody Schrader should’ve won the Offensive MVP award, although I have no issues with Cook winning the award.
But Schrader was the only offensive player who had anything going for himself before Johnson’s reception in the late third quarter.
His 29 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown is a lot of work, but honestly, I think he should’ve had closer to 40 carries.
Anyway, he finishes the season with 1,627 yards (Missouri's single-season rushing record) and 14 touchdowns. He can add that accolade to the long list of accomplishments he's received in the last 30 days.
He has to be a Mizzou Hall of Famer one day, right? I believe so.
What a way for him and this team to finish the season.
Every player on this team had “STP” (something to prove). The team of course had STP. But that makes me wonder what the motto will be next year. Missouri is no longer just an SEC team. It’s one of them ones. It’s an SEC Championship contender and with the expanded playoffs a College Football Playoff contender for sure.
2. This was a great season to cover.
From the time Kirby Moore was announced as the new offensive coordinator around this same time last year until the clock hit triple zeroes at the Cotton Bowl, 2023 was a great year to cover this team.
The focus started with Moore. Then, it transitioned to the second wave of incoming transfers like quarterback Jake Garcia and offensive linemen Marcellus Johnson and Cam’Ron Johnson.
After that, it was Sam Horn and Garcia basically having the chance to get a head start on the quarterback competition in spring ball, but neither one of them did. Horn also injured his forearm during this time.
Then, the team hosted the camps for the high school kids in early June, and personally for me I feel like this is around the time I really got settled into the beat. I was alright before, but covering that and giving yall the “nuggets” and stuff like that made me feel like I’m getting the hang of this thing a little better.
I’ll also be the first to say, there’s a long way for me to go. I’m not perfect and I have areas to improve in, but I’d like to think I grew a lot in 2023.
Anyway, skip to the Gold Rush weekend the team hosted in mid-summer for the class of 2024 recruits. That’s when the first wave of commitments started to take shape.
In late July and early August, the NIL bill passed. That really helped even the playing field in my mind when it comes to in-state recruits and things of that nature. Obviously, Williams Nwaneri committed in mid-August. It wasn’t all because of the NIL bill but I’m sure it helped.
Then, the team had a magical season. Cook went from a polarizing player to what you guys like to call a “true son.” Luther Burden III became every part of the superstar everyone expected him to be and more. Then, Cody Schrader put the team on his back and had one of the coolest seasons I’ve ever seen.
It was fun. I tell people all of the time that Missouri could go 0-12 and I’d still like this job.
Sure, it would be harder but I’d like to think I’m great at perspective. My sister is an ICU nurse, my mom is a pharmacy technician and my dad was in the Army for 12 years.
I cover college football. There’s a lot of work that goes into it. It’s not easy, but I realize that I get paid to cover a game, and it is so much better when the team you cover is doing well.
Missouri’s 14-3 win over Ohio State is valid. Look, I’m all about accountability.
If Missouri had not only lost to a Marvin Harrison Jr.-less team but a team that played a second-string quarterback and a third-string quarterback, Ohio State fans would be touting it. Missouri’s rival fan bases would be touting it. The media would be touting how great Ohio State is to beat a top-10 team at full strength with backups.
I certainly would’ve had something to say (just being honest) if the Tigers would've lost 3-0 because that's worse than losing by 40. It would’ve been like the Chiefs defense allowing just one touchdown versus the Raiders on Christmas and the Kansas City offense literally giving the game away with two giveaways that led to touchdowns.
In short, if it was going to count if Ohio State won. It's going to count because Missouri won.
Brady Cook looked pretty bad in the first half but he came alive in the second half. That 50-yard completion to Speedy Johnson changed the tide of the game.
Two 90-yard drives to not only take the lead but put the game away in consecutive series.
Now, I’d like to say that I think Cody Schrader should’ve won the Offensive MVP award, although I have no issues with Cook winning the award.
But Schrader was the only offensive player who had anything going for himself before Johnson’s reception in the late third quarter.
His 29 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown is a lot of work, but honestly, I think he should’ve had closer to 40 carries.
Anyway, he finishes the season with 1,627 yards (Missouri's single-season rushing record) and 14 touchdowns. He can add that accolade to the long list of accomplishments he's received in the last 30 days.
He has to be a Mizzou Hall of Famer one day, right? I believe so.
What a way for him and this team to finish the season.
Every player on this team had “STP” (something to prove). The team of course had STP. But that makes me wonder what the motto will be next year. Missouri is no longer just an SEC team. It’s one of them ones. It’s an SEC Championship contender and with the expanded playoffs a College Football Playoff contender for sure.
2. This was a great season to cover.
From the time Kirby Moore was announced as the new offensive coordinator around this same time last year until the clock hit triple zeroes at the Cotton Bowl, 2023 was a great year to cover this team.
The focus started with Moore. Then, it transitioned to the second wave of incoming transfers like quarterback Jake Garcia and offensive linemen Marcellus Johnson and Cam’Ron Johnson.
After that, it was Sam Horn and Garcia basically having the chance to get a head start on the quarterback competition in spring ball, but neither one of them did. Horn also injured his forearm during this time.
Then, the team hosted the camps for the high school kids in early June, and personally for me I feel like this is around the time I really got settled into the beat. I was alright before, but covering that and giving yall the “nuggets” and stuff like that made me feel like I’m getting the hang of this thing a little better.
I’ll also be the first to say, there’s a long way for me to go. I’m not perfect and I have areas to improve in, but I’d like to think I grew a lot in 2023.
Anyway, skip to the Gold Rush weekend the team hosted in mid-summer for the class of 2024 recruits. That’s when the first wave of commitments started to take shape.
In late July and early August, the NIL bill passed. That really helped even the playing field in my mind when it comes to in-state recruits and things of that nature. Obviously, Williams Nwaneri committed in mid-August. It wasn’t all because of the NIL bill but I’m sure it helped.
Then, the team had a magical season. Cook went from a polarizing player to what you guys like to call a “true son.” Luther Burden III became every part of the superstar everyone expected him to be and more. Then, Cody Schrader put the team on his back and had one of the coolest seasons I’ve ever seen.
It was fun. I tell people all of the time that Missouri could go 0-12 and I’d still like this job.
Sure, it would be harder but I’d like to think I’m great at perspective. My sister is an ICU nurse, my mom is a pharmacy technician and my dad was in the Army for 12 years.
I cover college football. There’s a lot of work that goes into it. It’s not easy, but I realize that I get paid to cover a game, and it is so much better when the team you cover is doing well.
