The defense finally could rely on the offense
All season it was pretty well understood that Mizzou’s defense was going to keep them in a game, but could the offense take advantage of it. In week nine, the answer is yes. In fact, the defense had the luxury for the second week in a row of being up double-digits entering halftime. Mizzou’s defense gave up a 12-play, 82-yard touchdown drive to go into halftime up 17-7. More times than not, a drive like that has cost the team the lead or signaled a significant momentum shift. It didn’t.
The defense has seemed like it has had to play perfectly all season just for the team to be in the game and this time it got to play at its own pace that wasn’t dictated by the scoreboard. The defense did its job holding the Gamecocks to 10 points and less than 200 total yards, but it seemed a lot more natural and a lot less stressful for it to do that.
Mizzou got off to a hot start
For weeks the Missouri offense has failed to get off to a fast start, and now for the second consecutive week, it entered halftime with 17 points and a double-digit lead. It can be argued that against the 130th-ranked defense in the country at home the tigers should have done what it did to Vandy. But in week nine against the 52nd-ranked defense it did whatever it wanted for the most part. Quarterback Brady Cook was 12 of 16 for 153 yards in the first half and didn’t have any questionable plays like he did with the interception in week eight. Mizzou ran for 101 rushing yards and newly named full-time starting running back Cody Schrader had 40 yards on 10 carries. That’s not anything that amazing but he kept the chains moving for this team.
All in all the offense played well and that allowed its defense to have a bad drive and not have to force the issue on the next drive because the offense has put them in a hole.
Disciplined play
For the Tigers, this was probably the first time all season that Mizzou put together a complete game on both sides of the ball. It had six penalties and five of them were in the first half. There were just three penalties along the offensive line.
A disciplined game up front in the trenches while playing well was a struggle for this team all season.
Cook was sacked once and the Tigers only allowed four tackles for loss. Mizzou entered the game 128th in tackles for loss allowed and let Vandy get 11 tackles for loss last week. Mizzou had four giveaways last week and this time it didn’t have any. Mizzou was 8 of 16 on third down, although one of the fails was because they were kneeling the ball to end the game.
Changes that Drinkwitz made offensively
Fans were asking for change and they got it. Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz made a list of changes that were effective and helped the Tigers today. Most noticeably, EJ Ndoma-Ogar took over at right guard for Mitchell Walters signaling the third different player to start at the position.
There wasn’t any sign of Nathaniel Peat, instead, it was a lot of Schrader and even some Taj Butts in the backfield. For the first time all season, Luther Burden was getting touches in the backfield. He had two carries for 10 yards and so did Elijah Young. Ryan Hoerstkamp didn’t see any targets but he was out there o some plays. The play-action in some of these play calls was actually deceiving.
Schrader was named the full-time featured back earlier in the week and he showed why on Saturday. He rushed the ball 22 times for 81 yards and a touchdown. He doesn’t play around he just hits the holes and is always moving forward.
This was not the same game plan that we’ve seen in prior weeks and the result is a road win against a top-25 ranked SEC East foe.
All season it was pretty well understood that Mizzou’s defense was going to keep them in a game, but could the offense take advantage of it. In week nine, the answer is yes. In fact, the defense had the luxury for the second week in a row of being up double-digits entering halftime. Mizzou’s defense gave up a 12-play, 82-yard touchdown drive to go into halftime up 17-7. More times than not, a drive like that has cost the team the lead or signaled a significant momentum shift. It didn’t.
The defense has seemed like it has had to play perfectly all season just for the team to be in the game and this time it got to play at its own pace that wasn’t dictated by the scoreboard. The defense did its job holding the Gamecocks to 10 points and less than 200 total yards, but it seemed a lot more natural and a lot less stressful for it to do that.
Mizzou got off to a hot start
For weeks the Missouri offense has failed to get off to a fast start, and now for the second consecutive week, it entered halftime with 17 points and a double-digit lead. It can be argued that against the 130th-ranked defense in the country at home the tigers should have done what it did to Vandy. But in week nine against the 52nd-ranked defense it did whatever it wanted for the most part. Quarterback Brady Cook was 12 of 16 for 153 yards in the first half and didn’t have any questionable plays like he did with the interception in week eight. Mizzou ran for 101 rushing yards and newly named full-time starting running back Cody Schrader had 40 yards on 10 carries. That’s not anything that amazing but he kept the chains moving for this team.
All in all the offense played well and that allowed its defense to have a bad drive and not have to force the issue on the next drive because the offense has put them in a hole.
Disciplined play
For the Tigers, this was probably the first time all season that Mizzou put together a complete game on both sides of the ball. It had six penalties and five of them were in the first half. There were just three penalties along the offensive line.
A disciplined game up front in the trenches while playing well was a struggle for this team all season.
Cook was sacked once and the Tigers only allowed four tackles for loss. Mizzou entered the game 128th in tackles for loss allowed and let Vandy get 11 tackles for loss last week. Mizzou had four giveaways last week and this time it didn’t have any. Mizzou was 8 of 16 on third down, although one of the fails was because they were kneeling the ball to end the game.
Changes that Drinkwitz made offensively
Fans were asking for change and they got it. Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz made a list of changes that were effective and helped the Tigers today. Most noticeably, EJ Ndoma-Ogar took over at right guard for Mitchell Walters signaling the third different player to start at the position.
There wasn’t any sign of Nathaniel Peat, instead, it was a lot of Schrader and even some Taj Butts in the backfield. For the first time all season, Luther Burden was getting touches in the backfield. He had two carries for 10 yards and so did Elijah Young. Ryan Hoerstkamp didn’t see any targets but he was out there o some plays. The play-action in some of these play calls was actually deceiving.
Schrader was named the full-time featured back earlier in the week and he showed why on Saturday. He rushed the ball 22 times for 81 yards and a touchdown. He doesn’t play around he just hits the holes and is always moving forward.
This was not the same game plan that we’ve seen in prior weeks and the result is a road win against a top-25 ranked SEC East foe.
