Pete starts it on the recruiting trail:
-- I'll start off this week with info on one of the top targets left on Missouri's board. For a while now, Bud Sasserhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Bud-Sasser-89130 has said his final two consisted of Missouri and Kansas, and he would make a decision regarding the two in December. While his timeline hasn't changed, it appears he's considering another school.
Sasser said the Arizona coaches convinced him to visit last weekend, and he said he really enjoyed the visit.
"It really surprised me," Sasser told me on Wednesday night. "I didn't know what to expect, but I really liked it."
Honestly, who can blame him? He got to see one of the best games of the year (Oregon vs. Arizona). I'm sure it was a fantastic experience. I asked Sasser if he still thought it would come down to the Tigers and Jayhawks, or if the Wildcats had entered the mix at the same level as the previous two.
"I don't know," Sasser said. "Arizona really, really surprised me."
-- Still, it's not all negative news with Sasser. He said it looks like he'll take his official visit on Dec. 11. That's the same weekend as Jimmie Hunthttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Jimmie-Hunt-92478 will also visit. Hunt said he's well aware that Lucas will be there.
"Oh, I'll be talking to him," Hunt said.
I asked Hunt if he'd heard anything about Sasser, and while Hunt didn't know much, he said if Sasser was there that weekend, he'd do his best to get the Texas wideout to choose Missouri. I asked Hunt if having two more possible four-star receivers (I think Sasser gets bumped up) would make him worry about playing time.
"Not at all," Hunt said. "It'd be cool to get to play with two guys like that."
-- A couple of quick notes about some of the under-the-radar prospects for this year. While I still believe Missouri has backed off a bit, Marcus Murphyhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Marcus-Murphy-80879 said he's looking at that date, too.
-- I'll finish with some notes about a couple of 2011 guys. Angleton (TX) athlete Quandre Diggshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Quandre-Diggs-71957 informed me that Missouri has offered him. He said Missouri likes him either as a running back or cornerback. We all know his brother is Quentin Jammer, so I asked him -- if Texas offered, is it a done-deal he'd go there?
"I wouldn't say that," Diggs said. "With Henry being at Missouri, Missouri is looking pretty good right now."
I still think he ends up a Longhorn if they offer. But, it's nice to hear the Tigers are high on a player who should be a four-star from Texas next year.
I wrote an article about G'Darius Stevensonhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-G'Darius-Stevenson-105597 last week, and he's some additional info. First off, I think this kid has a chance to blow up sooner than Kony Ealy did. Coach Arlen Pixley told me Ealy had to prove his commitment to football before Pixley put his name out there on the recruiting circuit. He said it took Ealy a little longer than he hoped, but he eventually did. That's not a problem for Stevenson.
"He's shown me that commitment since he was in sixth or seventh grade," Pixley said.
From what Pixley has told me (and he might be inflating his own player, but Stevenson really impressed me), is that a ton of teams are showing LOTS of interest. Auburn, for instance, just got the commitment of highly touted RB Michael Dyer, but told Pixley they want Stevenson for 2011.
However, according to Pixley, it seems like Missouri has done the most work, and with Ealy in Columbia, it's a good bet Stevenson ends up a Tiger. Pixley was right about Ealy, saying all along he would end up committing to Missouri, so I'm not going to doubt the coach now.
I've got just one thing on the basketball recruiting front. I told you last week I was expecting a decision out of Brad Beal before Christmas. That still holds. I think we'll know fairly soon where Beal is going to school. Based on what I'm hearing, I'd expect it to be Kansas or Illinois. I think Duke is sill a possibility, but my money wouldn't go on the Blue Devils.But as time goes on, more and more targets will emerge. The Tigers certainly aren't putting all their eggs in the Brad Beal basket. I think the'll get a highly rated player in 2011 and I think it's likely that player is a shooting guard.
Here' the breakdown for the Border War:
When Missouri runs the ball: The biggest difference in this aspect now and what it was four weeks ago is that Blaine Gabbert is a part of the running game. The entire running attack has changed now that Gabbert is a threat to take off. The Tigers have three of their five best rushing totals in the last four weeks. Missouri has piled up at least 135 yards in each of those three games. The Tigers are expected to have Derrick Washington in the lineup and be at full strength. Kansas has not been all that good against the run. The Jayhawks are giving up 128 yards a game and have allowed 20 rushing touchdowns (fewer than only one team in the Big 12).
EDGE: MISSOURI
When Missouri throws the ball: As they've run it better, the Tigers have also thrown it better. Danario Alexander has four straight 100-yard games and is the hottest receiver in the country. Jerrell Jackson has helped the attack with consecutive career outings. Blaine Gabbert hasn't turned the ball over in three weeks and hasn't been sacked in two. Kansas' pass defense isn't any better than its run defense. The Jayhawks are eighth in the league giving up 239 yards per game and 16 touchdowns. They are tied with Missouri for the league's fewest interceptions with only seven. Gabbert should have some chances to move the ball down the field.
EDGE: MISSOURI
When Kansas runs the ball: Kansas' leading rusher, freshman [db]Toben Opurum[/db], will miss this one with an injury. That leaves the carries to the starter, [db]Jake Sharp[/db], who has also been limited by health this season. Sharp has just 95 carries and has run for 400 yards this season. Sharp actually has fewer carries and fewer touchdowns than quarterback [db]Todd Reesing[/db]. Missouri's run defense has steadily improved all season long. The Tigers are giving up 100.7 yards per game, which is fifth in the league, and just 2.9 per carry, which is tied for third.
EDGE: MISSOURI
When Kansas throws the ball: For all their struggles, there was a time where it appeared Kansas might have the best passing game in America. Reesing has fallen off this season in large part to two numbers: Reesing has completed just 62.6% of his passes and has been intercepted nine times. But Reesing still has phenomenal weapons in Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe, both of whom are among the national leaders in receiving. Jonathan Wilson and Bradley McDougald are solid third and fourth options, but it is Briscoe and Meier who will have to keep the Jayhawks in the game. The Tigers' woes against opposing passing games have been well-documented. Mizzou is giving up 240 yards per game. Kansas State and Iowa State have moved the ball in the last couple of weeks. And neither one can throw it like the Jayhawks.
EDGE: KANSAS
Special Teams: Missouri leads the Big 12 in placekicking and is second in net punting. The kickoff coverage and returns have not been good, but otherwise the Tigers are solid on special teams. Kansas has issues kicking the ball with Jacob Brandstetter hitting only 12-of-18. The Jayhawks have the edge in the return game with Briscoe serving as a dangerous weapon. He ran one back 98 yards for a score against Texas last week.
EDGE: MISSOURI
Coaching: This one isn't about Missouri at all. Mark Mangino is 4-3 against the Tigers, but the simple fact is, three days ago, no one was even sure he was going to coach this game. Do the Jayhawks come out fired up to send their lame-duck coach out with a win or has Mangino lost his team? More than anything, the answer to that question could determine the outcome.
EDGE: MISSOURI
Intangibles: See above. Do the Jayhawks play for their coach or do they mail it in? That's really the only answer that matters here. And the intangibles should never favor one team over the other in this game. It's the Border War. If you're not up for this one, shame on you. However, only one team has crazy new uniforms, and neither one is wearing much gold for this game.
EDGE: PUSH
Final Analysis and Prediction: This is a game that will be decided in the first ten minutes. If the Tigers jump out to a 14-0 lead, I think we're going to see the Jayhawks roll over and give up. But if Kansas can start well, they'll start to believe they can win and “save” their season as they did a year ago. The key for Missouri is to pressure Reesing into mistakes. He's proven he'll make some. But even more important than that, do not make mistakes of your own on offense. Missouri is the better team. It is the more confident team. If it plays well, it will win. I think Danario Alexander goes nuts again and I think Reesing turns it over one too many times as the Tigers get a hard-fought win. Just for fun, let's make the final 36-28.
-- I'll start off this week with info on one of the top targets left on Missouri's board. For a while now, Bud Sasserhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Bud-Sasser-89130 has said his final two consisted of Missouri and Kansas, and he would make a decision regarding the two in December. While his timeline hasn't changed, it appears he's considering another school.
Sasser said the Arizona coaches convinced him to visit last weekend, and he said he really enjoyed the visit.
"It really surprised me," Sasser told me on Wednesday night. "I didn't know what to expect, but I really liked it."
Honestly, who can blame him? He got to see one of the best games of the year (Oregon vs. Arizona). I'm sure it was a fantastic experience. I asked Sasser if he still thought it would come down to the Tigers and Jayhawks, or if the Wildcats had entered the mix at the same level as the previous two.
"I don't know," Sasser said. "Arizona really, really surprised me."
-- Still, it's not all negative news with Sasser. He said it looks like he'll take his official visit on Dec. 11. That's the same weekend as Jimmie Hunthttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Jimmie-Hunt-92478 will also visit. Hunt said he's well aware that Lucas will be there.
"Oh, I'll be talking to him," Hunt said.
I asked Hunt if he'd heard anything about Sasser, and while Hunt didn't know much, he said if Sasser was there that weekend, he'd do his best to get the Texas wideout to choose Missouri. I asked Hunt if having two more possible four-star receivers (I think Sasser gets bumped up) would make him worry about playing time.
"Not at all," Hunt said. "It'd be cool to get to play with two guys like that."
-- A couple of quick notes about some of the under-the-radar prospects for this year. While I still believe Missouri has backed off a bit, Marcus Murphyhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Marcus-Murphy-80879 said he's looking at that date, too.
-- I'll finish with some notes about a couple of 2011 guys. Angleton (TX) athlete Quandre Diggshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Quandre-Diggs-71957 informed me that Missouri has offered him. He said Missouri likes him either as a running back or cornerback. We all know his brother is Quentin Jammer, so I asked him -- if Texas offered, is it a done-deal he'd go there?
"I wouldn't say that," Diggs said. "With Henry being at Missouri, Missouri is looking pretty good right now."
I still think he ends up a Longhorn if they offer. But, it's nice to hear the Tigers are high on a player who should be a four-star from Texas next year.
I wrote an article about G'Darius Stevensonhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-G'Darius-Stevenson-105597 last week, and he's some additional info. First off, I think this kid has a chance to blow up sooner than Kony Ealy did. Coach Arlen Pixley told me Ealy had to prove his commitment to football before Pixley put his name out there on the recruiting circuit. He said it took Ealy a little longer than he hoped, but he eventually did. That's not a problem for Stevenson.
"He's shown me that commitment since he was in sixth or seventh grade," Pixley said.
From what Pixley has told me (and he might be inflating his own player, but Stevenson really impressed me), is that a ton of teams are showing LOTS of interest. Auburn, for instance, just got the commitment of highly touted RB Michael Dyer, but told Pixley they want Stevenson for 2011.
However, according to Pixley, it seems like Missouri has done the most work, and with Ealy in Columbia, it's a good bet Stevenson ends up a Tiger. Pixley was right about Ealy, saying all along he would end up committing to Missouri, so I'm not going to doubt the coach now.
I've got just one thing on the basketball recruiting front. I told you last week I was expecting a decision out of Brad Beal before Christmas. That still holds. I think we'll know fairly soon where Beal is going to school. Based on what I'm hearing, I'd expect it to be Kansas or Illinois. I think Duke is sill a possibility, but my money wouldn't go on the Blue Devils.But as time goes on, more and more targets will emerge. The Tigers certainly aren't putting all their eggs in the Brad Beal basket. I think the'll get a highly rated player in 2011 and I think it's likely that player is a shooting guard.
Here' the breakdown for the Border War:
When Missouri runs the ball: The biggest difference in this aspect now and what it was four weeks ago is that Blaine Gabbert is a part of the running game. The entire running attack has changed now that Gabbert is a threat to take off. The Tigers have three of their five best rushing totals in the last four weeks. Missouri has piled up at least 135 yards in each of those three games. The Tigers are expected to have Derrick Washington in the lineup and be at full strength. Kansas has not been all that good against the run. The Jayhawks are giving up 128 yards a game and have allowed 20 rushing touchdowns (fewer than only one team in the Big 12).
EDGE: MISSOURI
When Missouri throws the ball: As they've run it better, the Tigers have also thrown it better. Danario Alexander has four straight 100-yard games and is the hottest receiver in the country. Jerrell Jackson has helped the attack with consecutive career outings. Blaine Gabbert hasn't turned the ball over in three weeks and hasn't been sacked in two. Kansas' pass defense isn't any better than its run defense. The Jayhawks are eighth in the league giving up 239 yards per game and 16 touchdowns. They are tied with Missouri for the league's fewest interceptions with only seven. Gabbert should have some chances to move the ball down the field.
EDGE: MISSOURI
When Kansas runs the ball: Kansas' leading rusher, freshman [db]Toben Opurum[/db], will miss this one with an injury. That leaves the carries to the starter, [db]Jake Sharp[/db], who has also been limited by health this season. Sharp has just 95 carries and has run for 400 yards this season. Sharp actually has fewer carries and fewer touchdowns than quarterback [db]Todd Reesing[/db]. Missouri's run defense has steadily improved all season long. The Tigers are giving up 100.7 yards per game, which is fifth in the league, and just 2.9 per carry, which is tied for third.
EDGE: MISSOURI
When Kansas throws the ball: For all their struggles, there was a time where it appeared Kansas might have the best passing game in America. Reesing has fallen off this season in large part to two numbers: Reesing has completed just 62.6% of his passes and has been intercepted nine times. But Reesing still has phenomenal weapons in Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe, both of whom are among the national leaders in receiving. Jonathan Wilson and Bradley McDougald are solid third and fourth options, but it is Briscoe and Meier who will have to keep the Jayhawks in the game. The Tigers' woes against opposing passing games have been well-documented. Mizzou is giving up 240 yards per game. Kansas State and Iowa State have moved the ball in the last couple of weeks. And neither one can throw it like the Jayhawks.
EDGE: KANSAS
Special Teams: Missouri leads the Big 12 in placekicking and is second in net punting. The kickoff coverage and returns have not been good, but otherwise the Tigers are solid on special teams. Kansas has issues kicking the ball with Jacob Brandstetter hitting only 12-of-18. The Jayhawks have the edge in the return game with Briscoe serving as a dangerous weapon. He ran one back 98 yards for a score against Texas last week.
EDGE: MISSOURI
Coaching: This one isn't about Missouri at all. Mark Mangino is 4-3 against the Tigers, but the simple fact is, three days ago, no one was even sure he was going to coach this game. Do the Jayhawks come out fired up to send their lame-duck coach out with a win or has Mangino lost his team? More than anything, the answer to that question could determine the outcome.
EDGE: MISSOURI
Intangibles: See above. Do the Jayhawks play for their coach or do they mail it in? That's really the only answer that matters here. And the intangibles should never favor one team over the other in this game. It's the Border War. If you're not up for this one, shame on you. However, only one team has crazy new uniforms, and neither one is wearing much gold for this game.
EDGE: PUSH
Final Analysis and Prediction: This is a game that will be decided in the first ten minutes. If the Tigers jump out to a 14-0 lead, I think we're going to see the Jayhawks roll over and give up. But if Kansas can start well, they'll start to believe they can win and “save” their season as they did a year ago. The key for Missouri is to pressure Reesing into mistakes. He's proven he'll make some. But even more important than that, do not make mistakes of your own on offense. Missouri is the better team. It is the more confident team. If it plays well, it will win. I think Danario Alexander goes nuts again and I think Reesing turns it over one too many times as the Tigers get a hard-fought win. Just for fun, let's make the final 36-28.
