This could be the best year for Mizzou since 1960 and possibly the best ever. Here's why:
I'll start with the obvious:
Offense:
Mizzou will have the best player on the field in every game they play. LB3 is that good. As a weapon and a decoy, he opens things up. A lot.
Brady Cook - A Sr., and 3rd year behind the wheel. Same OC as last year who will only be better in year 2.
WR room is as stacked as it's ever been. The #4 WR (or is he #5 behind Mekhi Miller?), Marquis Johnson, runs a 10.3 100 meters and has soft hands. Ask the Ohio State safeties about him. Or Kentucky's punt return team. Rake singled him out as one of two players to make a leap this year.
Brett Norfleet - at 6'6.5" and 250+ lbs he runs a 4.61 40 (per Drink). Scored 3 touchdowns in last 3 games. A superior athlete with soft hands for sure, but the reason he started the back half of the season is because he's smart and can really, really block.
O-line - Marcus Bryant and Cayden Green replacing Foster and Delgado - less experience but more talent - they'll be all right. Third year for Tollison will be his best yet. Cam'Ron improved greatly second half and Membou is a total NFL-bound stud.
RB - Though no Cody Schrader, this is the deepest, and most experienced and talented room they've had in ages.
Defense - I expect it will take a 1/2 step back without D Rob and Blake Baker - but not a full step. New DC is unproven in SEC but the overall depth and talent is there. I wouldn't trade Daylan Carnell for any safety/star in the country. Also remember Rake and Ty'Ron Hopper didn't play against Ohio State (and Newsome too if memory serves?). Transfer portal brought in HIGH quality new pieces from major programs - Pride, McClellan, Flagg and Darris Smith to name a few. Now for the other player Rake said would make a leap - Drey Norwood. This is the kid LB3 pointed to his freshman year as a DB that was hard to shake in practice. High praise.
Mizzou is absolutely thriving in the NIL era. Missouri has a population of 6 million and they are the only "D1" school. Compare to Oklahoma at 4 million and 2 major programs. Even Florida at 21 million but 6 major programs. Mizzou has a legislative head start and overall edge in mass.
Now the some less obvious parts and intangibles:
Mizzou is better than people think. Mizzou is better than you think. It's so easy to be tainted or cynical if you're a Mizzou fan especially if your formative years were in the dark ages of MU football (and or you suffered through Pinkel's DUI and protest days and Barry's loss to Wyoming int he opener - like I did).
But, consider this;
Nobody played Georgia tougher the last two years. A penalty in the '22 game and Brady having his elbow hit last year (leading to the interception) cost MU dearly. Two plays.
Momentum and Something to Prove (STP) are alive a well in the Mizzou locker room. Some pundits leaving them out of top 20 preseason pools (and the video game) and saying they played a diminished Ohio State, etc.
The schedule sets up perfectly for a run. Not only is it one of the "easiest" in the SEC according to That SEC Podcast (they ranked it THE easiest) , BUT it also has bye weeks before Mizzou's 2 biggest games = Huge.
Switching gears, Ol' Miss will be flying cover for Mizzou. More scrutiny - and more media coverage - will be on Lane and his boatload of transfers.
Other nuggets: Stephen Covey famously said "Beware of what everyone knows". Several such sound bites apply to Mizzou.
Everyone knows:
Example #1 - "Drink didn't even have a winning season until last year". Technically true. A closer look though: IF Drink would have played Tyler Badie, they would have won the bowl game Vs. Army (that's 7 wins in year 2). IF it weren't for two absolute freak plays in '22 they would have won 8. They were against Auburn where MU's AA kicker misses a chip shot and then.... your RB, Nate Peat, without bring touched, drops the ball on way to end zone and a loss. AND then...Mizzou has a freak roughing the kicker against Kentucky that results in a rule change. So.....if I may adjust....that's 6,7,8 and then 11 wins for Drink. If and buts were candy and nuts, I get it, but still....
Example #2 - Mizzou needed a 62 yarder to beat K-State. Yes and no. Mizzou was tied. They were not trailing. If Mevis would have missed, the game wasn't over it was going to OT.
Example #3 - Florida 4th and 17!! Yep that was pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Actually it was the best player in the league going up and getting the ball. That's a little different than just luck. But it's important to consider the previous two games. Totally draining loss to Georgia and then crushing Tennessee the next. It's really hard to not be a little off your best three games in a row. They were emotionally a little spent going into Florida game it looked like to me.
A few predictions:
Mizzou's toughest game, by far, will be Alabama because Jalen Milroe will be better than ever
Mizzou beats Oklahoma by 10+ in the must-see game of the year in Columbia
Biggest trap game - Auburn (talented roster, 2nd year under Freeze AND a bye week before Mizzou game - Mizzou might let guard down).
All the way to Atlanta and beyond
MIZ
I'll start with the obvious:
Offense:
Mizzou will have the best player on the field in every game they play. LB3 is that good. As a weapon and a decoy, he opens things up. A lot.
Brady Cook - A Sr., and 3rd year behind the wheel. Same OC as last year who will only be better in year 2.
WR room is as stacked as it's ever been. The #4 WR (or is he #5 behind Mekhi Miller?), Marquis Johnson, runs a 10.3 100 meters and has soft hands. Ask the Ohio State safeties about him. Or Kentucky's punt return team. Rake singled him out as one of two players to make a leap this year.
Brett Norfleet - at 6'6.5" and 250+ lbs he runs a 4.61 40 (per Drink). Scored 3 touchdowns in last 3 games. A superior athlete with soft hands for sure, but the reason he started the back half of the season is because he's smart and can really, really block.
O-line - Marcus Bryant and Cayden Green replacing Foster and Delgado - less experience but more talent - they'll be all right. Third year for Tollison will be his best yet. Cam'Ron improved greatly second half and Membou is a total NFL-bound stud.
RB - Though no Cody Schrader, this is the deepest, and most experienced and talented room they've had in ages.
Defense - I expect it will take a 1/2 step back without D Rob and Blake Baker - but not a full step. New DC is unproven in SEC but the overall depth and talent is there. I wouldn't trade Daylan Carnell for any safety/star in the country. Also remember Rake and Ty'Ron Hopper didn't play against Ohio State (and Newsome too if memory serves?). Transfer portal brought in HIGH quality new pieces from major programs - Pride, McClellan, Flagg and Darris Smith to name a few. Now for the other player Rake said would make a leap - Drey Norwood. This is the kid LB3 pointed to his freshman year as a DB that was hard to shake in practice. High praise.
Mizzou is absolutely thriving in the NIL era. Missouri has a population of 6 million and they are the only "D1" school. Compare to Oklahoma at 4 million and 2 major programs. Even Florida at 21 million but 6 major programs. Mizzou has a legislative head start and overall edge in mass.
Now the some less obvious parts and intangibles:
Mizzou is better than people think. Mizzou is better than you think. It's so easy to be tainted or cynical if you're a Mizzou fan especially if your formative years were in the dark ages of MU football (and or you suffered through Pinkel's DUI and protest days and Barry's loss to Wyoming int he opener - like I did).
But, consider this;
Nobody played Georgia tougher the last two years. A penalty in the '22 game and Brady having his elbow hit last year (leading to the interception) cost MU dearly. Two plays.
Momentum and Something to Prove (STP) are alive a well in the Mizzou locker room. Some pundits leaving them out of top 20 preseason pools (and the video game) and saying they played a diminished Ohio State, etc.
The schedule sets up perfectly for a run. Not only is it one of the "easiest" in the SEC according to That SEC Podcast (they ranked it THE easiest) , BUT it also has bye weeks before Mizzou's 2 biggest games = Huge.
Switching gears, Ol' Miss will be flying cover for Mizzou. More scrutiny - and more media coverage - will be on Lane and his boatload of transfers.
Other nuggets: Stephen Covey famously said "Beware of what everyone knows". Several such sound bites apply to Mizzou.
Everyone knows:
Example #1 - "Drink didn't even have a winning season until last year". Technically true. A closer look though: IF Drink would have played Tyler Badie, they would have won the bowl game Vs. Army (that's 7 wins in year 2). IF it weren't for two absolute freak plays in '22 they would have won 8. They were against Auburn where MU's AA kicker misses a chip shot and then.... your RB, Nate Peat, without bring touched, drops the ball on way to end zone and a loss. AND then...Mizzou has a freak roughing the kicker against Kentucky that results in a rule change. So.....if I may adjust....that's 6,7,8 and then 11 wins for Drink. If and buts were candy and nuts, I get it, but still....
Example #2 - Mizzou needed a 62 yarder to beat K-State. Yes and no. Mizzou was tied. They were not trailing. If Mevis would have missed, the game wasn't over it was going to OT.
Example #3 - Florida 4th and 17!! Yep that was pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Actually it was the best player in the league going up and getting the ball. That's a little different than just luck. But it's important to consider the previous two games. Totally draining loss to Georgia and then crushing Tennessee the next. It's really hard to not be a little off your best three games in a row. They were emotionally a little spent going into Florida game it looked like to me.
A few predictions:
Mizzou's toughest game, by far, will be Alabama because Jalen Milroe will be better than ever
Mizzou beats Oklahoma by 10+ in the must-see game of the year in Columbia
Biggest trap game - Auburn (talented roster, 2nd year under Freeze AND a bye week before Mizzou game - Mizzou might let guard down).
All the way to Atlanta and beyond
MIZ
