Missouri Tigers
Overall Rank: #24
#5 Big 12
Missouri Team Page
2010 Record: (10-3, 6-2)
2010 Bowl: Insight Bowl vs. Iowa (L 24-27)
Coach: Gary Pinkel (77-49 at Missouri, 150-86-3 overall)
Offensive Coordinator: David Yost
Defensive Coordinator: Dave Steckel
Returning Leaders:
Rushing: De’Vion Moore, RB, 517 yards
Passing: James Franklin, QB, 106 yards
Receiving: T.J. Moe, WR, 1,045 yards
Tackles: Zaviar Gooden, LB, 85
Sacks: Brad Madison, DE, 7.5
Interceptions: Zavier Gooden, LB, 2; Kenji Jackson, S, 2
Other Key Returnees: LB Will Ebner, CB Kip Edwards, TE Michael Egnew, OT Elvis Fisher, OT Dan Hoch, WR Jerrell Jackson, WR Wes Kemp, G Jayson Palmgren, DT Terrell Resonno, DE Jacquies Smith, G Austin Wuebbels
Key Losses: C Tim Barnes, QB Blaine Gabbert, LB Andrew Gachkar, CB Carl Gettis, S Jarrell Harrison, CB Kevin Rutland, S Jasper Simmons, DE Aldon Smith
The Missouri offense gets all the credit, but the Tigers success over the last five years has been because of the defense. The offensive firepower occasionally pulled off some upsets, but the defense has made Missouri a pretty consistent contender in the Big 12. Moving to a single division where they have to play all of the old Big 12 South teams every year certainly makes the schedule look tougher, but linebackers Zaviar Gooden and Will Ebner are up for the challenge as they lead the defense. Gooden tallied a team high 85 tackles last season and also picked off two passes and totaled 3.0 sacks.
Strengths:
Every player who received a handoff or caught a pass is back. And those are some quality players. The running backs may not be household names, but De’Vion Moore, Henry Josey, Kendial Lawrence and Marcus Murphy all had quality seasons last year despite none of them receiving more than 100 carries. Coach Gary Pinkel has hinted that he would like to move away from the running back by committee and that would likely mean Moore would be the feature back. However, Lawrence is the bigger breakaway threat. Murphy is coming off an injury that may limit him this season…which is a bigger issue on special teams than it is in the backfield. The receivers might just be the best group in the nation. T.J. Moe, Jerrell Jackson and Wes Kemp are threats to take it to the house every time they touch the ball. Moe was former quarterback Blaine Gabbert’s favorite target, but that could change with a new quarterback. However, tight end Michael Egnew will always be a safe target. The big 6-6, 240-pounder has great hands and caught 90 passes for 762 yards and five touchdowns last year. The offensive line also returns four starters, so there is little reason to believe that the offense cannot continue to be extremely effective.
Weaknesses:
That is assuming they can replace quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert split Mizzou early to head to the NFL and the spring race came down to his younger brother Tyler Gabbert and former backup James Franklin. The younger Gabbert transferred after the spring, putting an end to that little quarterback battle. Franklin has taken control of the offense and is trying to make it his own. He was used a little bit last year as a change of pace quarterback on short yardage plays, but that is about the extent of his experience. Franklin is a better rusher than Gabbert and is more like Brad Smith. The problem on the other side of the ball is the secondary. While there is plenty of talent to go around, there is hardly any experience. Strong safety Kenji Jackson is the only returning starter and the Tigers must replace relatively productive corners Kevin Rutland and Carl Gettis and free safety Jarrell Harrison, who ranked third on the team in tackles in 2010. Missouri hopes to find more speed and athleticism out of the new group in the secondary, but in the Big 12 there is not much time to adjust when it comes to the passing game.
The Bottom Line:
The defensive line will make things easier for the secondary. Even without Aldon Smith, this is a great line which should get consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Brad Madison and Jacquies Smith tallied 7.5 and 5.5 sacks, respectively, last season. With Terrell Resonno and Dominique Hamilton returning to the middle of the line, the Tigers have a great line that should spark the entire defense. Adding highly touted junior college transfer Sheldon Richardson to the middle of the line is a huge deal and the depth and talent of the line will hold this defense together. The only question remaining is whether or not Franklin is ready to take over this team as a sophomore.
Projected Bowl: Insight Bowl
2010 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 156.38 (57th in nation, 6th in conference)
Passing Offense: 253.23 (33, 6)
Total Offense: 409.62 (35, 6)
Scoring Offense: 29.85 (43, 8)
Rushing Defense: 152.92 (62, 6)
Pass Defense: 203.46 (37, 3)
Total Defense: 356.38 (47, 3)
Scoring Defense: 16.08 (6, 1)
Turnover Margin: .85 (15, 3)
Sacks: 2.85 (9, 1)
Sacks Allowed: 1.69 (46, 6)
Madness 2012 NFL Draft Rankings:
#52 Michael Egnew
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