Mizzou

[hank franklin]

Ah Mizzou. I do credit all you fans for continuing to believe in a mirage. I've seen nothing in these first few games that makes me believe we'll do anything but get killed in the SEC.

[ozark trout fisher]

Ah Mizzou. I do credit all you fans for continuing to believe in a mirage. I've seen nothing in these first few games that makes me believe we'll do anything but get killed in the SEC.

Have you watched any Tennessee, Kentucky, or Vanderbilt games this year? Yep, all of their 49-14 losses have been super impressive. We have no chance.

[Al Agnew]

Again...what gives me hope is that their offense is probably twice as good this year as last year, given all the injuries they had in the line and at quarterback, plus they couldn't find anybody who could snap the ball. Their defense is maybe a little worse than last year, but not too much. They have a somewhat better offensive coordinator. And last year, first year in the SEC, starting from scratch in a new league, they won two and were in two or three others. So unless all those other SEC teams also got a lot better from last year, I think they should win 2-3 games, and have a chance at a couple more. I'm still thinking they'll end up 7-5, maybe 8-4. Worst case, 6-6. The lower tier SEC teams ain't that good.

[Chief Grey Bear]

OTF

Chief I have no idea what your point is to the reference. Missing the 1 and 2 level Missouri high school players and snaring the 3rd and 4th levels doesn't help the players, not many of them will ever be NFL bound, but it doesn't help MU like the top recruits would. Look at Dorial Green-Beckham, top of the national class and helps as a freshman, but it was a big surprise that he stayed home.

My point is those 3 and 4kids want to play on Sunday too. No matter their ranking all of them want to play in the NFL. College is but a stepping stone. The tigers have done very well sending kids to the NFL. The NFL scouts must see something the posters on this thread don't. How are those last two Heisman Trophy winners to come out of OU doing?

[ozark trout fisher]

Again...what gives me hope is that their offense is probably twice as good this year as last year, given all the injuries they had in the line and at quarterback, plus they couldn't find anybody who could snap the ball. Their defense is maybe a little worse than last year, but not too much. They have a somewhat better offensive coordinator. And last year, first year in the SEC, starting from scratch in a new league, they won two and were in two or three others. So unless all those other SEC teams also got a lot better from last year, I think they should win 2-3 games, and have a chance at a couple more. I'm still thinking they'll end up 7-5, maybe 8-4. Worst case, 6-6. The lower tier SEC teams ain't that good.

I agree, 6-6 would feel like quite the disappointment after how we've looked. This weekend at Vandy is massive. Win that and 8 wins seem like pretty close to a lock, with something like 9-3 or 10-2 and SEC east contention starting to look pretty likely. Lose and it's probably a 7-5 type season, with Kentucky and Tennessee still looking like solid wins but everything else pretty questionable.

[Wayne SW/MO]

My point is those 3 and 4kids want to play on Sunday too. No matter their ranking all of them want to play in the NFL. College is but a stepping stone. The tigers have done very well sending kids to the NFL. The NFL scouts must see something the posters on this thread don't. How are those last two Heisman Trophy winners to come out of OU doing?

Of course they want to play, but are you saying that Missouri should concentrate on allowing less skilled players play on Saturday? There will always be sleepers who play for D-1 teams and then shine on Sunday, there high school grads playing on Sunday. My point was and is that being loaded with 2 and 3 star players without a good number of 4's and maybe a 5 or two is not where Mizzou should be.

OB's Well White had knees that wouldn't pass the NFL physical and Bradford was still starting last I knew. So I guess you could say that after running about 47-8 for OU they were good recruits, along with the other 2 Heisman winners in that decade.

[Chief Grey Bear]

I'm not saying that's what they should do but it is obviously working for them. And for a bunch of mediocre kids there sure are a bunch of them from the tigers of move on to the NFL and they're starting too.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I guess that is where we differ, I don't care whether the players can move to the NFL. I do know that the ratings are for a guide and are an opinion. It still comes down to recruiting and it takes some skill to get the players that will fit into the game plan. I'm disapointed that Pinkel didn't seem to cash in on the run in the Big 12. Pinkel is undoubtedly a good field coach, even and an above average one, but if he's going to compete in the SEC, he needs a good dose of 4 and 5 stars.

Pinkel is fighting a tradition of a team that might not be an easy victory for OU and NU, but after being a real threat, where are the big names beyond Beckham? You have to have the big play makers to make the difference when it gets tight. IMO!!

Nothing can be said to water down the fact that OU and NB with a combined population less than Missouri constantly to the Tigers to the woodshed. Neither of those teams had any advantage at the start, they built it from scratch.

[ozark trout fisher]

where are the big names beyond Beckham?

James Franklin has a top 15 QBR in the country, and is almost certainly the best duel threat in the conference who hasn't won a Heisman. Henry Josey, Marcus Murphy, and Russell Hansborough (who is terribly underrated) form one of the best running back trios in the SEC. LaDamian Washington and Marcus Lucas are supremely talented receivers. E.J. Gaines is one of the best cornerbacks in the SEC. Kony Ealy is emerging as a force on the defensive line. I can keep going for a little while if you want but this team has great top end talent. Depth is the only real concern but it's still better than last year.

Green-Beckham is a great deep threat. But here are those recruiting rankings emerging again.....he's not even the best player on our team right now IMO, though he may be the best NFL talent. But the guy who we should be thanking the most for a 4-0 start is QB #1. Guy has been through it and it makes me incredibly happy to see him play well. I hope it continues and not just because it will lead to wins.

[Al Agnew]

I guess that is where we differ, I don't care whether the players can move to the NFL. I do know that the ratings are for a guide and are an opinion. It still comes down to recruiting and it takes some skill to get the players that will fit into the game plan. I'm disapointed that Pinkel didn't seem to cash in on the run in the Big 12. Pinkel is undoubtedly a good field coach, even and an above average one, but if he's going to compete in the SEC, he needs a good dose of 4 and 5 stars.

Pinkel is fighting a tradition of a team that might not be an easy victory for OU and NU, but after being a real threat, where are the big names beyond Beckham? You have to have the big play makers to make the difference when it gets tight. IMO!!

Nothing can be said to water down the fact that OU and NB with a combined population less than Missouri constantly to the Tigers to the woodshed. Neither of those teams had any advantage at the start, they built it from scratch.

Wayne, I agree that to consistently stay among the top teams in college football, you have to be able to get those 4 and 5 star players. And I too was a little disappointed that Pinkel wasn't able to start getting more of them after those two or three years of success in the Big 12. But to expect Mizzou to be able to recruit those 4 and 5 star kids consistently, no matter who the coach and recruiters are, is unrealistic. Success begats success...or to put it another way, the rich get richer and the poor stay poor. Oklahoma and Nebraska were top teams for a long time, Mizzou wasn't. So OK and NB were always able to steal top talent from Missouri because very few kids being recruited by the big boys want to go to a loser. You have to go back a LONG way to see where Oklahoma and Nebraska started...it seems like they were always good. Mizzou wasn't consistently good for more than 30 years. Heck, they weren't even consistently mediocre.