College Football

[ozark trout fisher]

I just don't know what Arkansas was trying to do yesterday. This is a team that runs the ball behind a massive OL and slowly wears you down. They are NOT a team that should be throwing 52 passes under any circumstances. I know their OL was playing poorly and the run game wasn't working...but you can't go that far away from your identity and expect to be successful. If they stuck with it I have to think that Toledo's DL would have worn down. This is why I think they'll be more or less okay long term, unless they somehow can't regain 2014's identity. Wouldn't be surprised if this loss is the difference between a 7 win season and a 8-9 win season, but I still see them recovering as they start to play like Arkansas again.

Now Mizzou really can't run the football in their present configuration. The offensive line, while experienced, just isn't playing well. That might change, but for now what should be a strength just isn't. And I have no idea who's going to start at RB next week, but it very well could be someone with zero game experience. I actually don't think Mauk played poorly yesterday despite an awful stat line. With iffy receivers and no running game to speak of he had to do everything. He had nothing to work with and still almost singlehandedly created enough offense to win. It wasn't pretty, but no quarterback would have looked good for Mizzou last night.

The defense was very good, and only gave up 20 points because the running game couldn't keep Ark. State off the field. I've seen almost no reason to be concerned about that side of the ball. They should keep us in some SEC games that our offense will try to play us out of.

[Al Agnew]

Mauk made some stupid decisions, but overall I agree, he played a decent game, and made some huge plays when he needed to.  The offensive line is a mess right now.  The defense played one good half...the first half wasn't that great.  Gotta wonder whether Stewart or anybody else could do anything in the run game, because Witters can't seem to gain yards without big holes, and the o-line ain't opening big holes.  And Hansbrough's ankle sprain might turn into one of those nagging injuries that keeps him from being 100% for weeks.

The receivers are still dropping way too many balls.

But this was a perfect storm...decent team, playing in a newly remodeled stadium with a rowdy crowd and looking upon this game as a huge opportunity to make some noise; and Mizzou didn't want to play the game in the first place.  That receiver who caught the two touchdown passes, and the receiver who returned the kick-offs, are either real studs or played out of their minds. They couldn't stop the return guy, and those two touchdown catches were spectacular.

[stlfisher]

Kind of glad I was out to dinner for my wife's birthday during the game.  I taped the replay last night, but not sure I want to watch it.

Mauk for all his faults, and there are many, accounted for all but 60 yards of our offense.  Receivers have not been very good so far at all.  Offensive line has no excuse for being this bad. Pinkel described the running back situation as severe...that can't be good.

I think our defense is going to be great.

 

[stlfisher]

Hansborough is not listed on the depth chart for UCONN so he will be out this week.  We will need him back for Kentucky though.

[joeD]

This discussion is why college football is so enjoyable and frustrating and compelling to watch, despite the flaws (and they are many and serious) of the NCAA. Remember, they are just kids playing, our sons and daughters, despite narratives that claim otherwise. The closeness of so called "pushover" games should be a surprise to no one, as there are so many good athletes all over the country who don't go to "name" schools. Add smart coaches, and , the result is a lot of competitive sports programs that aren't on ESPN every week, yet make the college athletic landscape more interesting and viable. 

[ozark trout fisher]

If you are not a Mizzou fan I would stay far, far away from tomorrow's game against UConn. Chances are, Mizzou will win, but both defenses are pretty good, and both offenses (at least at the moment) are....not. I could easily see something like a 20-10 final score and an eyesore for everyone involved. And it's also within the realm of possibility that they could pull and Indiana. UConn is just good enough that they could beat a Mizzou team that's playing really poorly.But by really poorly I do mean even worse than last week. UConn probably isn't as good as Arkansas State, and this game is at home.

I can't get excited for this game, but I plan to be in the stands tomorrow to witness it in all its glory. To top it off is the 11 AM kick...which means if you are going to tailgate you basically need to be up and going by ~7:30 AM. Why do we always seem to get stuck with those? I could use a night game for a change (I know why that's not happening against UConn, but maybe SC or Florida?)

Ok, no more whining. Just win. I honestly don't care right now if it's 10-9 or 52-3. Just get to 3-0. Bonus points if we can get some yardage on the ground.

[stlfisher]

We should be fine. Can't imagine playing worse than last week and that was awful.

Just saw 4 mizzzou guys in a car accident, but does not seem serious. Beckner JR was the driver....seems rain related and again not serious.

[Justin Spencer]

6-2 at the half?  Hmmm....

[stlfisher]

Our offense is terrible....

[ozark trout fisher]

Well I went to the game and the weather was great, and had a good time with some friends... and well, we had more points than UConn after 4 quarters. It was ugly and not the kind I'll be rewatching on bored evenings in the offseason...but life is too short to get upset after wins.

For all I know, it might be our last in awhile. The schedule sets up in a way where we could easily be 3-4 before we know what hit us, and trying to salvage bowl hopes out of a season that we once had pretty high hopes for. Or this might be a bump on the road en route to a 10 win season and a trip to ATL. We don't know, and Gary Pinkel makes $4 million a year mostly by proving our assumptions dead wrong.

But the relevant statistic, at least for this evening? 3-0.