Mizzou Links, 11-3-09

by Bill C. on Nov 3, 2009 5:56 AM CST in News

Okay, I hate to do this, but this is driving me absolutely crazy:

I hate people who don't know when to use something that actually works.

That stubbornness almost cost Missouri the ball game Saturday. Had it not been for the defense, Colorado would've kept the second half momentum going and the Tigers would've suffered one of the worst meltdowns of the year.

Missouri's ground game set the in the first half. Tailbacks junior Derrick Washington, sophomore De'Vion Moore and freshman Kendial Lawrence scorched the Buffalo defense for runs we Tiger fans have been craving all year. Seriously, we had all but given up on the running game. It was starting to look like the Texas Tech offense: Pass 50 to 60 times a game and run for five, most of which are for two yards or less.

And yet, with all the evidence the coaching staff needed as to how Missouri could put the game away, coach Gary Pinkel and offensive coordinator David Yost refused to recognize the rushing attack and put the game in the hands of the suddenly-shoddy sophomore quarterback Blaine Gabbert, whose ankle soreness really seemed to flare up in the second half, despite his numerous attempts to dismiss any pain.

Missouri running backs: 37 carries
Blaine Gabbert: 29 passes

Missouri running backs in the fourth quarter (until the final field goal): 9 carries, 23 yards
Blaine Gabbert in the fourth quarter: 5 passes, 16 yards

THIS STUBBORNNESS THING HAS TO STOP. There was one play on Saturday in which Missouri should have run rather than passed--the third-and-2 slant to Jared Perry that was broken up. That's it. And that wasn't a mistake because a run would have worked--it probably wouldn't have; the only difference was, a run would have milked another 30 seconds off the clock And meanwhile, I think the coaches DID recognize the rushing attack: they recognized that it just didn't work after the first 20 minutes. And yet they kept going to it. Now THAT's stubbornness.

Missouri running backs through the first drive of the second quarter: 16 carries, 110 yards
Missouri running backs after the first drive of the second quarter: 21 carries, 65 yards

Whether it's this column or Mike Dearmond last week insisting that the run would work, but Pinkel wouldn't run because he's stubborn...my god, this has to stop. Please. The facts simply do not back up the narrative, and the narrative is becoming embarrassing. Mizzou is not passing too much, and the Mizzou running attack isn't clicking at a consistently high level yet.

Anyway...

Media Day Links!

MUtigers.com: OFFICIAL RELEASE
Perhaps Tiger coaches should just look for defensive linemen with the last name of Smith when they’re out on the recruiting trails. After all, the top two QB sack masters in Mizzou history are Brian Smith (31.5 sacks from 2003-06) and Justin Smith (22.5 sacks from 1998-2000).

Now, it’s turn for the next Smith to take his turn, and redshirt freshman Aldon Smith (no relation to Brian or Justin) is turning some heads in his first season of play. Heading into the Baylor contest, Smith ranks 9th in the NCAA in both QB sacks and tackles for loss. In the Big 12, he ranks 3rd in tackles for loss (1.63 avg.) and is 5th in the Big 12 in QB sacks (1.00 avg.). He’s got season totals of 13.0 tackles for loss and 8.0 QB sacks, and he’s coming off a monster game on Halloween day at Colorado, where he racked up 3.0 QB sacks (27 yards) and 4.0 tackles for loss (35 yards), on his 5-tackle day that included a pass break up.

Smith is the top freshman in the NCAA in QB sacks, with his per-game average of 1.00 (he’s actually tied with USC freshman DL Nick Perry who also has 8 sacks in 8 games so far). There’s not another freshman in the top-60 nationally other than those two.
MUtigers.com: Tigers Meet with the Media
The Trib (Dave Matter): Pinkel prepares Tigers for Game 2
The Trib (Dave Matter): Tigers Meet the Press
Some high praise from Pinkel for quarterback Blaine Gabbert, whose ankle continues to progress. "I've always said this: 'Great quarterbacks - and he's not a great quarterback yet - but if you want to be a quarterback of greatness, you've got to be a tenacious competitor and you've got to be mentally and physically tough as nails,' " Pinkel said. "If you lack in any one of those three areas, I don't care who you are, you'll never be a great quarterback. What he's showing me is his toughness. Look at Brett Favre the other night, any of the great ones. That what they do."
PowerMizzou: PMTV: Tiger Talk from Media Day
KC Star (Campus Corner): Blaine Gabbert's Toughness Convinces Pinkel; Luke Lambert to Have Surgery

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Comments

Whip it

Better than Ezra did the Whip It in full attire at the Blue Note during my sophomore or junior year. 1996 or 97, I think. The whole night was a little foggy though.

by Porkopolis on Nov 3, 2009 7:27 AM CST reply actions

Better Than Ezra: EXTREMELY underrated band

Went to see them at the Blue Note probably five or so years ago, and they were great. They sneak up on you—you know that you know some of their songs, but then you see them in concert and recognize every song they play. They’ve been around long enough to have charted a large handful of songs on adult alternative radio, and they’ve been touring long enough that they know how to put on a show.

Rock M Nation
Thrust nunchuk upward!

by Bill C. on Nov 3, 2009 7:44 AM CST up reply actions

Maybe you've just been around long enough to hear them all...

BAM! (Bam?)

Formerly known as Mizzou Grad

by Ausgiano on Nov 3, 2009 8:38 AM CST up reply actions

for no real reason...

Rock M Nation
Thrust nunchuk upward!

by Bill C. on Nov 3, 2009 8:45 AM CST up reply actions

I was there for that concert

Excellent performance

by cchstove on Nov 3, 2009 8:57 AM CST up reply actions

i've been a huge fan of bte since that show

it was halloween and they came out in the full devo gear and opened with whip it and workin in a coal mine. awesome. i’ve seen them 8 or 9 times since then, most recently in vegas last spring. always a good time. by the way, they have a new drummer now- 7 ft tall black dude.

by Wooderson on Nov 3, 2009 2:57 PM CST up reply actions

Has the layout changed?

I like it.

And thanks for dispelling the run meme.

"You get a lot of national exposure like that" Weatherspoon said. "Lot of people out there not really talking about the Tigers. . . . .You've got to go out there and get respect if you want it."

by tigers and chiefs fan on Nov 3, 2009 7:37 AM CST reply actions

It has indeed...

…usually changes like this have to grow on me for a while, but I’m kind of liking this one already.

Rock M Nation
Thrust nunchuk upward!

by Bill C. on Nov 3, 2009 7:43 AM CST up reply actions

Well, except for

The red stars all the “too lazy to put up an image” people get. I’m no pinko!

Formerly known as Mizzou Grad

by Ausgiano on Nov 3, 2009 8:38 AM CST up reply actions

Meh meh meh.

It’ll have to grow on me.

What do tigers dream of when they take a little tiger snooze? Do they dream of mauling zebras, or Halle Berry in her Catwoman suit?

by ghtd36 on Nov 3, 2009 9:17 AM CST up reply actions

I fear change

Will Ebners Hit Parade, Pain TV; Channel 32; All the time! (PDT)

by MarioVanPeebles Republic of China on Nov 3, 2009 11:53 AM CST up reply actions

I like it as well

as for the run meme, what do you expect from the ‘Eater? (No disrespect meant to RockMNation members, but a lot of their writers act like they’re Grantland Rice at 18 or 19.)

by jschooltiger on Nov 3, 2009 9:28 AM CST up reply actions

As a former beat writer...

… even I won’t disagree with you.

At least when UribeAuction was a columnist for The Maneater, he managed to piss off other fan bases (namely Texas Tech and Penn State) rather than his own.

http://www.RockMNation.com
Follow RMN on Twitter!

by RPT on Nov 3, 2009 10:32 AM CST up reply actions

Yeah...well, yeah.

Chicago White Sox Examiner — I wish I could cuss right now.

by UribeAuction on Nov 3, 2009 11:15 AM CST up reply actions

Wow - a blog catfight.

And aren’t they a bunch of hateful fuckers over there.

"You get a lot of national exposure like that" Weatherspoon said. "Lot of people out there not really talking about the Tigers. . . . .You've got to go out there and get respect if you want it."

by tigers and chiefs fan on Nov 3, 2009 12:28 PM CST up reply actions