Mizzou Beats Illinois: Links and Reflections
by Bill C. on Sep 5, 2010 8:49 AM CDT
in Mizzou Football 2010
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Name that tune...
1. No Alarms and No Surprises, Please
Recent turmoil aside, I had one major reason for thinking Illinois might hang around a while in this game: the element of surprise.
While Illinois will likely struggle overall in 2010, they will have the element of surprise on their side the morning of September 4. Mizzou recruited Scheelhaase and probably has a decent idea of his skill set, but with a new offensive coordinator (one whose work last year was almost unscoutable, considering it came with a completely different type of quarterback), new quarterback, and mostly unknown receivers, Mizzou will have little clue what will be thrown at them. The element of surprise could be worth at least 10-14 points.
It probably goes without saying that Mizzou coaches had no way of knowing that Illinois was going to come out in basically a pistol-with-fullback formation, and it had them confounded for much of the first half. We'll dive into the numbers on Tuesday, but suffice it to say, those who complain about Gary Pinkel's inability to make second-half adjustments might need to find a new narrative. Mizzou has five comeback wins in their last 15 games, and as they got a handle on what Illinois was trying to do, they shut Illinois down.
I've made it clear in the past that I don't really believe in the concept of "second-half adjustments" (adjustments happen all game long, not just in the 15-20 minutes of halftime), but in the case of this game, where Mizzou coaches probably needed that locker room time to make sure the defense was all on the same page regarding how they would attack the Illinois offense, the term really applied. The Illini's first nine carries of the second half generated just 12 yards (and that doesn't include an Aldon Smith sack), and only two second-half carries generated more than five yards. The element of surprise (along with a couple of, um, shaky calls) was worth 13 first-half points, but Mizzou made Scheelhaase pass in the second half, and to say the least, it worked out to their advantage. Scheelhaase was 4-for-15 for 42 yards and two INTs after halftime.
2. I've Got Those Hap-Hap-Happy Feet
Blaine Gabbert has the pocket presence of a guy with a terrible offensive line. It still seems like he checks his first two options and, if they are covered, he panics and tucks the ball to run. Illinois was getting decent pressure in the first half, but as often as not, the pressure came when Gabbert fled the pocket. The passes he made were smart and accurate, and he improved in the second half, but his instincts before the pass still need work. It was his biggest weakness last season, and thus far, it is the same early this season.
3. The Test Is Over
All August, Dave Matter, Gabe Dearmond, etc., were telling anybody who would listen that T.J. Moe and, to a slightly lesser extent, Michael Egnew, were going to have a huge season. I told friends that while I tend to believe what Matter et al tell me, I needed to see with my own eyes that Moe wasn't going to suffer a killer drop or two. In my small sample size seeing Moe play (last year's Illinois and Furman games, this year's B&G game), he had at least one drop every time, and I couldn't shake the resulting paranoia.
Yeah, I'm officially no longer paranoid about Moe's hands. He was the perfect possession receiver today, and while the receiving corps' overall speed is less than we are used to (Wes Kemp had a reception-and-cutback in the first quarter that Danario Alexander, Jeremy Maclin, etc., would have taken to the house; he was tripped up from behind), we've got a couple of outstanding third-down weapons in Moe and Egnew. They combined for a rather ridiculous 23 catches and 161 yards. It was amazing watching Moe get right to the first-down marker (exactly five yards on 3rd-and-5, etc.). We've missed that. As Jerrell Jackson heals (he looked good in limited exposure), I think we will find that Mizzou has a handful of solid weapons. The explosiveness might be less than what we are accustomed to seeing, but the efficiency might be much improved.
Now we just need as much confidence on 3rd-and-3 as we have on 3rd-and-5 or 3rd-and-7.
Speaking of tests, the running backs more-or-less passed theirs as well. It didn't start well, but in the end Kendial Lawrence, De'Vion Moore and Henry Josey combined for 115 yards on 24 carries (4.8 per carry). Maybe Derrick Washington does a little better than that ... but not much better. Moore was the best of the bunch -- he ran much more fluid than Lawrence -- but I definitely want to see what Josey can do in the coming weeks. His one touch (a 10-yard run) was enticing.
4. I Believe in You
Just remember who has always been driving The Carl Gettis Treatment™'s bandwagon.
(Though I'm still ready for somebody to beat him out for the punt return job. He once again came up gimpy after a return. His injuries hurt Mizzou almost as much as Gabbert's last season.)
5. Kick It In Second Wind
In the first half, the linebackers looked lost to me. Illinois' one touchdown was the result of a cornerback blitz from Gettis; A.J. Jenkins was left free to roam across the middle, and nobody even came close to picking him up. The underneath pass was the only one Scheelhaase was able to consistently complete (at least in the first 30 minutes), and the linebackers appeared to be the primary culprits for that. But by the end of the game, Zaviar Gooden had begun to make plays, and Andrew Gachkar made a huge pass breakup in the fourth quarter.
More analysis coming this week. But now ... links!
We win!
- MUtigers.com: Mizzou Tops Illinois in Season Opener, 23-13
- The Trib: Tigers flatten Illini in opener
- KC Star: MU rallies past Illinois for 23-13 victory
- KC Star: Gabbert's brilliance outshines Missouri's problems
- Post-Dispatch: Mizzou closes out Arch Rivalry with win
- Post-Dispatch: Tigers 'dig deep' to beat Illinois
- KBIA Sports Extra: Missouri knocks off Illinois 23-13
- PowerMizzou: Sunday Grade Card
- Fox Sports MW: Mizzou rallies to defeat Illinois
- SB Nation: Missouri Rallies To Notch Sixth Straight Win Over Illinois, 23-13
- Chicago Tribune: Missouri rallies to top Illinois 23-13
Moe
- The Trib: Not bad for an opener
- The Missourian: T.J. Moe steps up for Missouri
- Post-Dispatch: Missouri's T.J. Moe has big day at the Dome
- ESPN.com (David Ubben): Another star born for Missouri
Second-Half Team
- The Trib: MU displays its toughness in second half
- The Missourian: Missouri seizes second-half momentum against Illinois
- Post-Dispatch: Mizzou adjusts, fires up and rallies to victory
- Decatur Herald-Review: A new approach at half
Big 'D'
- The Missourian: Gettis' interception helps Missouri secure first win
- The Trib: Scheelhaase undaunted by struggles
- Post-Dispatch: Mizzou's Gettis plays key role
- Post-Dispatch: Mizzou dazzles on defense
- PowerMizzou: Defense dominates in win
- KC Star: MU's defense strong in second half of 23-13 win over Illinois
Multimedia
- Photos
KBIA Sports Extra: PHOTO GALLERY: Missouri 23, Illinois 13
The Trib: Slide Show: MU 23, Illinois 13
PowerMizzou: Missouri vs Illinois photos - Video
KBIA Sports Extra: VIDEO: Aldon Smith after Missouri's Arch Rivalry win
KBIA Sports Extra: VIDEO: Gabbert praises receivers, defense
KBIA Sports Extra: VIDEO: Gettis' postgame interview
KBIA Sports Extra: VIDEO: Yost's postgame comments
PowerMizzou: PMTV: Mizzou beats Illinois
PowerMizzou: PMTV: Mizzou post-game vs Illinois
And by the way, to Mac Engel, author of the "Gary Pinkel Needs to Stop Taking Stupid Pills" post on the Dallas Morning News college sports blog, try putting down the Dickish pills and picking up the Professional pills. I'm sure you said the exact same thing about Mack Brown when Colt McCoy was taking hits on short gains, right?
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This
Also, I have a man crush on TJ Moe. No use hiding it.
until you are so nude
by s dub on Sep 5, 2010 9:53 AM CDT reply actions 5 recs
I tweted my Moe mancrush midway through the third
good lord it felt good to see the team step up in the second half.
awesome
Dr. Ausgiano schools me in the classroom and on the field of battle
by MarioVanPeebles Republic of China on Sep 5, 2010 11:16 AM CDT up reply actions
To echo a few thoughts:
-Mac Engel is the second-best sportswriter in his own marriage, so there’s probably no use paying attention to him.
-The coaches did not unleash Jerrell Jackson (understandable) but when they do (read: are able to), I like the chances of Jackson/Moe becoming a very nice duo.
-Moore needs to be the starter. And if you’ve read this blog, you know how difficult that is for me to admit.
-Gabbert has GOT to start trusting his offensive line. Or, stop dancing. Either way, the most overwhelming pressure on Gabbert is the phantom pressure.
-North Dakota State 6, Kansas 3.
"Don’t want to spend my night waiting in line unless it’s for more beer."
--EssBee, on LoneStarBall, Jan. 21, 2010
by ghtd36 on Sep 5, 2010 10:12 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
His wife is a caricature of a sportswriter as it is
All your visions of uninformed sportswriters that have opinions only so that you will react to them shine in Jen Engel. Her radio show was a train wreck I couldn’t turn off.
Apparently...
Mr. Vishwanat from Getty Images didn’t bother to fact check his caption.
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Ha...
…I didn’t even catch that.
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ZOMG HE'S BACK!
Double-secret probation!
"Don’t want to spend my night waiting in line unless it’s for more beer."
--EssBee, on LoneStarBall, Jan. 21, 2010
by ghtd36 on Sep 5, 2010 10:27 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Is anyone else a little giddy about our defense?
I’m especially loving this 4-DE D-line (mecha-scorpion?) set on 3rd and long. And was it just me, or were we in a 3-4 set occasionally? It didn’t happen too frequently, but there were definitely a few times where a LB came up on one side, and the DE on the other side picked his hand up. God, I hope we’re actually this good.
I know we’re not always going to be playing a true freshman QB, but still.
I’m also pretty satisfied with our offense. I know we didn’t look as explosive as I’d hoped we would, but if we play every half like we did the second half yesterday, I’ll be pretty satisfied. I’m guessing a big part of the hiccups were just because we had no tape whatsoever, and I think it’s to Blaine’s credit that he settled down in the second half once he seemingly figured out what was going on.
Short version, I’m glad we won, and I’m glad we’ve got a few games here against patsies to work out some of the kinks.
Making fun of the "Mizzou Needs a Fullback" Club since...well, for a while, anyway.
I'm feeling pretty darn good about everything today
As for the O, sure, Gabbert had a case of the happy feet. But it seems like we have two really good slot options; Moore and Josey ran rally well (small sample size for Josey, of course); Lawrence showed a little burst; the O-line opened some decent holes; and we have three tuneup games before CU to let Jackson get healthy.
Gabbert did not look comfortable at all on those couple of option plays, but the option relies 100 percent on timing, and he was running it with Lawrence and Moore, whom I have to think didn’t get nearly the reps that Washington would have. I don’t mind having him go on a few designed runs per game, but they need to tune that up.
The defense … I liked seeing more press coverage. I’m officially on the Carl Gettis Treatment bandwagon. Aldon is a monster; what else can you say? How many DEs can actually spy on a mobile qb the way he was in the second half?
Plus, it’s a beautiful cool fall day; we’re hanging out with friends and barbecuing later; and I have Labor Day off for the first time in a long time.
And, this
by jschooltiger on Sep 5, 2010 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions
Welcome aboard.
I’m officially on the Carl Gettis Treatment bandwagon
Don’t let it get too crowded. Bill and I got used to being able to stretch out.
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I'm a pretty skinny guy
although there are large quantities of beer and ribs in my future the next two days
by jschooltiger on Sep 5, 2010 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions
Bring some for the bandwagon.
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I was a little impressed by the D as well...
But we gotta remember this was Illinois we were playing. They’re largely an unknown, so maybe Scheelhaas really will turn it on and the Illini are bowl bound, but this is a team that won 3 games last year and lost a boatload of talent. I’d be concerned if the D couldn’t hold them to under 20 points. And I’m concerned that our O could only put 23 up on them.
I think we’ve got a lot of improvement to do before we can think about that 6-0 record going into the OU game. If we see 2nd half Mizzou the rest of the year, that’s very doable. But if we see a half similar to the first in College Station, I don’t think that’ll be possible.
We started slow in several games last year, which is frustrating
that said, once we got rolling I really liked the offensive tempo in the second half. We were really able to hurry it up.
I guess my optimism about the D is based on two things:
1. We took a completely unknown offense with a dual-threat QB and shut it down after halftime, proving (once again) that Steckel can and will adjust.
2. We just seem to have more pure athleticism on the D than I can remember having for awhile (especially on the D-line and secondary)
by jschooltiger on Sep 5, 2010 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions
Brief thoughts...
I was drinking in the bar with an Aggie, so I don’t remember much.
I thought Gettis played a heck of a game. I missed the punt return, but his pass defense and tackling looked great, not to mention downing the punt at the 1 yard line.
Aldon Smith was everywhere. The announcers were raving about his closing speed.
I think we will be okay at running back. Did Josey remind anyone of Temple?
Gabbert doesn’t step up INTO the pocket. When he runs out of the pocket, he runs right into the opponent’s DE, who disengages from the tackle and pursues unblocked. Hoch and Fisher were holding the DE’s out… if Gabbert steps up into the pocket he would have been fine. I could understand if he was 6’ tall, but he’s a friggin stork.
Please don’t do many more Gabbert designed runs.
"When among evil companions, try to fit in." - Wild Bill Donovan
Gabbert designed runs looked pretty good last year
Even with the injury. Remember our one touchdown against Nebraska, or the multiple long runs he broke out? The option pitch has looked anemic to say the least, but I could do with some more zone read plays.
Shaky start, good finish.
I like the defense most of the time. All in all not too bad for a first game.
Gettis’ bandwagon needs to be bigger.
Dr. Ausgiano schools me in the classroom and on the field of battle
by MarioVanPeebles Republic of China on Sep 5, 2010 11:17 AM CDT reply actions
My thoughts from the stands
1. Gabbert happy feet really is a problem. Dude—you’re built like an oak tree—stand tall in the pocket.
2. Obviously have to be happy with the play of the defense—especially A Smith in the 3rd quarter and Gettis in the 4th. Those guys won the game. But, we have to remember this is Illinois, and frankly I think Illinois is going to be awful. That QB is talented, but he just isn’t ready yet.
3. The 4-DE sets were obviously a nice situational adjustment, but it kind of worries me that we had to make it. Going small and quick isn’t going to work against good teams with good offensive lines—our tackles have to step up if we’re going to make the jump from just another bowl team to something better than that.
4. I was really happy with how Egnew played. And he should have had a TD in the first half—he was all by himself in the end zone on a 3rd down incompletion, and Gabbert just never saw him.
5. Have to like the toughness of the team. They were not phased at all by playing a truly ugly first half, and in the second half they got focused and got it done. That said, if we play like this all year on offense, 8 wins is probably the ceiling. We’ve got to find a way to get more big plays.
by Professor Chaos on Sep 5, 2010 12:03 PM CDT reply actions
Disagree on 5 about the big plays.
What we were missing last year was a possession receiver, a guy that we could count on to get the 5 and 10 yard catches when we desperately needed them. In Egnew and Moe, we’ve got them. We may not have the breakaway threat (though we might in J Jackson), but I think a more consistent offense will give us a better chance this year in our toughest games (ATM, OU, NU, TTU).
"I have CDO. It's like OCD, but the letters are in alphabetical order. Like they should be."
All I care about is moving the chains
If Mizzou only scores 20 points a game and wins, I’m fine with that.
Gabbert runs
On third and short type plays I wanted more of Gabbert just pounding it up the middle. Last year we had that play where he ran up to the line, snapped it and dove forwards for a few yards. Where is something like that? Thats a pretty high execution play for short yardage downs. Are they protecting the ankle?
Also, the option sucked. Period.
Good game though.
That sneak
is something he has the discretion to call, but they would generally only do it on very short yardage. It’s not something he calls so that the rest of the offense would know about it; he basically just signals the center to snap. Or so one of my friends on the O-line says.
Outsider's opinion that you probably don't care about
But what the hell, I watched the whole game.
+I was impressed that Mizzou just quietly took over the game. Nothing especially dramatic, but halfway through the 3rd quarter there was very little doubt in my mind about the outcome.
+Mizzou’s defense looked fast and athletic, and Smith is an outstanding player. I’ll reserve further judgment until you guys play a team that has a more diverse offense, however.
-Offensive line play must get better. Gabbert should not be getting pressured and a team like Mizzou should not struggle on the ground against a poor defensive unit. Take it from a Husker fan: mediocre line play WILL lead to mediocre offensive play, and that is something Mizzou can’t afford in Big 12 play.
But again, it was a very nice comeback from being down 10 at the half, and the second half was utterly dominated by the Tigers. I think this will be the North’s best year in a long, long time. ISU, KSU, and CU all had impressive debuts, so that leaves KU as the only true doormat of the division.
"My hardest job is to convince the people of Nebraska that 10-1 is not a losing season." - Tom Osborne
Good feedback...
The defense is maturing. The athleticism has been there, particularly in the secondary but it’s hard even for die hard Tiger fans to remember how young the defense is. We make the adjustment for Gabbert, but often forget to allot the defense room for growing pains.
Offensive line has to get better… at run blocking. I felt like the pass pro looked fine. Gabs created most of his own pressure, and that really concerns me going forward. Good, creative coordinators will know how to spook him and make him think there’s more pressure than there really is. The line, for its part, was adequate in opening lanes I thought. Definite room for improvement.
"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin
On the O-line
I thought they played very well. As many have commented, Gabbert created some of his own pressure by not stepping up into the pocket. There were a few breakdowns on running plays, but only Kendial seemed to have difficulty finding a seam on a consistent basis.
run to the hole
Klaw’s biggest problem is that he misses the holes that are there and takes too many hits square. He won’t last the year running like that. Moore did a much better job finding the holes. The Oline was fine but Gabbert made them look bad by repeatedly running into the outside pressure.
reality check: OU by 7 over Utah State at home. Ole Miss loses to Jacksonville State at home, Florida struggles with Miami of Ohio at home and last but not least NDS 6 Jayhackers 3 at home.
And the other ones?
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To be honest I only knew the first one (and I love me some radiohead, so I approved of the first one too)… but the Google Fu is strong with me:
1) no alarms.
2) Happy feet
4) I Believe in You (I assume you don’t mean the one’s by Celine, Amanda Marshal, Kylie Minogue, or the Lion King)
I was aiming for Dylan with #4...
…but yes…well done. Especially on #3.
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i've been reading a lot of posters (both here and elsewhere)
saying how gabbert has happy feet. happy feet this, and happy feet that. the guy must have been a penguin in a former life? i didn’t get to watch the game, so i have no idea. the radio guys didn’t say anything i remember about happy feet. can i expect a patented “the masses have a common complaint so i’m going to go mythbusters on them and debunk their theory” piece by bill or rpt? this whole topic has got my curiosity piqued to a point where i wish i could watch a replay of the game. it just reeks of “THEYREFUSETORUNTHEBALL” all over again.
OK gang, you know the rules, no humping, no licking, no sniffing hineys. -Harry Dunne
No. I was there.
He felt pressure when there was still time. It’s fine. He managed a way out every time except for the sack. The TD pass to Moe was an example but he’s like freaking Pony Boy.
Whoever said, 'It's not whether you win or lose that counts,' probably lost.
Martina Navratilova
by tigers and chiefs fan on Sep 5, 2010 5:15 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
The tailgate consensus yesterday...
… was that it was very reminiscent of his pocket presence in the Bowling Green game last season.
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by RPT on Sep 5, 2010 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions
The difference, of course...
…is that we’re the ones spreading the complaint in the first place. Wouldn’t make a lot of sense for us to mythbust ourselves.
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sure you could.
call it “on second thought”. ;-)
OK gang, you know the rules, no humping, no licking, no sniffing hineys. -Harry Dunne
Um...
then you take advantage of your blockers and step up in the pocket to gain a few more seconds. Then if you need to escape you can do it by moving forward instead of backward. Plus it definitely gives you more time than running directly into the path of the DE.
"I have CDO. It's like OCD, but the letters are in alphabetical order. Like they should be."
To add a little bit to that
the job of our tackles is to keep the defensive end on the outside. This is what creates the “pocket”. If the quarterback doesn’t step up into the pocket then there is no reason to create one in the first place. I remember specifically twice when the tackles did their job and Gabbert wanted to scramble out where the DE was anyway. He has to learn to trust his line to protect him. In return he will have more time to throw the ball and his feet will be set when he does throw it.
I think he played to much NCAA
and wanted to just roll out all the time.
Finds MvP RoC to be a stellar individual
Game film.
I’ll bet when Gabbert sees the film he’ll calm down. The OL was greatboth in pass blocking and run blocking! Moore averaged 4.9 per carry!
"Every absurdity has a champion to defend it" Olivar Goldsmith
You know, it’s like when you first learn to ski your instincts tell you to lean backwards when you actually have to lean down the hill so that your weight distributes over the whole ski… but your lizard brain doesn’t believe that the skis won’t let you fall over face first, so you always want to lean back.
I worry that if he’s a sophmore college QB and he still can’t overcome his lizard brain on this one, that he needs to step into the breach rather than skirt away from it… Well that’s not an easy fix, and even if he starts to get the hang of it, good coaches are going to find ways of pushing his buttons to use this against him.
He's actually a junior
Second year starter though.
Last year the line wasn’t as good as it is this year (more experienced now). Also, I saw Gabbert play all throughout high school. His offensive line was TERRIBLE. He was basically the whole team.
Once he gets accustomed to having a clean pocket . . .
. . . to step into, the man is going to be an awesome downfield threat – which, of course, opens up everything else. I’m starting to drool just thinking about it.
i like where your head's at.
but who are our deep threat receivers going to be? we don’t have the speed we’ve had in the past.
OK gang, you know the rules, no humping, no licking, no sniffing hineys. -Harry Dunne
we dont have to many burners but if gabbert gets some time throwing to 6'4 lucas and sasser will be quite entertaining.
Great Odin's Raven I love Mike "The Predator" Dixon!
If the quarterback gets a little time . . .
. . . the receivers don’t have to be burners, they just have to learn to get separation with good routes, and then catch the ball.
Yeah, if the QB gets no time then you need burners or nobody will have time to get downfield at all (and Chase Daniel never had much because he threw slower passes too – so lots of anticipating). If Gabbert can stand around in the pocket and then belt balls down the field with his rocket launcher, then your receivers can be more flexible about how they go about business.
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