I just can't tell you how much I was hoping to write a Mizzou-Texas Tech preview this week.  But instead of moping around about it, it's on to the numbers!

Thoughts after the jump...

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Quick programming note--I'm thinking the OU-MU BTBS preview won't be up until tomorrow...

MAILBAG!!!

mizzouman99 asks: It's obvious that Matt Eberflus isn't going anywhere this off-season. With the recent struggles of the defense this season you have to think this coaching staff has to point to the scheme we are using as one of the key problems.

What do you think the chances are that Coach Pinkel calls for wholesale changes to the defensive scheme in the off-season, similar to the way we changed to the spread offense in 2005? Do you think there is a scheme that would help the effectiveness of our blitzing that they might consider due to the athleticism we have coming in the underclassmen?

I don't know if you'll see wholesale changes, but there have to be adjustments certainly. We've talked about the defense ad nauseum and the bottom line was it didn't play up to its potential. How much of that is the fault of the players and how much the scheme and the coaching? I don't know the answer to that, but I think it's priority number one in the off-season to figure it out.

Again, Eberflus = Pinkel.  Eberflus is only executing the Pinkel philosophy.  He's not going anywhere, nor does he need to.  They tinker with the on offense and defense very year.  Sometimes the adjustments work, sometimes they don't.  The defensive adjustments they made this season (discussed at least somewhat in yesterday's roundtable) didn't work, though again--this is still an average to above average defense in a ridiculously offense-oriented conference.

I may change my mind about this later, but if we end up playing a Northwestern or somebody like that in the Alamo Bowl, I have the feeling we'll be blown away by how athletic and fast our defense looks after getting used to seeing some of the Big 12 offenses we played against this year.

(BIIIIIIIIIG TWWWWELLLLLLVE SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED.)

Still annoyed by the coaches' All-Big 12 team?  The AP team is out soon (ballots were due Sunday)--here's Dave Matter's ballot.  And yes, I'd have linked to this even if he'd picked Gresham over Coffman...

Today's OU Links!

• Dave Matter: Behind the Numbers
• The Missourian: Eyes in Texas will be upon Missouri (as exemplified by the number of UT applications for the Mizzou Fan Visa)
• The Missourian: Tiger defense examines struggles
• Post-Dispatch: Daniel sees mistake-free performance against Oklahoma (here's to hoping...)
• Post-Dispatch: Sam Bradford a special QB for Oklahoma
• PowerMizzou: Tiger offense will have to start fast
• PowerMizzou: Attacking the OU D
• PowerMizzou: Powered Up: Anatomy of an Upset
• Tulsa World: Missouri's Maclin displays excellence (what a weird headline--I looked at it and saw "Missouri's Maclin pisses excellence" at first)
• Tulsa World: Sooners' BCS lead over UT isn't safe
• Daily Oklahoman: OU has Chase Daniel's number
• Daily Oklahoman: OU's DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown are chasing after Big 12 history

Toledo has made its choice, and it is indeed a Big 12 defensive coordinator.  It's Tim Beckman, whose absence I'm thinking could make a huge difference at OSU.  I was tremendously impressed with Beckman's performance this year.

Finally...man, do I love rumors.  After Broderick Green listed Mizzou as a possible transferring-from-USC destination a while back, now apparently Vidal Hazelton has as well. Hazelton has just one catch since USC's season opener against Virginia (he's been nagged by injuries)--he had 50 catches for 540 yards and 4 TDs last year.

Hazelton initially went to high school in Staten Island, and Rutgers is the closest school to Staten Island on his list (MU, Rutgers, Tech), so you have to figure they're the safest bet, but...you know...I'd still take my chances if he wanted to come here.

...we can add another Winter tradition to the list: Mizzou tight ends getting screwed over by the Big 12 coaches.

That's right, the Coaches' All-Big 12 awards have been announced.

1st-Team Mizzou players

WR Jeremy Maclin
DL Ziggy Hood
LB Sean Weatherspoon
DB William Moore (unanimous)
PK Jeff Wolfert

2nd-Team Mizzou players

RB Derrick Washington
TE Chase Coffman
OL Kurtis Gregory
DL Stryker Sulak

Honorable Mention

QB Chase Daniel
WR Tommy Saunders
OL Tim Barnes
OL Colin Brown
DL Jaron Baston
LB Brock Christopher
DB Castine Bridges (?)
DB Justin Garrett (??)
KR/PR Jeremy Maclin

I realize it's hard to complain too much--a few years ago, it was amazing to see a handful of second-teamers in Mizzou uniforms, much less nine on the 1st- and 2nd-team--and I realize that Jermaine Gresham is by all means a helluva tight end, but...come on.  Not only is Chase Coffman the best tight end in the conference, he's the best tight end I've ever seen.

Then again, this tells you everything you need to know about the validity of these stupid exercises:

* Justin Garrett = honorable mention all-conference
* Carl Gettis = not

Good god, what a waste of time.  Sorry I even acknowledged this with a post.

South Division

Game-Changing Stats

• Pass Offense (particularly success rates)
• Q1 Offense
• Offensive Points Per Play
• Q2 Defense

Top Ranks

#1: Offensive 3rd Down Passing S&P+
#1: Defensive Q4 Rushing S&P+
#2: Offensive Redzone Passing S&P+
#2: Defensive 3rd Down Line Yards+, Defensive Q4 Line Yards+

Bottom Ranks

#126: Offensive Q1 Line Yards+
#107: Defensive Q2 Passing S&P+
#87: Offensive 2nd Down Line Yards+
#77: Offensive Q4 Rushing S&P+

Remember back in 2005, when OU's offensive line was a complete and total disaster?  Injuries, defections, disappointment...for a number of reasons, the depth was poor, the luck was bad, and lots of freshmen were moving in and out of the starting lineup.  The O-line was OU's biggest hindrance, and OU went from back-to-back national title game appearances to a 7-4 record and Holiday Bowl bid.

There's a plus-side to all that lineup shuffling and youth: two or three years later, your O-line is going to be unbelievable.  Duke Robinson (senior), Phil Loadholt (senior--though he's a JUCO transfer), Jon Cooper (senior), Brandon Walker (senior), and Branndon Braxton (senior) make up probably the best, most experienced offensive line in the country.  They average 6'5, 317, they've combined for 130 career starts, and they form a fortress around sophomore QB Sam Bradford.  As rptgwb suggested the other day, we really have no idea how good Bradford is or will be because the line has made his job really easy.  He was sacked all of once a game last year.  I'm usually skeptical of sophomore QBs who did a little too well their freshman years (cough cough Colt McCoy cough), but...I have no reason to think Bradford's performance will suffer much.

If (if) there's an Achilles Heel on the offense, it's the fact that Malcolm Kelly is gone.  Juaquin Iglesias, Manny Johnson and Quentin Chaney (all seniors) make up quite an experienced WR unit, but Kelly was the #1 threat.  Iglesias has thrived as the #2 guy (he even caught 19 more passes than Kelly in '07), but when you prepared for OU the last couple years, you prepared knowing that you had to shut Kelly down first and foremost.  If Iglesias is facing everybody's #1 CB, will his production suffer?  Meanwhile, Johnson and Chaney have repeatedly showed flashes of big-time ability, but they have yet to produce consistently.  I've heard really good things from my inside source*, however, about RSFr Ryan Broyles.  He's a little guy (6'0, 170) who's doing great things as a slot WR/waterbug.  You never know in advance how guys who look good in practice will look in a game, but keep your eye out for him.  If he's a reliable underneath threat, that opens things up for Johnson and Chaney (and Adron Tennell) to succeed in the "Go long, and I'll find you a couple times a game" role.

* Backup TE Trent Ratterree is the little brother of my high school best friend, so naturally my high school best friend is taking advantage of this and going to every possible practice and scrimmage.

I haven't said a word about OU's RBs and TEs because, well, it's in pretty good hands there.  DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown make for a nice quickness/toughness combo (and they'll look twice as good running behind that O-line), and Jermaine Gresham will catch 50 passes and go pro after '08...opening the door for my boy Ratterree to get some quality PT in '09.

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