Mizzou 58, Murray State 14: Grading the defense (results)

Judging by the grades, one would have thought Mizzou allowed 30 points and 400 yards.

Defensive Coordinator

Dave Steckel: 6.39

Comments:

?what happened in the 1st quarter, how did it change after that?

Adjustments! Before halftime! Sorcery!

FCS teams shouldn'T drive on FBS teams like that.

Gathered his troops after giving up 14 points early. As I've read elsewhere, it really seems to be a staple of a Steckel defense. They really do need to concentrate better stepping out on the field though.

glad to see he was able to adjust after some initial hornery-ness from the Racers

Good adjustments, but looks like there are surely some things to tune up as the competition increases. I'm not expert enough to have seen what the problem was, but the safeties looked out of sorts a few times. Defense didn't have that swarming quality that I expect from Mizzou D's.

Good in-game adjustments.

Great job on adjustments

He obviously said something or made some adjustment that made a difference.

He played with one arm tied behind his back and still only gave up 14 points

Made great adjustments after slow start.

Made the adjustments that were needed. Didn't call a perfect game but once he locked down the O in a death hold he didn't let go

Replace him.

Secondary needs better coaching

Seemed to me Steckel made some good adjustments and got the defense to stiffen after the first few series

Slow start, but loved the adjustments. He shut Murray State down after the first few drives.

started slow but made adjustments

Team was totally unprepared.

The defense was STIFLING after the first quarter

We didn't come out ready to play, but we adjusted and absolutely shut them down after the first three possessions.

Defensive Ends

Michael Sam: 6.84
Kony Ealy: 5.88
Shane Ray: 5.74
Markus Golden: 5.49
Brayden Burnett: 5.47

After they settled down (and after Ealy got chinese fire-drilled), they shut things down. But I expect bigger things from this group this year.

Ealy got embarrassed by Murray St on the 2nd touchdown and just seemed to quit on the play

Ealy probably should have had more QB hurries, but he did force an INT. Sam was disruptive

Got good pressure as the game wore on.

Other than a few QBHs they didn't have a huge impact.

Other than Ealy being made to look silly on that spin move he seemed to be in the QB's face. Every other DEnd seemed to hold down the fort

way more improvement needed.

where's the pressure?

Why didn't Kony Ealy record any sacks?

Defensive Tackles

Josh Augusta: 6.51
Matt Hoch: 5.89
Harold Brantley: 5.87
Lucas Vincent: 5.73
Marvin Foster: 5.49
Evan Winston: 5.32

Damn. We're hard on defensive tackles. Josh Augusta makes two TFLs in like 15 snaps and barely gets a 6.5.

I can't comment on them, but I kept hearing Augusta's name, which is a good thing.

Same comment as DE's.

Second worst unit, thanks to the safeties.

Very little pressure was put on Miller up front

what happened in the 1st quarter?

where's the pressure?

Linebackers

Kentrell Brothers: 6.19
Darvin Ruise: 6.17
Donovan Bonner: 6.01
Andrew Wilson: 5.93
Michael Scherer: 5.61
Donavin Newsome: 5.61

Average.

Awful first few drives. Things improved some, but a pretty average day for this unit.

Bonner got called for defensive holding that was actually on Ruise, negating an interception and I felt that the LBs as a whole play better going downfield toward the run than in pass coverage.

Didn't really notice any real big plays from the LB's. They will need to step up their game for SEC play.

meh

Saw a few good hits by Brothers, but no excuse for just "watching" the 23 yrd rush by Miller at 12:53 of 1st qtr.

what happened in the first quarter?

Cornerbacks

E.J. Gaines: 8.24
Ernest Payton: 5.99
David Johnson: 5.73
Randy Ponder: 5.47

2 INTS by Gaines!!!

Borrowing from baseball, its Gaines and hope it rains with this crew

EJ Gaines get's my highest score on offense or defense. The other CB's? Prove me wrong.

Gaines was solid and always seemed to be where the ball was being thrown. He saved his fellow corners' butts several times.

Ponder's performance was concerning, getting burned twice by an FCS team.

Thank god for EJ.

what happened in the first quarter

Safeties

I still don't really know why people hated the safety play so much.

Braylon Webb: 6.55
Ian Simon: 5.58
Duron Singleton: 5.52
Matt White: 5.42

I think that is Webb has a ball hit his hands he isn't going to drop it right now

Sucked.

Webb gets credit for the interception despite it being called back, but SOMEONE in the safety group needs to step up.

what happened in the first quarter

Special Teams

Andrew Baggett (kickoffs): 7.90
Jake Hurrell (long snapping): 7.05
Christian Brinser (punting): 6.95
Braylon Webb (holding): 5.76
Andrew Baggett (place-kicking): 4.34

Baggets got a monster leg just needs the hone it in. Brinser seems like he can drop the boom. Webb seemed to be nothing but steady. Hurrell's snaps seemed to all be clean

Baggett continues to be woefully inconsistent on the short to medium stuff. He seems to do better on longer FG attempts. (Maybe just start going for it every time we are closer than a 35 yard attempt?). Brinser impresses. Looks like the off-season trip and work is paying off. Hopefully he lives up to his goal of leading the SEC in punt avg

Baggett makes me very nervous

Baggett will get bagged on for the missed Extra Point, but that could have been anything, let's hope it's a fluke.

Clean up the point-afters and the FG's, otherwise, this was solid enough.

Even the kicks he made were shaky. A little concerned about Baggett.

is it holding the ball or the snap that is causing us to miss field goals?

Shanked FGs irk me. Kickoffs were great.

We shouldn't have to be nervous about this unit but we are. Too many mistakes this weekend.