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Florida Coach Jim McElwain said his sophomore quarterback Luke Del Rio is "a competitive son of a gun," and he figures Del Rio was chomping at the bit to return to the field while he sat out the Gators’ last two games with a sprained left knee. [...]
Although Del Rio's emotions might be running high, McElwain wants him to take the passes given to him and take shots downfield only when they’re there. In other words, keep those emotions in check.
"I know he’s going to be really juiced up and excited to get back on the field," McElwain said.
I was already leaning toward listing the first quarter as one of the keys to the football game in today's Mizzou-Florida preview. The rationale there was that we should know what we need to know about whether Mizzou's offense has a chance of clicking within just a couple of possessions -- is the offensive line getting a push? Are Mizzou's receivers able to fight off of Florida's coverage to get into their routes? Et cetera.
I hadn't really considered the "Del Rio's ready to make an impact" variable, though. That could make the early going even more interesting. Del Rio is still a pretty young guy despite having already transferred twice in his career, and if he's a little bit too "juiced up" and plays too aggressively in the early going, that could give Mizzou's defense an opportunity to make a big play. (That, or he completes a bomb, and Florida takes an early lead.)
It always feels like putting "first quarter!" on a keys-to-the-game list is always a bit of a cop-out -- the first quarter is always important -- but ... it's going on the list.
1 day to Florida
MUtigers.com: @MizzouFootball Uniform Unveil
White Jersey ✔️
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) October 13, 2016
Gold Pants ✔️
Oval Tiger Helmet ✔️#Mizzou is ready for Saturday in The Swamp#MIZ #ShowMe pic.twitter.com/7ZtIeTcUG8
MUtigers.com: @MizzouFootball Fan Primer - at Florida
Post-Dispatch: Mizzou faces another elite defense at Florida
Florida’s linebacker tandem is flanked by feisty cornerbacks Quincy Wilson and Jalen "Teez" Tabor, whose eight career interceptions includes a pick-six touchdown return against Mizzou’s Drew Lock last year in Columbia.
If Mizzou’s receivers were under siege by LSU’s man-to-man coverages two weeks ago, they’ll sense another tight squeeze Saturday.
"We’ve got to do a great job on the line of scrimmage, man," Mizzou offensive coordinator Josh Heupel said. "They use their hands extremely well. They disrupt you, to say the least."
Post-Dispatch (BenFred): Ground game lagging in Mizzou offense's overhaul
KC Star: Mizzou special teams still searching for more return yards
Maybe the strangest, worst awesome game ever
#TBT to the last time we played in The Swamp in 2014. The Tigers took down the Gators 42-13 before winning the SEC East #MIZ #ShowMe pic.twitter.com/sorQ37ls0M
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) October 13, 2016
This my friends will be the Rosetta Stone for whichever civilization replaces our own. pic.twitter.com/MMF6oq6yHH
— Pete Scantlebury (@PeteScantlebury) October 14, 2016
Big weekend ahead
Volleyball
MUtigers.com: @MizzouVB Travels to Alabama for Sunday Matchup
Soccer
MUtigers.com: @MizzouSoccer Hosts Vanderbilt Friday on Senior Night
Cross Country
MUtigers.com: Mizzou Cross Country Set for Bradley Classic and Pre-Nationals
Swimming & Diving
MUtigers.com: @MizzouSwimDive Hosts Alabama Friday in SEC Opener
Golf
MUtigers.com: @MizzouMensGolf and Walker Carry Momentum into Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate
Tennis
MUtigers.com: Santos Earns 100th Career Win at USTA/ITA Central Region Championships
Baseball
MUtigers.com: Black Evens Fall World Series With Game Two Win
11 am kickoffs are terrible (and sometimes great)
SB Nation: College football Saturdays have terrible early games. Here's why we love them
This one was a group effort at SBN ... I enjoyed my contribution.