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Missouri's run game has been good and terrible. But it's getting better (maybe).

Here are today's Mizzou Links.

By Bill Connelly

"There were definitely areas when we watched (the film), it was kind of sickening," [Paul Adams] said. "We saw plays that we definitely could’ve finished our blocks longer. The 6-yard runs could’ve turned into 16- to 20(-yard runs)."

Crockett, who leads the Tigers with 390 yards rushing and a 7.2-yard average per carry, didn’t mind the offensive line’s self-critical assessment and believes the game could mark a turning point for a run game that had averaged 86 yards rushing in losses to Georgia and LSU.

-- KC Star: Missouri football hopes to build off success in run game at Florida

Missouri's run game has been a hard thing to evaluate this year. It was pretty bad until the last couple of games, but in the last couple of games it was only good after Mizzou fell behind. The line doesn't seem to get much push sometimes, and Mizzou's running backs (Damarea Crockett in particular) have had to squirt through smaller holes than you'd like to see. Other times, the backs don't necessarily seem to see or quickly take advantage of decent-sized holes.

It's hard for me to properly evaluate who's doing what well (and how often) after six games. Here's where I tend to lean on the numbers. Here's a quick rundown of Mizzou's advanced rushing stats (and how I would normally interpret them if I were talking about some other team):

  • 110th in Rushing S&P+, 79th in Adj. Line Yards. Line yards are obviously a very generalized stat, but when there's this much of a difference in the two rankings I tend to think of the backs dragging the line down a bit. And when you've got two backs with drastically different individual stats -- Ish Witter has a 27% opportunity rate (% of carries gaining at least five yards) and 3.3 highlight yards per opportunity (open-field proficiency), and Crockett is at 52 percent and 6.2, respectively -- I tend to hone in on a particular culprit. Goodness knows Witter doesn't have a ton of unabashed fans at Mizzou, but in my head, the number of times when I've thought "AHH! He missed the opening!" with Witter this year hasn't been nearly as high as in years past.
  • 123rd in rushing success rate. Dreadful, though it's gone slightly up in recent weeks. I believe Mizzou's nadir was 126th a few weeks ago, and when you don't run much (and your games are only out of garbage time for a half or so), you don't get that many opportunities to move up. Of course, when the game wasn't in garbage time, Mizzou's rushing success rate was in the 20s both of the last two weeks (national average: 40%). Is garbage time the reason Mizzou's been doing better? Has it just taken a while to establish a rhythm?
  • 105th in rushing IsoPPP. Missouri has eight rushes of 20-plus yards (72nd in FBS) and zero of 40-plus (one of only 11 teams to say that). Crockett has shown massive potential here, but it's still been sporadic.
  • 14th in power success rate, 27th in stuff rate. These numbers are excellent! I tend to look at these as the numbers most directly in your control, and considering Mizzou has faced two top-10 defenses (per Def. S&P+) and two more in the top 40, that's excellent. Mizzou keeps defenders out of the backfield and gets just enough of a push (often with help from Josh Augusta) to move the chains in short yardage. That's very good. And the other numbers are very bad.

Okay, that didn't really clear up the picture very much, did it?

Mizzou's defense, by the way: 106th in Rushing S&P+. Don't worry, the Airing of Grievances, Defense Edition is coming.

Mizzou Tigers pennant 3 days to Homecoming

The Trib: Tigers expect muzzled Lock to bounce back against MTSU

The Trib (Blake Toppmeyer): Coaching quoatables: Heupel says Gators 'outcompeted' Tigers; Cross likes personnel changes

Post-Dispatch: Mizzou running game shows signs of life

PowerMizzou: VIDEO: Assistants after practice

Mizzou Tigers pennant Center U

MUtigers.com: #MizzouMade in the NFL: Week Six

Tim Barnes

Los Angeles Rams, Center

The Los Angeles Rams lost, 23-31, in Detroit on Sunday. Barnes made his sixth start of the season at center for the Rams. Barnes contributed to protecting quarterback Case Keenum as he was sacked only once. The Rams fall to 3-3 and travel overseas to London to take on the Giants next Sunday.

Evan Boehm

Arizona Cardinals, Center

Boehm saw time on special teams in the Cardinals' 28-3 trouncing of the New York Jets. The Cardinals improve to 3-3 and host the Seattle Seahawks next weekend.

Justin Britt

Seattle Seahawks, Center

Britt started at center in the Seahawks 26-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Seattle's offensive line was able to protect Russell Wilson effectively as Wilson was only sacked once. Also, the Seahawks lost yardage on just two running plays in the game. Overall, the offensive line has been seen as an improvement as the season has progressed as the Seahawks are now 4-1. They travel to Glendale to face the Cardinals next Sunday night.

Mitch Morse

Kansas City Chiefs, Center

Morse made his fifth start of the season at Center for the Chiefs on Sunday. Morse and the Chiefs offensive line paved the way for a 26-point performance against the stingy Raiders defense. Kansas City won by a score of 26-10.

Mizzou Tigers pennant Holy crap, the injuries

Post-Dispatch: Mizzou women's basketball team loses another forward to injury

Junior forward Bri Porter tore the ACL in her left knee in recent days, an injury that will likely end her playing career, Tigers coach Robin Pingeton said Tuesday. It’s the second time Porter has torn her left ACL. She’s torn the same ligament in her right knee three times.

Earlier this month, Mizzou lost senior forward Jordan Frericks for the season with a torn ACL. Frericks, the team’s No. 2 scorer last year and leading rebounder each of the last three seasons, is expected to return for a redshirt senior year in 2017-18.

KC Star: Missouri women's basketball bitten again by injury bug, but expectations remain unchanged

The Missourian: Now more than ever, Missouri women's basketball relies on Sophie Cunningham

Mizzou Tigers pennant Rapid fire:

Volleyball

The Missourian: Former Tiger Molly Kreklow is off to a good start in Italy

Baseball

MUtigers.com: Fall World Series Game Four Ends in 6-6 Tie

Cross-Country

MUtigers.com: Top-Five Finish Gives Schweizer Third SEC Runner of the Week Honor

Swimming & Diving

MUtigers.com: Chadwick Named CollegeSwimming National Swimmer of the Week
MUtigers.com: Three Tigers Claim SEC Weekly Honors

Mizzou Tigers pennant [drumroll....]

Top Five time!

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