Missouri-EMU: Lock the Technician, the JUMBO and Time to Throw

If you were familiar with my work at the Columbia Daily Tribune you knew that, as part of my in-season coverage, I endeavored to provide snap counts for every Missouri player for every offensive and defensive snap that counted during the season.

If you were not...well, I just explained what this is in the last graf. You should have paid attention.

Anyway, I pored over the film of the Tigers’ home-opener win over Eastern Michigan to see who Missouri used on offense and defense, how often and in what ways. Then I tried to gather it in a way that wouldn’t bore you too terribly.

Did I fail? Did I succeed? I suppose that’s up for history to decide.

Here we go...

Offense

Quarterback

Drew Lock – 68

Marvin Zanders – 10

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Tailback

Damarea Crockett -- 31

Ish Witter – 29

Natereace Strong – 10

Alex Ross – 6

Dimetrios Mason – 1

Ray Wingo – 1

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H-Back

Jason Reese – 10

Kendall Blanton – 7

Tyler Hanneke – 4

Josh Augusta -- 2

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Tight End

Kendall Blanton – 17

Jason Reese – 7

Tyler Hanneke -- 3

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Wide Receiver

J’Mon Moore – 52

Dimetrios Mason -- 39

Emanuel Hall – 33

Chris Black -- 26

Johnathon Johnson – 25

Keyon Dilosa -- 21

Ray Wingo -- 19

Jason Reese – 18

Kendall Blanton – 11

Tyler Hanneke – 9

Eric Laurent – 3

Justin Smith -- 3

Ish Witter – 2

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Line

Alec Abeln – 68

Samson Bailey – 68

Kevin Pendleton – 68

Paul Adams – 51

Tyler Howell – 51

Kyle Mitchell – 27

Tre’Vour Simms – 27

A.J. Harris – 10

Adam Ploudre – 10

Michael Stannard – 7

Jonah Dubinski -- 3

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Defense

End

Charles Harris – 34

Jordan Harold -- 29

Spencer Williams – 25

Marcell Frazier – 19

Josh Moore -- 5

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Tackle

A.J. Logan -- 52

Terry Beckner -- 51

Josh Augusta – 44

Rickey Hatley – 39

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Rush End

Spencer Williams – 20

Marcell Frazier – 17

Charles Harris -- 17

Josh Moore -- 10

Jordan Harold – 6

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Linebacker

Donavin Newsom – 67

Joey Burkett -- 65

Michael Scherer – 64

Cale Garrett – 31

Terez Hall – 28

Brandon Lee – 26

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Nickelback

Greg Taylor – 3

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Cornerback

John Gibson – 68

Aarion Penton – 50

Logan Cheadle – 27

DeMarkus Acy -- 21

Christian Holmes – 5

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Safety

Thomas Wilson – 72

Anthony Sherrils – 65

Ronnell Perkins – 22

Cam Hilton – 19

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Offensive Set Success

4-WR/1-RB

Run: 10 for 24 (2.40 avg.)

Pass: 18-of-26, 319 yards (12.3 avg.), 2 TD

Total: 36 plays, 343 yards (9.53 avg.), 2 TD

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3-WR/1-TE/1-RB

Run: 14 for 51 (3.64 avg.), TD, fumble lost

Pass: 5-of-6, 85 yards (14.2 avg.), TD

Total: 20 plays, 136 yards (6.80 avg.), 2 TD, fumble lost

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3-WR/2-RB

Run: 11 for 63 (5.73 avg.)

Pass: 3-of-6, 55 yards (9.17 avg.), 2 TD

Total: 17 plays, 118 yards (6.94 avg.), 2 TD

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JUGGERNAUT

Run: 2 for 28 (14.0 avg.), TD

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2-WR/1-TE/2-RB

Run: 1 for 4

Pass: 0-of-1

Total: 2 plays, 4 yards (2.00 avg.)

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2-WR/1-RB

Pass: 1-of-1, 18 yards

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Drew Lock when throwing…

Left

Short (Less than 10 yards): 10-of-11, 157 yards (14.3 avg.), TD

Medium (11-29): 1-of-5, 11 yards (2.20 avg.)

Long (30+): 2-of-4, 120 yards (30.0 avg.), TD

Total: 13-of-20, 288 yards (14.4 avg.), 2 TD

Middle

Medium (11-29): 2-of-3, 32 yards (10.7 avg.), 2 TD

Right

Short (Less than 10 yards): 6-of-10, 31 yards (3.10 avg.)

Medium (11-29): 1-of-2, 14 yards (7.00 avg.)

Long (30+): 2-of-2, 85 yards (42.5 avg.), TD

Total: 9-of-14, 130 yards (9.29 avg.), TD

Total

Short (Less than 10 yards): 16-of-21, 188 yards (8.95 avg.), TD

Medium (11-29): 4-of-10, 57 yards (5.70 avg.), 2 TD

Long (30+): 4-of-6, 205 yards (34.2 avg.), 2 TD

Total: 24-of-37, 450 yards (12.2 avg.), 5 TD

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Defensive Set Success

4-3

Run: 16 for 71 (4.44 avg.)

Pass: 9-of-16, 96 yards (6.00 avg.), TD, 2 INT

“Sack:” 1 for -5

Total: 33 plays, 162 yards (4.91 avg.), TD, 2 INT

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3-4

Run: 10 for 39 (3.90 avg.)

Pass: 8-of-16, 149 yards (9.31 avg.)

Bad Snap: 1 for -16

Total: 27 plays, 172 yards (6.37 avg.)

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2-front

Run: 10 for 29 (2.90 avg.)

Pass: 6-of-11, 42 yards (3.82 avg.)

Total: 21 plays, 71 yards (3.38 avg.)

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5-front

Run: 4 for 8 (2.00 avg.), 2 TD

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Nickel

Run: 1 for 0

Pass: 0-of-2

Total: 3 plays, 0 yards (0.00 avg.)

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4-4

Run: 3 for 15 (5.00 avg.)

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Todd Porter’s Time to Throw

23-of-45, 287 yards, TD, 2 INT

QB Hits: 6 (Beckner 2, Logan 2, Frazier, Scherer)

Avg. Time to Throw: 2.13 seconds

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Less Than 2.13 seconds

14-of-23, 139 yards (6.04 avg.), TD, pick-6

QB Hits: 2 (Beckner 2)

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More Than 2.13 seconds

9-of-22, 148 yards (6.73 avg.), INT

QB Hits: 4 (Logan 2, Frazier, Scherer)

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Heres and Theres

• Just like last week, let’s start from the bottom and work our way up. So clicking the stopwatch on my phone isn’t the most scientific way to time how long Eastern Michigan quarterback Todd Porter had to throw, but I figured it was good enough. I clicked “start” when the ball hit his hands and “stop” when the ball left it.
• What I hope you’ll get from this is that, if someone tries to peddle the “they were getting rid of it fast, so we couldn’t get to him” narrative...don’t buy it. You can do a lot in 2.13 seconds. You can do even more in 3.51 seconds, which is how long Missouri (out of a 4-3 look) gave Porter to take the snap, settle back in his easy chair, pop the top on his RC Cola and find Sam Browning for a 23-yard gain in the third quarter. Nobody was within 3 yards of Porter when he threw the pass. Pocket was pristine.
• When he had less than 2.13 seconds to throw, he was more accurate. When he had more, he averaged more yards per pass. Both the times he got lit up in the less than 2.13 dropbacks, it was Beckner striking the match. And the second one led to the panic throw that ended in Burkett’s pick-6.
• I know Eastern Michigan has an experienced line but...I mean...
• Luckily the rest of the defense had the line’s back, breaking up 15 passes and intercepting two more. The Tigers were better against the run than they were against West Virginia, but their pass rush push is still non-existent right now.
• Never made it as a wise man. Couldn’t cut it as a poor man stealing, but this is how DeMontie Cross reminded us that he’s still got the nickelback up his sleeve: Taylor played for the final three defensive snaps of the game.
• Missouri also showed a 5-front, goal-line set that it didn’t against West Virginia, moving in five linebackers to complement its five down linemen and retaining a safety (relatively) deep. The 2-front saw a lot less usage than against West Virginia and was a lot more successful, dialing down those yards per play from 6.66 to 3.38. The 4-3 look has also produced four interceptions in its 60 snaps of usage over two games. Not so bad.
• And I say “sack” because it was given on that double pass where Augusta ate up Porter after the quarterback dropped the return throw. Yeah. You can ask Joe Walljasper about my steadfast unwillingness to grant cheap sacks.
• Lock loved him the left side of the field against Eastern Michigan, which is kind of understandable because that’s the way his body naturally opens up when he throws? I dunno, man, I’m spitballing here. He went 13-of-20 for 288 yards throwing outside the left hash and 9-of-14 for 130 yards throwing outside the right. Both are good, but I know which one I’d take.
• Kind of strange: he left between the hashes alone. He threw only three passes there, and two of them went for scores to Reese and Blanton, who deemed it proper to do a somersault before he scored his. The incompletion was a 29-yard bomb for Mason, who really should have had it.
• The most encouraging number there for MU fans? Just look at those deep balls: 4-of-6 for 205 yards and two scores on ones that traveled more than 30 yards in the air. That’s a 463.67 rating. Wide-eyes emoji.
• That tells you two things. One, Lock was throwing some very pretty deep passes. Two, dudes were getting open (looking at you Ray Wingo) and making plus plays (looking at you, bear-hugged Emanuel Hall). These are very good things.
• Missouri hurried up to the line after a long Wingo incompletion and only had 10 guys on the field. Didn’t matter, Mason had no choice but to catch a Lock homing missile into his breadbasket on a wheel route out of the backfield for 18 yards.
• It looked like there were only 10 men on the field for the JUGGERNAUT package touchdown run. You know, when Augusta Pac-Man’d two guys and Crockett went in from 26 yards? But Alec Abeln was hiding sneaky low on the line. I see you, Alec.
• Speaking of that package, it is munn. Nee. Money. Three plays so far this year for 29 yards, three first downs and a touchdown. Just wait until they play fake to the back and Augusta runs a go route for a 90-yard touchdown, juking out five defenders on his way. Don’t get me dreaming, now...
• Also very effective: MU’s base 4-wide set, which averaged 9.5 yards on 36 plays. It was extremtly one-dimensional (72% pass) but, really, who cares when you’re blowing people up like that?
• Crockett got the most snaps of the tailbacks (though he actually tied Witter for 31 total, with Witter splitting wide twice to make room for Mason and Wingo next to Lock) and Strong got into the game. And ran hard. Ross played a series, was a little dinged up and shut it down.
• Also dinged up: Chris Black, right? That’s why he barely played against Eastern Michigan, right? Well, he actually played the same amount of snaps that he did against West Virginia (26) and played a higher proportion (33.3 percent). I don’t know if he’s dinged up. I think he’s just in a cage match with Wingo and Johnson for reps. Only five of his snaps came in the first half, versus 14 each for Wingo and Johnson.
• In the absence of Sean Culkin, Blanton and Reese both played 35 snaps, but their usage was different. Blanton played 17 attached, 11 wide and 7 in the backfield, Reese played 18 wide, 10 in the backfield and 7 attached. This interests me, as an avowed proponent of #TightEndPassGame
• The starting linemen earned a well-deserved break down the stretch, with the tackles exiting before the interior guys. They’ve been very good so far this season. A very pleasant development.
• Also earning a rest: Harris, who played a paltry (by his standards) 51 of 91 snaps. Williams got the start over Harold and played 45 snaps to his 35. It’s kind of interesting that 20 of Williams’ snaps started from a standing position while only five of Harold’s did. Especially after Harold started standing on 23 of 38 snaps against West Virginia.
• Josh Moore got the mothballs off for 15 snaps off the edge, most of them standing.
• Another rest-home resident: Scherer, who played the fewest snaps of the starting linebackers. Lot of work for the young guys throughout the game, not just at the end.
• Penton exited in the third with his shoulder issue and did not return. Cheadle and Gibson became the 1s at that point, with Acy subbing in for Gibson when the 2s came in.
• And I have to do a mea culpa here. I counted Acy’s two snaps last week as Holmes’ He got revenge by getting two PBU in his 21 snaps this week. And Holmes actually got in there this time.
• Hilton actually got two first-half snaps this time, when Gibson and Wilson both took a seat after Gibson’s pass interference (called on Wilson...for some reason...) and the long Wilson pick that got annulled. Hilton took a seat until the second half after Penton’s interception two plays later.
• He, Harold and Augusta were actually the only three guys on the field for both of MU’s interceptions. Coincidence? Yeah, I think so.