Mike Scherer on the Missouri defense: "It’s small things ... but there’s a lot of small things."

What's On

Tonight, This Week in Mizzou Football is on, evidently.

Also on: me! This week's PAPN discusses, among other things, the SEC's death as a dominant conference (and other surefire conclusions from Week 1).

Defensive tweaks a-comin'...

The Trib (Blake Toppmeyer): Barry Odom on the SEC teleconference: Eastern Michigan week

On who Missouri would use in the nickel if it uses a nickel package ...

"We had a chance to get a bunch of reps at it here in the last three or four days, three days, I guess. We've got Greg Taylor that's stepped in there and done a really nice job. Also, the continuity of keeping the two high safeties with Thomas Wilson and Anthony Sherrils back there, but also, moving one of those guys into the role and bringing either Ronnell Perkins or Cam Hilton off to play one of the high safety spots, there's a combination that we're working. We feel pretty good about, schematically, where we are going into this week."

It appears there were more defensive changes than we had really discussed

KC Star: Mizzou defense sees ‘small things’ to correct after West Virginia loss

Misreads led to missed assignments and missed tackles against the Mountaineers, leaving the Tigers in chase mode on the field and scoreboard for much of opening game of the Odom era.

"There were a lot of mistakes you could say, guys not doing what we’re coached to do basically," Scherer said. "You get some of it because it’s the first game and we’ve got some guys who have never really played or started a game before. The good thing is, it’s small things that can easily be fixed, but there’s a lot of small things."

A nice job here by Tod Palmer in terms of detailing the depth of changes -- lingo, technique, etc. -- that the Mizzou defense was facing this offseason.

In theory, EMU offers a nice test for the defense. The Eagles could be good enough at running the ball to test whether these "small things" have been addressed appropriately, but the damage done if things haven't been fixed will be less, if that makes sense.

And on offense...

Post-Dispatch (BenFred): Heupel's quarterback management will be under scrutiny

The Trib: Moore, Lock connection yields early season success

"Rebuild"

PowerMizzou: Powered Up: The Dirty Word

Subsidies in lieu of success

The Missourian: Should Missouri's upcoming opponent, Eastern Michigan, even have a football team?

ICYMI:

The Trib: Odom's contract contains stricter language on conduct than Pinkel's

Post-Dispatch: Odom's Mizzou contract includes unique language

In case you're looking for a new tailgating experience

MUtigers.com: @MizzouFootball Introduces Tiger Town Tailgating Experience

Your daily J'den

The new tennis head man

Let's all sign up!

MUtigers.com: National Anthem Tryouts Coming Sept. 13

Next up for Volleyball:

MUtigers.com: @MizzouVB Hits The Road For Idaho State Invitational