MV3: Cody Schrader impresses on the biggest stage

Welcome to the MV3, a weekly piece where Rock M Nation’s staff votes on the three most impactful players in Mizzou’s previous game.

No one likes a moral victory.

However, that statement pre-supposes the fact that moral victories do, in fact, exist. And, in the case of a team like Missouri coming off a heart-breaking 30-21 loss in Athens to the best team in the country — sorry, Ohio State — they can be pretty important. They help you find the good in what was, objectively, a very strong performance. They help you from sinking into despair when, in reality, there’s no reason to do so.

In most cases, moral victories are for chumps. For this week’s MV3, these three performances feel more like champs... even if they don’t have the win to prove it.

1. Cody Schrader

Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The former Truman State star is bordering on the absurd at this point. It’s one thing to transfer from a Division II school and become a rotational guy at an SEC program. It’s another to earn the starting role and prove yourself as a solid workhorse back. It’s yet another to start producing numbers at an All-SEC level. It’s entirely another to waltz into the home of one of the country’s best defenses — one full of surefire NFL talents — and hang 112 yards and a touchdown on them.

Cody Schrader has a legitimate case as one of the country’s best running backs, and his performance against the Bulldogs proved it. He was powerful, explosive, durable... just about everything you want in a feature back. If he continues at his current pace, he’ll be fifth on Mizzou’s all-time single-season rushing list, ahead of names like Larry Rountree III, Henry Josey, Zack Abron and Darrell Wallace.

2. Theo Wease, Jr.

Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images

What a game for the Oklahoma transfer. As his old team was fumbling the last Bedlam in who knows how long, Theo Wease was down south cooking the vaunted Georgia secondary. OK, maybe “cooking” is too strong a word. But Wease had no troubles getting open whenever he wanted, reeling in difficult one-on-one balls on the sideline, including some nifty late game grabs on desperation throws from Brady Cook. As long as Luther Burden III continues to be bottled up by opposing defenses, the Tigers will need Wease to produce. He did on just about the biggest stage this weekend.

3. Darius Robinson

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Darius Robinson getting healthy was maybe the best thing that could’ve happened to Mizzou’s defense. The Michigan native was a menace in the Georgia backfield, setting the tone to make for a very uncomfortable day at the office for Carson Beck. The TV crew was constantly referencing how rough a day it was for the Bulldog front, and Robinson’s ability to cause chaos had a lot to do with that. Maybe landing four tackles and one sack isn’t the greatest stat line in the world. But Robinson led the defensive line in what of its best performances all season. He still has plenty of time to take them to new heights.

Others receiving votes: Kris Abrams-Draine

What about you? Who do you think impressed against Georgia? Let us know in the comments!