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1. Scrimmage stats
David Morrison put his giant stats post up for Scrimmage No. 2. Here are some interesting tidbits:
- Maty Mauk threw all 22 passes for the first string (none for Eddie Printz), but here's the distribution per position: 13 targets to WRs (7 to Desean Blair for 66 yards), 5 to RBs (4 to Russell Hansbrough for 18 yards), and 4 to TEs (3 to Sean Culkin for 9 yards). When you check down to closer options like running backs and (sometimes) tight ends, your completion rate goes up. Mauk's was 68 percent, and that's worth something even if his nine passes to non-WRs gained only 38 yards. That's clear growth, even if it's just from a scrimmage.
- In two scrimmages, Desean Blair has caught 6 of 9 passes for 79 yards with the first string (8.8 per target). He's not going to make it easy on J'Mon Moore (when Moore is healthy) when it comes to winning that starting spot.
- Eddie Printz threw 13 of the 19 overall passes on the second string offense. Drew Lock, however, threw five. (Marvin Zanders: 1.) That's a sign of Lock moving up on the totem pole ... especially since he went 5-for-5 for 64 yards. He also threw 15 passes to Zanders' 7 with the third team. Lock's status at the third scrimmage is going to be key. For all we've talked about how good he's looking, he's not going to play in 2015 if he's not a) the clear No. 3 by that scrimmage and b) making up even more ground on Printz. No matter what the stretch lines might say, it appears he's done (a). We'll see about (b). (I bet he still doesn't play.)
- True freshmen made up nine of the 19 targets for the second team: Emanuel Hall (5 targets, 4 catches, 75 yards) and Justin Smith (4 targets, 1 catch, 49 yards). Johnathon Johnson's injury may have opened the door for Smith to play this year, which we didn't expect because of his perceived lack of polish.
It's really fun watching the slow trickle of changes on the depth chart. It's a shame that Mizzou (and every school on the planet ... this is definitely not just a Mizzou thing) has gone to lengths to limit access or prevent media from reporting on certain things. It feels like control for control's sake, but once one school does it, everybody else follows. Nobody wants to provide information that someone else isn't, it seems.
2. Mizzou Soccer is 1-0
MUtigers.com: Russell, Trujillo Score as Mizzou Opens 2015 with 2-0 Win Over TCU
The Trib: Trujillo scores 'the perfect goal,' Tigers beat TCU to open season
MU associate coach Don Trentham on Trujillo's brilliant goal: "I thought it was a great finish. She set the bar high for herself, for sure."
— Blake Toppmeyer (@btoppmeyer) August 22, 2015
Trujillo on the shutout: "Our defensive back line is basically the heart and soul of this team."
— Blake Toppmeyer (@btoppmeyer) August 22, 2015
3. Painting the Rock M
4. Today in out-of-contest Wes Clark tweets
Now I'll never say nothing to you again
— Wes Clark (@Im_back_15) August 22, 2015
5. #MizzouMade in Jonesboro
Gary Pinkel references Sheryl Crow. What a world.
And yes, there's a commercial for Arrowhead, too. No Sheryl Crow, though.