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Missouri will experiment with different O-line combinations in practice on Tuesday

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By Bill Connelly
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Mizzou Tigers pennant What's On

Media Day!

Mizzou Tigers pennant Offense bad

MUtigers.com: @MizzouFootball Media Day - Week 8

GARY PINKEL

On avoiding internal animosity as the defense outperforms the offense…

First of all, when I first got here we were winning games 48 to 34, so I've been on both sides of this.  We've had very few problems with that.  You've got teams where that's their teammate.  That's their buddy.  You know that they are working hard and you are going to be encouraging.  You can encourage or discourage.  In our walls, in this building, we want to encourage positive people.  If we see any of that going on, generally we've got captains and leaders that make sure that gets taken care of.  We've rarely had a problem with it that I'm aware of.  When you're going through adversity, we always have zero tolerance of bad attitudes with our program.  Just zero tolerance.  Freshmen, we give them a little leeway.  Once you're done with freshmen year, there's none.  You have to have a good attitude or you're not going to be around here.  Certainly, through adversity, that's what you're talking about, attitude is hugely important.  I think that what's most important too is that we should stay tied together as a team, and I think we are.

On the difference in handling a struggling offense versus a struggling defense…

It is still problem solving, so fixing the problems that you have on both sides.  It gets very frustrating, but you're more determined.  You're more persistent.  We don't sit back and say "Gosh, this is difficult.  This is tough."  We're battling.  In practice with our team, our coaches are.  This isn't just about the players.  We've got to coach better.  We're all involved.  We've got to game plan.  We've got to do all of those things.  We're going to continue to do that.  As you go back and look at the film, there's fifteen, eighteen, twenty plays that we were so close to making a good play.  You lean on those a bit and still move out of it.  Certainly, they're a very good defensive football team, Georgia is.  Certainly, they made a lot of plays, but also there are other things that we could have done better.

On if any group on offense is close to a breakthrough…

They kind of bounce.  Problems can bounce around a little bit.  Honestly, you've got the offensive line, you've got the running backs, you've got the receivers and all of their responsibilities, you've got the quarterback, and you've got the coaches.  Everybody's got to do better.  Everybody's got to improve, and that's what we work on.

Post-Dispatch: Tigers’ attack ranks near bottom in nation
Post-Dispatch: Early preview: Missouri vs. Vanderbilt
Post-Dispatch: Matter on Mizzou: The good, bad and dreadful
Post-Dispatch: Mizzou notebook: Pinkel says SEC admits errors in Georgia game

With their offensive counterparts on the other end of the spectrum, MU defensive players insisted the locker room remains united.

"We’re too close," linebacker Michael Scherer said. "It’s never a pointing-finger type thing. The offense isn’t doing too well. We all know it. Nobody needs to bring it up."

Added defensive end Walter Brady: "A lot of people tend to forget they’re still our teammates. Our job as teammates is to encourage them and keep their spirits up and help them out the best we can."

Mizzou Tigers pennant Line changes could still be on the way

There were no changes on the offensive line when the depth chart came out on Monday, but that might just be because Mizzou hasn't had time to test some changes out yet.

The Trib (David Morrison): MU Notes: The "Musical Chairs" edition

Ricker said as much and McGovern said he'd be up for a change, were it in the cards.

"I feel that I could be fine moving to guard," McGovern said. "It's like riding a bike. It wouldn't be too hard to move back down there. But whatever the coaches decide, I'll do. It's not a personal presence of where I play on the line."

If McGovern were to move back in, Ricker said, he would feel comfortable with someone like Chappell or Malik Cuellar stepping in, or Nate Crawford moving to the left side of the line from right tackle.

Center Evan Boehm said he's been seeing good things out of redshirt freshman Paul Adams as well, but he may need some more time to bulk up before the Tigers can count on him on a regular basis.

PowerMizzou: Media Day Notebook: Week 8

I'll have a full story on this in the morning, but it appears that the two most likely switches are either Connor McGovern from left tackle to one of the guard spots, or Evan Boehm from center to one of the guard spots. Just looking from the outside in, there are pros and cons to each move, but Boehm to guard - ostensibly left guard - would mean Alec Abeln would become the center, and Abeln has plenty of playing time this year at guard and is the team's No. 2-center in practice. [...]

Whatever happens, the staff says that nothing will be decided for practice this week until Tuesday. The players said they were alerted of possible movement on Sunday, but have not been told which moves could be in the work.

Mizzou Tigers pennant A couple of quick recruiting updates

Rivals.com: Rice talks FSU official, possible other visits
PowerMizzou: Following the Future: 10/19

Mizzou Tigers pennant Vote early, vote often!

The Rock M is on the list.

Winning Traditions Driven By Goodyear

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