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What's On
Media Day!
Offense bad
Pinkel: "In this building, we want encouraging, positive people... We have captains that make sure that's taken care of." #Mizzou
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) October 19, 2015
Pinkel: "We have a zero tolerance for bad attitudes. You have a good attitude, or you're not going to be around here." #Mizzou
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) October 19, 2015
Pinkel says Kentrell Brothers has asked to be on the punt return and punt block teams, so they're giving it a go: "He's all in, man."
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
Pinkel, joking, on Ian Simon's pick: "I kicked his butt because he didn't get in the end zone. Would have saved us all this grief."
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 20, 2015
Ian Simon on his near pick-6: "I was saying, 'You're going to do this!' And my legs were saying, 'No, you're not.'"
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 20, 2015
Simon said he was a big Texas fan growing up but, on a visit, had a coach tell him "I thought you were bigger. I was crushed right there."
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 20, 2015
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."
Pinkel: "This isn't just about the players. We have to coach better... There were 18-20 plays where we were so close to making a play."
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) October 19, 2015
Pinkel on the offense: "Everybody's got to do better. I've got good coaches, good players. We've got to get it together."
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
GP on Emanuel Hall: He's doing some good things and getting better. He's got some great speed, a good athlete. All about reps for him.
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) October 19, 2015
Pinkel mentions Nate Brown as a guy that's stepped up a bit as a playmaker.
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) October 19, 2015
GP on Cam Hilton's possible return to defense: Cam will make that decision at the end of the season. Completely his call.
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) October 19, 2015
Pinkel: "We have to be positive, but there are no excuses. If you're young, play well young. Is it easy? No, it's not easy." #Mizzou
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) October 19, 2015
Coach Henson says he felt like he was reading Mean Tweets when he looked at his mentions after the game on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/YPIDqI0Lgz
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) October 19, 2015
Pat Washington had a good line about the young wideouts having to bring along Drew Lock.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
Washington: "It's like having a 3-year-old and asking your 6-year-old to babysit. It's probably not going to turn out as well as you hope"
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
Pat Washington said Nate Brown is reminding him a bit of Jimmie Hunt this year, with flashes of brilliance but consistency struggles.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
Drew Lock: "I actually got a text from my mom talking about how I was 0 for 6 to start the second half. Thanks, Mom, I watched the film."
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 20, 2015
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.
Pinkel says they are talking about making some switches on the OL but won't name them.
— Pete Scantlebury (@PeteScantlebury) October 19, 2015
Pinkel says MU is looking at potential position switched with a couple guys on the OL. I asked if McGovern was one, he said haven’t decided
— Gabe DeArmond (@GabeDeArmond) October 19, 2015
Pinkel says MU lost 3 wideouts in the last 1.5 years, 2 of whom would probably be starting now. Had 3 OL in 2012 class they lost b4 signing
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
Specifically at WR and OL. Pinkel said the guys they lost OL in the 2012 class, tried to address it with Cuellar/Howell as JUCOs
— Pete Scantlebury (@PeteScantlebury) October 19, 2015
Coach Ricker says they will be shuffling the offensive line around. McGovern moving inside is an option. #Mizzou pic.twitter.com/vEdFT9MJau
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) October 19, 2015
As far as potential changes, A.J. Ricker said McGovern could move back inside. Boehm has come to him and said he'd play guard if needed.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
Ricker said just about everything is on the table.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
Ricker-"The lineups we're thinking of, I think, would be something that would be there for the future. It'll be interesting to see tomorrow"
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
Ricker said only 2 linemen graded out at what he'd consider "winning" football against Georgia, and that we could probably guess which 2.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
Ricker mentioned guys like Taylor Chappell, Malik Cuellar, Nate Crawford as potential other options at left tackle if McGovern moves inside.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
Ricker said having bunch of seniors helps with urgency: "They have the pen last. How do you want to write your legacy?"
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
McGovern said he didn't take up one particular tweeter on a one-on-one pass rush challenge at the movie theater last night.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 19, 2015
Another funny thing from Evan Boehm. He said we'd be the first to hear about O-line changes when they come down. Then gave a hearty chuckle.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) October 20, 2015
A couple of quick recruiting updates
Rivals.com: Rice talks FSU official, possible other visits
PowerMizzou: Following the Future: 10/19
Vote early, vote often!
The Rock M is on the list.