Rock M Nation - Mizzou Football in 2021: Week 1 vs Central MichiganA Blog for Ol' Mizzouhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50319/rmn-fav.png2021-09-10T08:00:00-05:00http://www.rockmnation.com/rss/stream/224155852021-09-10T08:00:00-05:002021-09-10T08:00:00-05:00Kris Abrams-Draine & Jaylon Carlies are here to take away the middle of the field
<figure>
<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 04 Central Michigan at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YdquGpDgD6OPj777cJqQZoBiVcI=/0x0:5961x3974/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69839262/1235059335.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Mizzou was looking for Tyree Gillespie and Joshuah Bledsoe replacements. The Tigers might have found their answers in Abrams-Draine and Carlies.</p> <p id="E0plBD">Every college football team comes into the season with questions. Yes, even Alabama. Now, some teams have more answers than others. But everyone has questions.</p>
<p id="xvMLxh">For Mizzou, one of the biggest questions coming into the season was how the revamped secondary would come together. More specifically, how would defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and his staff overcome the losses of former 3-year starting safety Tyree Gillespie and 3-year starting nickel cornerback Joshuah Bledsoe?</p>
<p id="PwNYCu">Losing production from the secondary can be scary. As the great Bill Connelly has shared, the best way to project defenses year-to-year is returning production in the secondary. </p>
<p id="PTl02c"><em>From Bill Connelly of </em><a href="https://www.espn.com/college-football/insider/story/_/id/30801130/which-college-football-teams-return-most-production-2021"><em>ESPN.com</em></a><em>:</em></p>
<blockquote><p id="n6wPgq"><em>Continuity in the back of the defense has far more of an effect on your stats than continuity up front. Returning production in the secondary ends up accounting for about 59% of your overall statistical change, a monstrous amount compared to linebackers (minus-33%) and defensive linemen (minus-8%). Apparently change up front is much easier to account for, which might surprise some.</em></p></blockquote>
<p id="ogPupW">Missouri didn’t seem to have obvious internal options. This wasn’t a “1A/1B” type of situation. Gillespie and Bledsoe played nearly every snap the last three years. They were productive. They helped the Tigers take away the middle of the field. </p>
<p id="RejSHJ">And now they’re gone.</p>
<p id="rVr3GP">Two unlikely candidates, both of whom are former wide receiver prospects, have stepped up in their absence. Kris Abrams-Draine and Jaylon Carlies were two of the biggest winners from Missouri’s week one win against Central Michigan.</p>
<h2 id="PUY5Er"><strong>Kris Abrams-Draine:</strong></h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 04 Central Michigan at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hYT_wGXEn0WZE2L0-nNPte-eHNU=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22830583/1235059929.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="s7yx90">Nobody was a bigger surprise in the opening week than Abrams-Draine. Not for me, at least. The former wide receiver made the transition to defensive back this offseason, and boy, he looked great in his debut at the position for the Tigers. He is, more or less, playing the position formerly filled by Bledsoe.</p>
<p id="rG5313">That spot is in the slot. And it requires a <em>lot</em> from a defensive back. If you’re not willing to help out in the running game, you can’t play in the slot. If you’re not able to protect against a two-way go, you can’t play in the slot. And if you can’t carry a receiver up the field one-on-one, well, you can’t play in the slot.</p>
<div id="Ea2XKG">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is such a great tackle from Kris Abrams-Draine. He has some impressive instincts in the nickel. A lot of the time these position changes can be seen as a "last resort" type of situation.<br><br>Abrams-Draine has the look of an impact player for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mizzou?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mizzou</a> in the slot. <a href="https://t.co/rpinkELmxF">pic.twitter.com/rpinkELmxF</a></p>— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKSportsTalk/status/1435024603336822786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="nRA6Pt">It’s only one week, so take it with a bit of a grain of salt... but Abrams-Draine proved capable doing all of the above against Central Michigan. Oh, and he did so in large part lined up across from Kalil Pimpleton, Central Michigan’s star receiver with 108 receptions for more than 1,150 yards in his previous 20 games for the Chippewas. That’s certainly not an easy task for someone new to the position.</p>
<p id="DNzg3B">Abrams-Draine asserted himself early and often. He kept contain and set the edge in the run game, carried up the field against Pimpleton and fought through some tough situations to knock the ball out of the would-be receiver’s hands at the last possible second.</p>
<div id="eBY4jX">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This was such an impressive play. WR beats him off the line a bit, but Abrams-Draine competes his ass off and finds a way to swat the ball away at the last second. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mizzou?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mizzou</a> <a href="https://t.co/TnqeqmrPLK">pic.twitter.com/TnqeqmrPLK</a></p>— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKSportsTalk/status/1435025286396092419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="GEwKqW">We’ll see what this leads to. It’s tricky predicting cornerback performance week-to-week, but Abrams-Draine showed more than enough in his first week at the position to be considered the established starter going into week two. He’s a player worth being excited about.</p>
<h2 id="M2TZVi"><strong>Jaylon Carlies:</strong></h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Football: Central Michigan at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Uyam4H3ko57hRtW3QDpuwOlqUks=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22830595/usa_today_16689560.jpg">
<cite>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="MIUsTV">If Abrams-Draine was my biggest surprise, Carlies wasn’t far behind. He saw limited time at safety last season, and unfortunately had to serve a suspension in the first half of the Central Michigan game because of a targeting penalty called against him in the season-finale <em>last year</em> against <a href="https://www.forwhomthecowbelltolls.com">Mississippi State</a> <em>(as an aside, what a stupid rule. Can we please not carry these over to the following season? Please?).</em></p>
<div id="tbM6W9">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">New <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mizzou?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mizzou</a> starting safety Jaylon Carlies missed the first half of the game against Central Michigan because of his targeting penalty from the final game of the 2020 season, but he made an immediate impact in the second half. <a href="https://t.co/WtalDeNigP">pic.twitter.com/WtalDeNigP</a></p>— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKSportsTalk/status/1435017686744981507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="46uct3">Carlies entered the game at the start of the second half and immediately made his presence felt. He racked up a couple tackles and an interception on CMU’s first eight plays of the second half. His ability on the back end looks, aesthetically speaking, a lot like Gillespie. He’s a long and rangy free safety with the ability to come down and lay a hit when needed in the run game.</p>
<div id="vFrlt9">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">There are definitely some Tyree Gillespie similarities for Carlies. Pretty impressive range, but what really stands out is his willingness to get involved in the run game. This had to be the most memorable hit of the game against Central Michigan. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mizzou?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mizzou</a> <a href="https://t.co/dyMcBMr4PF">pic.twitter.com/dyMcBMr4PF</a></p>— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKSportsTalk/status/1435019343495061507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="psQqVw">If you’re looking for a potential pitfall for Carlies, it’s fair to point out there were a couple plays in which he took a less than ideal angle either to the ball carrier or to defend an open receiver. That very well could (and probably will) improve with experience.</p>
<p id="E0EOgh">After getting torched through the air in the first half to the tune of 14-for-23 for 185 yards (8 yards per attempt), one touchdown and one interception, the Tigers settled down against the pass in the second half. Central Michigan’s offense was 10-for-24 for 116 yards (4.8 yards per attempt) with one touchdown and another interception in the second half.</p>
<p id="7jgYuq">In other words, the per-pass production was nearly cut in half when the Tigers had their top secondary unit available to their disposal. </p>
<p id="8pfIyq">Mizzou’s secondary was a fair concern coming into the year. It’s going to take more than one half of quality football to quell those concerns. But this could be a better-than-expected unit if Abrams-Draine and Carlies become quality starters on the back end. </p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/missouri-tigers-football/2021/9/10/22660128/kris-abrams-draine-jaylon-carlies-mizzou-defensive-footballBrandon Kiley2021-09-08T09:00:00-05:002021-09-08T09:00:00-05:00Beyond the Box Score: Winning with The Little Things
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/v3eKqns9z7r8kzR4VH4wNf0BtTU=/107x0:1259x768/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69829528/Beyond_the_Box_Score_2021_22_B.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Or “how to safely put away a game without feeling like you’re putting away a game”</p> <p id="BujQ5y">When I write my opponent previews during the season, I like to highlight 2-3 weaknesses that the opponent has displayed in previous games and how the Tigers should attack it. But if you ask me <em>how</em> Mizzou will <em>actually</em> win - as was done in our <a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/3/22644474/pregamin-central-michigan-mizzou-football-preview">Pregamin’ piece on Friday</a> - my answers may vary. And, in this case, the weaknesses weren’t necessarily taken advantage of - probably because those were last year’s weaknesses and the Chips improved substantially in those areas - but “the Little Things” were, mostly, taken care of to the advantage of the Tigers.</p>
<p id="0CKfuN">Here’s the full advanced box score* to start:</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/m01eQesGEdM0x1HxxQz7tsBrNQg=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22834071/Capture.PNG">
<figcaption>Advanced Box Score</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="T7QBtN">Let’s walk through my keys to the game and see how Mizzou fared in each matchup before breaking down the full advanced box score for further analysis. </p>
<h5 id="T2Qah6">*some of the numbers you are seeing here are not the numbers you’ll see on any “official” box score that you’ve seen floating around. Why? Because the official box score is incorrect. I’ve watched the game three times now and found that not all targets were accurate, not all catches were correctly labeled, rush yards were inaccurate, and total yards for some players were off because of it. Apparently it’s Week 1 for the scorekeepers, too.</h5>
<h2 id="xSgKrV"><strong>When Missouri Has the Ball</strong></h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ycrKkg3O85t2-7joU4Wd1ljLPjw=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22834350/Capture.PNG">
<figcaption>Missouri Offense vs. Central Michigan Defense</figcaption>
</figure>
<h3 id="FwlMZo"><strong>Show off that shiny, new, deep ball passing game</strong></h3>
<p id="1SbMqi">Well...Bazelak certainly attempted more deep balls than we had seen in previous games. The issue, of course, is that he didn’t really connect on them. Lovett and Smith were targeted twice on balls travelling further than 20 yards and only Smith was able to haul one in (on the first play of the game, which was a nice touch). Every other pass thrown was short to intermediate, and the biggest gains outside of the first pass to Smith were generated by YAC off of quick dump off passes. Bazelak finished with 7.6 yards per attempt, 0.1 yards higher than my goal, but those deep balls need to be hauled with a tick more frequency to truly be an effective weapon. </p>
<p id="FcvdWM"><strong>Winner</strong>: Missouri</p>
<h3 id="oL3V7z"><strong>Playmaker Downs</strong></h3>
<p id="fnkBYN">I figured CMU’s defense would generate enough havoc to put Mizzou’s offense into a few long-down-and-distance situations (also known as Passing Downs) and was hoping the Tigers could finish the game with at least a 38% conversion rate to keep drives going even when falling behind. Of the 70 plays the Tiger offense ran only 24 passing downs situations, which is good! What’s bad is that they only had a successful play on four of those downs, which comes out to 16.7%. Yuck. What’s worse is that Missouri overwhelmingly threw on those passing downs - 18 times, to be exact - and the Chippewa defense was able to snuff it out and limit the damage. That’s not good for Bazelak or the receivers but the gameplan was also very vanilla so maybe some of that had to do with the scheme and not wanting to show too much? Regardless...</p>
<p id="M9EqPW"><strong>Winner</strong>: Central Michigan</p>
<h3 id="idPrpG"><strong>Finish your dang drives</strong></h3>
<p id="fLVesV">Eight scoring opportunities resulted in 34 points, or 4.2 points per scoring opportunity. That is 0.6 points better than last year’s average that ranked towards the bottom of the country. Pro: improvement! Con: still not great! This will continue to be an item to track as the season goes on.</p>
<p id="8rtVVO"><strong>Winner</strong>: Central Michigan</p>
<h2 id="zUfpRk"><strong>When Central Michigan Has the Ball</strong></h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xE6DsSyUady2bBTHc6SXHnaQklE=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22832826/Capture2.PNG">
<figcaption>Missouri’s Defense vs. Central Michigan’s Offense</figcaption>
</figure>
<h3 id="IeCEwA"><strong>Knock them off schedule</strong></h3>
<p id="kDAgLx">I was looking for the Tiger defense to keep CMU’s offense at a <em><strong>45% success rate or worse on standard downs</strong></em> in hopes that they would be forced to throw, something they weren’t particularly good at last year. Of Central Michigan’s 86 plays where they were actively trying to move the ball and score, 52 of them came on standard downs and they had a successful play on 25 of them, good for 48%. Oh, and they <em>still </em>might not be good at passing the ball but...wow, they were really committed to doing so after the success they saw in the first two series. Lucky for Mizzou, huh?</p>
<p id="qO0Ese"><strong>Winner</strong>: Central Michigan</p>
<h3 id="42Wksq"><strong>Bottle up the run</strong></h3>
<p id="rQvCyM">I was hoping Mizzou’s front six could limit the Chippewa rushing attack to under a 35% success rate. Reader, Central Michigan had a success rate of 48.3% on the ground. Yikes. Compare that to their 37.5% success rate when throwing the ball and you would think that they leaned heavily on the run. Of course, as you know, that was false: counting sacks Central Michigan dialed up 56 pass plays and 29 running plays. Go figure.</p>
<p id="8pNC1p"><strong>Winner</strong>: Central Michigan</p>
<h2 id="Nc8iJT"><strong>So what “little things” did Missouri win?</strong></h2>
<p id="AMTdQe">Well, for one, taking care of the ball is a factor that can make the difference in close games. Mizzou benefited from two interceptions and damn near got a third in the Khalil Pimpleton muffed punt that was overturned.</p>
<p id="cf0RBN">Yards per play is the second factor that can help keep a game close. CMU outgained the Tigers 500-487 while running 20% more plays. That means Mizzou did more with less, gaining 6.9 yards per play compared to CMU’s 5.8. That helps!</p>
<p id="ul6sb0">Penalties are another. Mizzou played a pretty clean game while CMU defensive backs - namely Dishon McNary - were whistled for pass interference several times. Check it out:</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5r14Icr7liIiBDIXz2r7n-8gjak=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22833501/Capture3.PNG">
<figcaption>Penalties</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="VNBRud">CMU doubled up Mizzou on the penalties for four times the yardage, giving Mizzou a +59 in “hidden yards”. </p>
<p id="XfjgBP">Special teams is another “little thing” that can lead to a larger impact on the overall game. Look at the field position weaponry the Tigers benefited from:</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ju4DDh8yHQrSUT6LgoaLpb6yv8E=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22833515/Capture4.PNG">
<figcaption>Special Teams Comparison</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="BUAjMY">Missouri was able to return a few Central Michigan kickoffs to give them a +9 yard advantage in kick returns whereas the Chips never had a chance to return a kick off the foot of Sean Koetting. Moreover, look at the average starting field position: thanks to a few interceptions and the aforementioned returns, Missouri’s average starting field position was their own 27-yard line whereas Central Michigan was hemmed in on their own 19. That’s a +8 yard advantage; multiply that over the 13 possession each team have and you get a +104 yard boost for the Tigers. That yardage certainly helped get them in field goal range twice (although Thiccer’s “range” is, apparently, the moon), give the Tigers a shorter field to cross, help tilt the field overall to make CMU work for much longer to get their scoring opportunities.</p>
<p id="iT8HKZ">Lastly, scoring opportunities (defined as drives getting inside the opponent’s 40-yard line or, ya know, scoring). Missouri generated 8 scoring opportunities compared to Central Michigan’s 7 but also benefited from a +0.8 points per scoring opportunity advantage. Creating more opportunities and scoring more per opportunity is a sure-fire way to build a lead when other factors of the game are going against you.</p>
<p id="nlaLzS">“Close game magic” - which I’ve said before that Drinkwitz has been on an extended run with - is the benefit of good coaching and game management, great quarterback play, and elite special teams. It looks like, so far, Drinkwitz has all three; as long as that holds true he should be favored in close games.</p>
<h2 id="EqpM8v"><strong>Extra Points</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li id="jNue4R">Let’s talk about third downs because, as you know, they were bad. Missouri went 1-11, with their only conversion being a 3rd-and-3. Meanwhile, CMU went 8-18 for the game, after going an unsustainable 7-9 to start the game. But while the Chips’ average 3rd-down distance was 8 yards, Missouri’s was 11. A 9% 3rd-down conversion rate is not sustainable for a team looking to make the offseason but neither is a ridiculous average of 3rd-and-11.</li>
<li id="dIJhEw">Missouri’s run defense wasn’t great, which we have <a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/4/22657775/instant-reaction-missouri-34-central-michigan-24">discussed</a> in several <a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/missouri-tigers-football/2021/9/7/22660008/taking-the-good-with-the-bad-central-michigan-missouri-football">posts</a> on this site so far. But while, yes, CMU was deadly on the ground, 190 of their 247 rushing yards (76%) were <em>gained on eight rushes</em>. Remember, even though they inexplicably abandoned the running game, the Chips still called 29 rushing plays meaning that Missouri did its job on 21 of the 29 plays (72%). That doesn’t erase or excuse those other eight plays, mind you, it just means that if they can correct the issues on those eight plays they’ll actually be in good shape. </li>
<li id="GogKTy">Mookie Cooper was not good. Four catches on four targets is nice but it only gained 12 yards with a mere 25% success rate. He was even worse on the jet sweeps, gaining two yards on three carries with no successful plays. If he wasn’t 100% then shame on the staff for continuing to put him out there. If they were just putting stuff on film and waiting to unleash his full repertoire against Kentucky...I guess that’s fine? Remember that Mookie hasn’t played an actual game of organized football since his junior year of high school so there is a solid chance that he was just getting used to game speed. Our expectations for him were sky high and game one didn’t meet them; he has another eleven games in this season to show us what he can do.</li>
<li id="taXZST">Credit to the Mizzou defense for punishing CMU’s offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay for insisting on the pass. Jacob Sirmon completed 7 of his first 8 passes and had successful plays on 5 of the first 6 but only had <em>7 successful pass plays</em> from that point on (until the second-to-last drive of the game). The Tigers clamped down on the Chippewa receivers and completely erased their biggest weapon in Khalil Pimpleton (1 catch on 10 targets). </li>
</ul>
<h2 id="rGikfV"><strong>Conclusion</strong></h2>
<p id="5nF2zl">It doesn’t matter how you win, just win. And with a G5 opponent who was ready and able to hang around, the Tigers needed to take care of business on the boring stuff to pull ahead...and they did. As a fan you always prefer to blow out every opponent you play but there were a lot of lessons the team could learn from this game and it’s better to be made aware of the discrepancies before you’re biggest game of the year. We’ll see how the Kentucky game unfolds but, if past performances are any indication, we should at least be able to rely on “the little things” to be done right.</p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/8/22661490/beyond-the-box-score-winning-with-the-little-thingsNate Edwards2021-09-07T09:00:00-05:002021-09-07T09:00:00-05:00Taking the Good with the Bad: Central Michigan
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Central Michigan at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ywW9tZDsVmmkJg3k9FCalw5srzk=/0x0:4960x3307/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69825110/usa_today_16689568.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Evaluating what was good, and what went wrong in Missouri’s win against Central Michigan.</p> <h1 id="kdnxiL">The Good </h1>
<ul>
<li id="NExLY7">Tyler Badie is a bell-cow type of back. I’ve long advocated for him to receive more touches, and more play designs for him to get the ball, and Drink and the offense more than obliged. He was a factor in the run game between the tackles, and was a solid receiving threat as well. Here’s to hoping the high usage continues.</li>
<li id="c56FrG">There was solid play in the secondary for the most part, highlighted by Akayleb Evans and his monster game. He was excellent in man coverage, and had a really nice interception. He figures to be a factor going forward in this defense. </li>
<li id="vk7Pnz">Connor Bazelak just keeps on being cool. He was efficient, had no turnovers and managed some of the important possessions the way one would hope. I think to the two minute drill at the end of the first half where they moved down the field to get the field goal attempt. I also think about the multiple responses when CMU moved within one score. The Tigers always managed to find the points when they needed them. </li>
<li id="aFrizK">The pass rush was spectacular. Jacob Sirmon was always under pressure, and never had any time to truly diagnose coverage because there was always someone breathing down his neck. It’s important to note that the pressure didn’t always come from the defensive line. Blitzing linebackers and safeties were a big part of that, too, but they managed to get home. Impressive. </li>
<li id="fmQ6x4">Special Teams were special. Obviously Harrison Mevis is still that guy. He was perfect, and is honestly one of the Tigers’ biggest weapons. Having a kicker that accurate, with the leg that he does is something that college teams don’t always have the benefit of having. His 53 yarder before the half could’ve been good from 60. On the flip side, Grant McKinniss had a few beautiful punts that pinned CMU inside their 20. When Missouri had to punt, it helped that their punter could help flip the field and allow them to play the field position game while their offense tried to wake up. </li>
</ul>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Football: Central Michigan at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HSEL0x4Je8Vidr0y926L6uGj_tk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22830461/usa_today_16687833.jpg">
<cite>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<ul><li id="369fDS">Wasn’t it great to have fans back in the stadium? It wasn’t a sellout but there was a game day presence in Columbia that hasn’t been there in a while. People were excited to come out and watch their team play, and hopefully in the future when it’s not Labor Day weekend, we can capture that ever elusive sell-out crowd. </li></ul>
<p id="KaGo0s"></p>
<h1 id="Cq4Rbi">The Bad</h1>
<ul>
<li id="05Bsf2">The run defense in this game was abysmal. Central Michigan had two running backs come in and run all over the Missouri defense in Lew Nichols and Marion Lukes. Each rushed no lower than 7 yards per carry, and they managed to combine for 179 yards rushing. Nichols himself had 100 before the end of the first half. </li>
<li id="y9GXzW">I’ve seen a lot of chatter on how Blaze Alldredge was struggling a bit, but I think his struggles are more of product of the defensive tackles getting washed out and allowing lineman to funnel to the next level. Ideally, you try and avoid your inside linebacker having to take on one on one blocks against a 300+ pound offensive lineman. </li>
</ul>
<p id="KTtXGl">The defensive tackles have to bring a better effort up front against Kentucky. You simply cannot get pushed around by a MAC team like they did for periods of the game. </p>
<ul>
<li id="AfBwqN">If Missouri wants to win games this year, they’ll need to be better than 1/11 on third down. They’re lucky they got away with it on Saturday, but it won’t stand going forward. </li>
<li id="sr7kGl">I understood the idea of trying to get Mookie Cooper involved in the offense with the motions, bubble screens, jet sweeps, etc but a lot of times it seemed forced. Central Michigan was locked in on some of the actions, but in general there weren’t a lot of downfield routes for Cooper in Game One. That could change — Missouri wasn’t showing a lot of their hand — but for now this is a piece of the offense that could use some more fine-tuning. </li>
<li id="WsIGdA">The Offensive Line was okay. Not bad, not good but okay. The defensive line of Central Michigan gave them all they could handle, and in the first half especially, they were really controlling the line of scrimmage. Missouri woke up finally, and salvaged a good half of football, but it was a tad bit concerning how the Chippewa defensive line was getting so much push. </li>
</ul>
<p id="1kBeXV"></p>
<p id="6f1thY"><em><strong>Follow me on Twitter </strong></em><a href="http://www.twitter.com/iAirDry"><em><strong>@iAirDry</strong></em></a><em><strong>!</strong></em></p>
<p id="Vv7RM2"></p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/missouri-tigers-football/2021/9/7/22660008/taking-the-good-with-the-bad-central-michigan-missouri-footballAaron Dryden2021-09-06T09:30:00-05:002021-09-06T09:30:00-05:00MV3: Tyler Badie leads the way in our first ballot
<figure>
<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 04 Central Michigan at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jwD7KVzlhagp2AwpHqrp50L9cpM=/0x0:7453x4969/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69821887/1235057144.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In our first MV3 of the season, Tyler Badie was the runaway choice for the top spot, while two newcomers followed him up.</p> <p id="Z0Y8bf">Welcome back to another season of the MV3!</p>
<p id="F6aRHv">For those who don’t remember, the MV3 was a series we introduced last season as a way of “rewarding” the players our masthead thought were most worthy of recognition in the previous weekend’s game. The name MV3, of course, stems from the mid-2000’s St. Louis Cardinals teams that boasted Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen down the middle. Did you need that bit of factual info? Probably not. But I gave it to you anyway. </p>
<p id="pJUSI0">Anyway, the voting was pretty straightforward after Mizzou’s 34-24 win over Central Michigan. The first choice should be pretty obvious (especially if you read the headline), but there were five other players who received votes from our masthead. In the end, the top two choices were runaways, while the third spot came down to one or two voters putting him higher on their ballots.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="S0oy9L">
<h1 id="jb458g">1. Tyler Badie</h1>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Football: Central Michigan at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zDOUNqK7dj5kqv1QBgS_K916ey4=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22828460/usa_today_16689736.jpg">
<cite>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="9iThEi">There’s really only one true choice to lead the first MV3 of the season. After an offseason of questions regarding whether or not he could be the feature back of an offense, Tyler Badie had every answer in his first game as the unquestioned starter. The senior rushed for a career high 203 yards and a score while adding 40 yards and another score through the air. When he got even the slightest bit of help from his blockers, Badie was uncatchable, hitting running lanes with ease and slicing through the Chippewa defense like a hot knife through butter. Missouri may have struggled as a unit in Week One, but there was never any doubt as to who the best player on the field was. </p>
<h1 id="SL8kKx">2. Blaze Alldredge</h1>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Football: Central Michigan at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lm4W3POMuAH4jABkhF5tlBRCwtQ=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22828531/usa_today_16689561.jpg">
<cite>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="02YAF9">Yes, Coach Drinkwitz, we’ve seen the hair. And yes, Coach Drinkwitz, we’ve got a player on our hands.</p>
<p id="SGnoeP">Blaze Alldredge was hailed as Nick Bolton’s replacement the moment he committed this summer. While that’s an incredibly unfair expectation to place on the newbie, Alldredge seems to be aware of the high standard he’s aiming toward. The graduate transfer’s first outing as a Tiger was far from perfect — he missed quite a few tackles, overpursued a fair amount and generally struggled to the start the game. But he also created absurd amounts of havoc, notching 3.5 sacks, 2 QB hurries and a total of 8 tackles to lead a defense that managed to step its game up in the second half. Ideally Alldredge’s game won’t be quite as volatile as it was on Saturday, but you can live with some mistakes if the production stays that high in the coming weeks.</p>
<h1 id="WwcyYS">3. Akayleb Evans</h1>
<div id="jhNkpE">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Akayleb Evans (<a href="https://twitter.com/AkaylebEvans?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AkaylebEvans</a>) hype is real folks <a href="https://t.co/rtzUOmjRI7">pic.twitter.com/rtzUOmjRI7</a></p>— Nathalie Jones (@NathalieABC17) <a href="https://twitter.com/NathalieABC17/status/1434346525946155010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="hmCGfE">More than a few brows were furrowed after Akayleb Evans failed to turn up as a starting corner on the first two-deep of the season. It only took the transfer one game, however, to prove that he may be the most electric talent in the secondary. </p>
<p id="ns4CIR">Evans was a dynamo in his first game as a Tiger, breaking up passes, bullying opposing wideouts and, most notably, snagging an interception that turned the early tide of the game. The pass he picked off was thrown behind the receiver, but Evans also had to display high-level body control to turn in mid-sprint and reel the ball into his body. Those kind of ball skills haven’t been present in the Tiger secondary since EJ Gaines. It was an exceptional debut for the Tulsa transfer, who should be listed as a starter on the two-deep from now on.</p>
<p id="KXBsJ8"><em>Others receiving votes: Connor Bazelak, Grant McKinnis, Harrison Mevis</em></p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="j9zfXA">
<p id="h97T7Q">Who were your MV3 for the week? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @RockMNation!</p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/6/22657771/mv3-mizzou-football-tigers-tyler-badie-leads-the-way-in-first-ballot-central-michiganJosh Matejka2021-09-05T12:30:00-05:002021-09-05T12:30:00-05:00Tyler Badie emerges from the Rountree shadow for career day
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Central Michigan at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HhKU1T2ay8qhkUmMsRP0gRJiA_A=/0x0:3922x2615/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69819716/usa_today_16689890.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>People wondered if Tyler Badie could be a workhorse back for Mizzou this season, and he revealed the answer on Saturday</p> <p id="4fAiwM">Larry Rountree III was such a pivotal piece of the Missouri offense for years. Rushing for over 3,700 yards and 40 touchdowns on 5.0 yards per carry, it is clear to see why based upon statistics alone.</p>
<p id="oEx8cc">Tyler Badie had been the lightning to Rountree’s thunder for most of his career. That changed Saturday. The running back room is now led by Tyler Badie, and the senior showed why on Saturday.</p>
<p id="XOmz2u">Badie touched the ball 29 times against Central Michigan, far and away the most he has ever had in a single game. And man, did he make the most of his touches.</p>
<p id="g4KRdW">It was a career day for the New Orleans product, rushing for 203 yards to go along with 40 receiving yards and two total touchdowns. What is perhaps the most impressive stat from Badie is the fact that he averaged a whopping 8.1 yards per carry, as nearly every one of his runs was going for chunk yardage and propelling drives forward.</p>
<p id="tljCqQ">Outside of the box score, Badie was truly impressive to watch. The strengths he had shown for years; his vision, speed, and ability to make people miss in space, were on full display all game long. Badie exhibited great patience in waiting on his blocks, but he hit the available holes hard right after.</p>
<p id="NgBMAk">What was not seen before was Badie’s strength and durability. He was running strong out on the field, proving he could withstand running between the tackles consistently. Even late in the fourth quarter, Badie was still fresh enough to break off a 69-yard run to put the game away.</p>
<p id="xWv0Fb">Badie attributes his offseason work for allowing him to handle the load he did on Saturday.</p>
<p id="FAfvuz">“Really, it’s just stretching,” Badie said when asked how he is able to stay fresh and durable during the game.</p>
<p id="JZ8AND">“He’s done a great job taking care of his body, not taking every rep in camp,” his quarterback Connor Bazelak said. “He knew we would have to rely on him this year.”</p>
<p id="jgl99F">After missing some action during fall camp last week, Badie even revealed that he was not 100% healthy in the postgame press conference, which is perhaps why he cramped up late in the second half.</p>
<p id="XCoB2i">“I’m very confident in myself and what I can do,” Badie stated, “But I wasn’t really used to that (29 touches), it was good to get my feet wet.”</p>
<p id="HQgr7S">While Elijah Young and other backs did see some playing time, it was clear that Eli Drinkwitz is perfectly content with letting Badie touch the ball as many times as he can handle, to an extent.</p>
<p id="lpD1hN">“He had 5 more touches than what I expected,” Drinkwitz said, “I should’ve subbed him late. Still very proud of how he played.”</p>
<p id="YHJ2QB">This was a breakout game for Badie, a player who many were counting on to be one of the faces of this Mizzou team but wondered if he was capable of being the lead guy in the backfield. He proved those doubters wrong for now, but it will remain to be seen if he can handle this workload when SEC play comes around. 25+ touches on a week-to-week basis against SEC defenses is something not many can handle, so managing Badie’s workload and keeping him healthy will be a key for this team. With his skillset and playmaking ability, he needs to be on the field in pivotal situations for the Tigers this season.</p>
<p id="1qWnyS">For now, Badie has a lot to be proud of with how he played against the Chippewas, and he has earned the respect of every SEC fan and opposing coaching staff. Still, he knows there is room for improvement, especially on that final 69-yard scamper.</p>
<p id="bGDSWF">“I was so tired,” Badie explained when asked about not being able to score on that run. “It’s one of the plays I’m gonna regret for a long time, but it happens when you get tired.”</p>
<p id="OjKsIM">Mr. Badie, you have earned a week of rest. Mizzou might need 30 more touches to take down Kentucky in Lexington next week.</p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/missouri-tigers-football/2021/9/5/22658511/tyler-badie-emerges-from-the-rountree-shadow-for-career-dayParker Gillam2021-09-05T05:00:00-05:002021-09-05T05:00:00-05:00Pourover: Still cautiously optimistic after all these years
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Central Michigan at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OMfsRM8UWgwocKZ1Rq_eKy1E6G0=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69818922/usa_today_16687058.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Yesterday was a reminder that we’re in year 2 and not year 6 of the Eli Drinkwitz era. Adjust expectations accordingly. </p> <p id="rN5Y6S">I didn’t know what to expect.<a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/22646144/state-of-the-program-missouri-football-year-2-under-eli-drinkwitz"> I even said so last week</a>. </p>
<p id="2LeYwD">I <a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/8/31/22651544/mizzou-football-2021-week-1-vs-central-michigan-eli-drinkwitz-new-zou">read what we published</a>, <a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/2/22653816/podcast-mizzou-vs-central-michigan-lets-go">listed to Nate and BK</a> on the podcast, and I was still uncertain of what we would see from Missouri against Central Michigan. But watching Football is a much different experience for me than watching basketball. I’m able to dissect plays and motions and rotations in real time when I watch hoops. But Football is far more visceral and reactionary. Despite it being far more of a slog (really, we can’t wrap up games in less than like 3 hours and 53 minutes?). </p>
<p id="0HXq7I">I’m probably every bit as bad as anyone getting mad at college students when they miss a tackle, or fail to convert a 3rd and short. But once you get outside of the play, the moment, and the game, it’s important to reel back. So we zoom out, and reset. All the cliches. </p>
<p id="6TONit">This is Eli Drinkwitz’s 11th game as head coach of the program — none of which have been outside of a global pandemic — and the very early stages of his second season leading the charge. It’s easy to get caught up in the amount of offseason winning Drink and his staff have been partaking in. It’s easy to forget a pretty important part of all this... this is a bit of a rebuild. </p>
<p id="1mzHHp">Mizzou wasn’t in year zero last year; the bottom never really fell out. Things weren’t great in the last year of the Barry Odom tenure but they won 6 games... but... </p>
<p id="Edq9dJ">You can see watching the game yesterday that there’s still a lot of work to be done. The offensive and defensive lines just didn’t dominate on enough downs against a MAC school. And don’t get me wrong here, CMU is a solid team, with good and experienced lines. But if you want to be a program that competes within the SEC on an annual basis you don’t struggle to win those battles. And Missouri just isn’t there. </p>
<p id="9SquJW">The difference yesterday was in the depth. Missouri just had more big bodies, even if the difference at the start wasn’t all that noticeable, the cumulative effect eventually wore down the Chippewas, and the Tigers were able to pull away. But they’re going to need more standouts on each side of the line to truly take a step up in the league. </p>
<p id="oKwSj5">So the good news if you’re gauging your contemporaries, winning a tough game over a group of five team isn’t anything to get upset about in Week 1. Oklahoma snuck by Tulane by just 5 points. Iowa State beat Northern Iowa 16-10. Oregon beat Fresno State 31-24. Washington lost to Montana. Charlotte beat Duke, Northern Illinois beat Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State beat Missouri State 23 - 16, Baylor beat Texas State 29-20. Illinois lost to UT-San Antonio. </p>
<p id="LoBXxN">So this is all to say... we’re fine. We’re good. Maybe we watched yesterday and were frustrated by different outcomes but Mizzou got the win and it was never really in question for most of the 4th quarter. Sure CMU had their shots, but it was never close. So while there are things to clean up (one for 11 on 3rd downs is yeeeeeeessssh), yesterday’s win means that the train is on the tracks and things are on schedule. </p>
<p id="KQEEip">Full Stats from Statbroadcast:</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/p5VC6Mf6AZOFVYAmMU5JeI9LKps=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22827806/CMU_pt_1.png">
</figure>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mxzKfDSLLl4aJk1QFwcUo1l3Q54=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22827807/CMU_pt_2.png">
</figure>
<h3 id="XA9uad">Here are your other SEC scores:</h3>
<ul>
<li id="ByOO3n">Mississippi State 35, Louisiana Tech 34</li>
<li id="qngM7D">Arkansas 38, Rice 17</li>
<li id="G6nwqW">Kentucky 45, UL Monroe 10</li>
<li id="tjTlYq">Alabama 44, Miami 13</li>
<li id="fQEAi0">East Tennessee State 23, Vanderbilt 3</li>
<li id="Z854Qo">A&M 41, Kent St 10</li>
<li id="66oMix">UF 35, FAU 14</li>
<li id="7p180A">Auburn 60, Akron 10</li>
<li id="ljjomH">USC 46, EIU 0</li>
<li id="6i9SF1">Georgia 10, Clemson 3</li>
<li id="URqiI3">UCLA 38, LSU 27</li>
<li id="H0ziNX">Thu: Tennessee 38, Bowling Green 6</li>
</ul>
<h1 id="QvdtMQ">Yesterday at Rock M</h1>
<ul>
<li id="JZ785j"><a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/4/22656679/missouri-vs-central-michigan-football-gameday-info-where-to-watch-predictions">Missouri vs Central Michigan football GameDay: info, where to watch, predictions</a></li>
<li id="TTNyMY"><a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/4/22656998/bottoms-up-the-2021-season-is-here">Bottoms Up! The 2021 Season is Here!</a></li>
<li id="LBbCuO"><a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/4/22657238/gamethread-mizzou-vs-central-michigan">Gamethread: Mizzou vs Central Michigan</a></li>
<li id="Fx6P63"><a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/4/22657775/instant-reaction-missouri-34-central-michigan-24">Instant Reaction: Missouri 34 - Central Michigan 24</a></li>
<li id="mmbwHg"><a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/4/22657419/blaze-alldredge-tyler-badie-lead-mizzou-tigers-to-season-opening-victory-central-michigan">Alldredge, Badie lead Tigers to season opening victory</a></li>
</ul>
<h1 id="NgSBg8">GameDay Links:</h1>
<ul>
<li id="RR89RJ"><a href="https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/mizzou/badie-delivers-mizzou-survives-central-michigan-in-opener/article_53898130-8a58-57dd-9ff4-536d15a33ceb.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest">Dave Matter’s game story</a></li>
<li id="FdMAsm"><a href="https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article254007408.html">Blair Kerkhoff’s game story</a></li>
<li id="xF1GGI"><a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/sports/mizzou_football/missouris-offense-buoyed-by-bazelak-badie-in-season-opening-win-over-central-michigan/article_ff8ec88e-0dba-11ec-ad34-2ba1370461b8.html">Columbia Missourian Emily Leiker’s game story</a></li>
<li id="hyHEcW">Trib’s Eric Blum <a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/sports/college/tiger-extra/2021/09/04/what-mizzous-defense-lacked-saturday-our-takeaways-win/5704675001/">wraps up the day</a>
</li>
<li id="Ps3snJ">If you’re looking to sign up for ESPN+, Rock M Nation now has an affiliate link: <a href="https://espn.zlbu.net/c/482924/535101/9070?sharedid=RockMNation">click Here for ESPN+ Now!</a>
</li>
</ul>
<p id="QDR51h"></p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/5/22657727/pourover-mizzou-cmu-postgame-reaction-column-stats-eli-drinkwitzSam Snelling2021-09-04T22:04:10-05:002021-09-04T22:04:10-05:00Alldredge, Badie lead Tigers to season opening victory
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Central Michigan at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qHmkLGs6iwotE5FG_Y-ZMhiBTLA=/0x0:4181x2787/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69818546/usa_today_16687834.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Tyler Badie and Blaze Alldredge delivered career performances to help Mizzou beat a stingy Central Michigan team.</p> <p id="vrSBxp">Blaze Alldredge and Tyler Badie were tasked with replacing Tiger legends Nick Bolton and Larry Rountree this year. Against Central Michigan on Saturday, they filled those big shoes admirably. </p>
<p id="oD2qQK">Alldredge’s 3.5 sacks were the most ever for a Tiger since 2006, and Badie set a career-high for carries, touches, and yards from scrimmage with 243 as the Tigers beat the Chippewas 34-24.</p>
<p id="7KAZhR">However, even with stellar performances from Alldredge, Badie, and others, the Tigers still had their hands full with a Central Michigan team that traveled to Columbia with every intention to spoil the Tigers home opener.</p>
<p id="J0KGwP">To open the game, Mizzou came out swinging with a 63-yard pass from Connor Bazelak to Boo Smith on the very first play of the game and followed it up with a Tyler Badie 12-YD TD run on the very next play. </p>
<p id="qchS27">Unfortunately for the Tigers, that quick lead wouldn’t stand up very long. After watching the Tigers go 75 yards, CMU returned the favor, going 75 yards of their own on 5 plays capped with a 7-yard TD pass from Jacob Sirmon to JaCorey Sullivan.</p>
<p id="aqeNjA">Following the two quick scores by each side, both defenses found their rhythm and 6 of the next 7 drives were punts by either team, with the lone outlier coming on an Akayleb Evans interception off Jacob Sirmon.</p>
<p id="Z2Jgi5">After 21:26 of scoreless football from both teams, Central Michigan finally broke through on a Lew Nichols 18-YD TD rush. After the made PAT, the underdog CMU led the Tigers 14-7 in the second quarter. Based on how the Tiger offense responded, trailing might have been just the wake-up call they needed.</p>
<p id="pfuxkg">A big third-and-long conversion from Barrett Bannister got the Tigers rolling, and then a defensive pass interference call when the Tigers were trying to convert on 4th and short set up a 39-YD Tyler Badie TD reception to tie the game back up at 14.</p>
<p id="atzucI">Even with the momentum building for the Tigers, it appeared as if CMU was going to punch the ball in once more before the half. However, the Tiger defense found a way to bend but not break and get Connor Bazelak the ball back with 0:54 left in the second. That bend-don’t-break mentality was evident throughout the game as the Tigers gave up 475 yards, but limited CMU to just 24 points. </p>
<p id="W1AJmK">When the Tiger offense got on the field, they knew they just had to find their way into Harrison Mevis’ range if they wanted to take a lead into halftime, and they did exactly that. A quick 6-play, 34-yard drive was just what the doctor ordered to set up a 53-yard Mevis field goal attempt. In an attempt to get in Mevis’ head, CMU called a timeout to ice him, but it didn’t affect Mevis. </p>
<p id="v80Toz">“They iced me, that was kind of a dumb move,” Mevis said after the game, “I knew I was going to make it.” </p>
<p id="0wvfYF">And make it he did, splitting the uprights with a kick that would’ve been good from over 60 yards, but according to Mevis he has a lot more in the tank if needed: “Shoot, I didn’t even kick that 53 that hard. Put the ball in the ground, I’ll kick it, and I’ll make it. That’s my mentality.”</p>
<p id="L4EIBf">With a 17-14 lead at the half, the Tigers welcomed JC Carlies back to the secondary after he served his targeting suspension from last year’s <a href="https://www.forwhomthecowbelltolls.com">Mississippi State</a> game. They continued to stay hot defensively by forcing a three and out in their first series before Carlies picked off CMU QB Jacob Sirmon at the Mizzou 4-yard line in the second series.</p>
<p id="heZB4p">After coming out sluggish in the second half, the Tiger offense looked like it was going to catch a major break when Kalil Pimpleton muffed Grant McKinnis’s punt at the Central Michigan 20-yard line and the Tigers recovered the ball. However, after a replay review, the call was overturned — Pimpleton was out of bounds when he touched the ball making it a dead ball. </p>
<p id="GOGr5O">Despite the bad break, a Blaze Alldredge tackle for loss and sack helped force another CMU punt. This time, the Tiger offense would capitalize. In just 2:32, Bazelak led his boys down the field, and Elijah Young found the end zone for this first time in his collegiate career on a 32-yard touchdown run that put the Tigers up 24-14. </p>
<p id="77pCEs">But just like Central Michigan had done all game, they battled back. Trailing by 10 start the 4th quarter, the Chippewas did exactly what they needed to do. An 11-play, 73-yard drive capped off by a TD thrown by backup QB Daniel Richardson cut it back to a 3-point game, and it was Mizzou’s turn to respond.</p>
<p id="ouSm5v">What Eli Drinkwitz dialed up was a heavy dose of Tyler Badie. </p>
<p id="cYv79t">“Tyler is an electric player, I’m really proud of him,” said Drinkwitz in his post-game presser. “He’s one of those guys that we know we gotta get him the ball.” </p>
<p id="UW1rsi">Of Badie’s 203 total rushing yards on the day, 50 came on this 75-yard drive that finished witha 2-yard Niko Hea TD. Just like that, the Tigers 10-point cushion was back. </p>
<p id="1skFhy">Similarly to how Badie continued to deliver when the Tigers needed, so did the day’s other star, Blaze Alldredge. The Rice transfer led the Tiger defense out on the field on the next defensive series and continued to fill up the stat sheet with another tackle for loss and a sack. </p>
<p id="0Guy5T">“I wish I could give [my teammates] some of the sacks, but that’s not how stats work,” joked Alldredge after the game about his impressive box score. None of his teammates were complaining, however, as his impressive defensive efforts continued to force Chippewa punts. </p>
<p id="iavhkQ">Now the Tigers had the ball with about 6:54 remaining in the game and a chance to finish CMU once and for all, but the Chippewas refused to go away and force the Tigers to punt. Unfortunately, for Central Michigan, Tigers punter Grant McKinnis had other ideas, and pinned the Chippewas on their own 2-yard line. All 5 of McKinnis’ punts on the day were downed inside the CMU 20.</p>
<p id="cHvLxp">Even though Central Michigan did eventually drive down the field and add a 51-yard field goal, having to drive from their own 2-yard line hurt them in a big way. After the drive ended, just 1:30 was left on the clock when they kicked the ball back to Mizzou.</p>
<p id="m5FudW">On the very first play of the drive that ensued, Tyler Badie all but put the game away with a 69-yard run that got the Tigers into field goal range. When asked after the game why he didn’t score the big run, Badie simply said, “I was tired. That’s one of those plays I’m going to regret for a long time.” </p>
<p id="bIe0li">Even though he didn’t score, Badie did set another Mevis field goal, this time from 44-yards, to finalize the score at 34-24. Central Michigan did get the ball back, but their drive wouldn’t amount to anything before time ran out and the Tigers improved to 1-0.</p>
<p id="u9TbhZ">After the game, Drinkwitz offered mixed reviews about he and his team’s performance, but he made it clear that fixing things is always more pleasant on the heels of a win.</p>
<p id="GPD02H">“It’s much better to correct [mistakes] being 1-0 than 0-1.”</p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/4/22657419/blaze-alldredge-tyler-badie-lead-mizzou-tigers-to-season-opening-victory-central-michiganKortay Vincent2021-09-04T20:28:32-05:002021-09-04T20:28:32-05:00Instant Reaction: Missouri 34 - Central Michigan 24
<figure>
<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 04 Central Michigan at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IECLkUhmvZDAPZy7f7mAW-QJ6BQ=/0x0:4864x3243/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69818378/1235059519.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Like I said...just win, baby</p> <p id="cbXByL">Look...I’m not that smart. But I do feel like I have a pretty good grasp on Missouri football. And I know that me saying that this game was going to be super close and uncomfortable is the last thing that needed to be heard. But...</p>
<div id="DraebY">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Well, <a href="https://twitter.com/NateGEdwards?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NateGEdwards</a> was right.</p>— David Mann (@MIZ_DBH) <a href="https://twitter.com/MIZ_DBH/status/1434314341298356225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="iFWUs0">...in this case I was right. And, also, Mizzou won! So it’s all good. Here were the big takeaways:</p>
<h2 id="oGdq0U"><strong>Tyler Badie is ready to be the #1</strong></h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 04 Central Michigan at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/74aGpCMdq0uQ79Z0IR84jSZKUkI=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22827562/1235058867.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="puBJ5C">It was a popular discussion point of the offseason: can Tyler Badie handle to work of a primary back in the SEC? Well, after one week, the answer is an emphatic “yes”. 25 rushes for 185 yards and a touchdown PLUS 40 yards on 4 targets and a touchdown is heavy, effective usage and he looked like he could do more. Whatever diet or workout regimen he had over the summer is working: dude looked yoked and was running through contact as well as burning dudes. It was MAC competition, yes, but that was a good team that he just abused. Preliminary results are that Badie can be a #1.</p>
<h2 id="NM6MBf"><strong>This offensive line pecking order is not settled yet</strong></h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 04 Central Michigan at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jPjwcXnpQR8QrV_IpTn-Nz2RwM4=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22827565/1235057189.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="1GrCZL">The other point of intrigue this offseason was who the starting five offensive linemen were going to be. While the depth chart set out a top ten the quality of play on Saturday certainly doesn’t indicate that the positions are set in stone. By my count all ten saw the field at some point - and in various combinations, to boot - and none of them had a ton of success against a salty Chippewa defensive line.</p>
<h2 id="XaCN89"><strong>The Blaze Alldredge Experience (TM) is a wild one</strong></h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 04 Central Michigan at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/guW406ynEat5HrFKBr-IRoq_HjU=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22827566/1235058930.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="gX2SrH">He certainly wasn’t perfect but wow did Alldredge make some plays. 9 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 2 quarterback hurries is more than Nick Bolton did in any single game last year. However, the downside to this was Alldredge struggled in containing the Chippewa running game. Part of that was the Tiger interior linemen frequently got washed out but he tended to over-pursue and leave the cutback lane wide open. Regardless, if Alldredge plays the pass-rushing, havoc-focused linebacker and Devin Nicholson can be the tackling machine, Steve Wilks can better scheme his boys going forward. The fact that Alldredge was upset with his performance and could quite possibly end up being SEC Defensive Player of the Week is a fun world to live in.</p>
<h2 id="6kCjaC"><strong>The Tiger Defense is a work in progress</strong></h2>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 04 Central Michigan at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LAOfsL9h0XvyZMfY6hC0VpOogzE=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22827567/1235058752.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="ux08HS">Breaking news: you don’t overhaul your defensive system and immediately get better. Steve Wilks’ 4-2-5 might not be a complete 180 difference from the Walters 4-2-5, but learning new designations, assignments, vernacular, and play-calling style means some hesitancies and some missed assignments which we saw plenty of on Saturday. Wilks is getting used to the college game too, as well, and the Tiger D really didn’t start to see success until the second half. They have 60 minutes of experience and some game tape to try and get better but they need to do it fast since they have a huge test next week.</p>
<h2 id="wETBqz"><strong>Missouri is 1-0</strong></h2>
<p id="UMUMmj">Oregon struggled with Fresno State. <a href="https://www.widerightnattylite.com">Iowa State</a> barely beat Northern Iowa. <a href="https://www.forwhomthecowbelltolls.com">Mississippi State</a> eked out a win over Louisiana Tech. Oklahoma survived Tulane. And Missouri beat Central Michigan.</p>
<p id="65qPHP">That’s important! Your Tigers are undefeated after playing a C+/B- game against a good G5 opponent. Missouri is not a program that just gets wins and certainly is never entitled to any victory. They have to earn everything they get so it’s important that we celebrate every victory as well. It wasn’t a perfect game but this was a good test for a young, volatile team with a lot of “new” on it. They experienced adversity and pulled through and that’s what counts. Now they travel to Lexington to take on a Kentucky team that detonated one of the worst teams in the country early on Saturday. M-I-Z.</p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2021/9/4/22657775/instant-reaction-missouri-34-central-michigan-24Nate Edwards