Rock M Nation - Mizzou Football in 2022: Week 1 vs. Louisiana TechA Blog for Ol' Mizzouhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50319/rmn-fav.png2022-09-06T15:17:31-05:00http://www.rockmnation.com/rss/stream/230887812022-09-06T15:17:31-05:002022-09-06T15:17:31-05:00AP Top 25: SEC Makes a Statement After 13-1 Opening Weekend
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Sam Houston State at Texas A&amp;M" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4Lea-zRkopAsPqEBwmHWzK9qt08=/0x0:3098x2065/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71330912/usa_today_18979103.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The SEC finished with a Power Five best 13-1 record on College Football’s opening weekend. A look at this week’s AP Top 25, plus some SEC Power Rankings </p> <p id="ass5HR">Welcome back, College Football. The first full weekend of the 2022 season saw plenty of big-time games, great finishes, and some upsets. </p>
<p id="QGKqFW">The SEC is off to a great start with the best record among Power Five conferences on opening weekend, going 13–1 including three wins over Top 25 teams — Georgia over Oregon, Arkansas over Cincinnati, and Florida over Utah. The league’s only loss was <a href="https://www.andthevalleyshook.com">LSU</a> losing 24-23 to <a href="https://www.tomahawknation.com/">Florida State</a> in a heartbreaker by a blocked extra point. </p>
<p id="XUq3wu"><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">In this week’s AP Top 25</a>, the SEC has eight teams in the latest rankings. <a href="https://www.bringonthecats.com">Kansas State</a>, Mizzou’s opponent on Saturday is receiving votes, just nine spots out of the rankings.</p>
<ol>
<li id="sCrYMJ">Alabama (1-0)</li>
<li id="WjjaGb">Georgia (1-0)</li>
<li id="dUEjPT">
<a href="https://www.landgrantholyland.com">Ohio State</a> (1-0)</li>
<li id="Qgobi4">Michigan (1-0)</li>
<li id="F96kjG"> Clemson (1-0)</li>
<li id="makXQ1"> <a href="https://www.goodbullhunting.com">Texas A&M</a> (1-0)</li>
<li id="X3Ljqe"> Oklahoma (1-0)</li>
<li id="5a6R3R"> <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame</a> (1-0)</li>
<li id="dGoZXt"> Baylor (1-0)</li>
<li id="S82tGL"> USC (1-0)</li>
<li id="C9hUXr"> <a href="https://www.cowboysrideforfree.com">Oklahoma State</a> (1-0)</li>
<li id="pKz5e6"> Florida (1-0)</li>
<li id="iTLCBO"> Utah (0-1)</li>
<li id="2Puy8X"> <a href="https://www.theonlycolors.com">Michigan State</a> (1-0)</li>
<li id="A76xXA"> Miami (FL) (1-0)</li>
<li id="RlAjdU"> Arkansas (1-0) </li>
<li id="cn7al8"> Pittsburgh (1-0)</li>
<li id="0Qe8Jj"> North Carolina State (1-0)</li>
<li id="oJYTP6"> Wisconsin (1-0)</li>
<li id="xwrMtp"> Kentucky (1-0)</li>
<li id="RRuTjJ"> <a href="https://www.vanquishthefoe.com">BYU</a> (1-0)</li>
<li id="BlDozh"> <a href="https://www.redcuprebellion.com">Ole Miss</a> (1-0)</li>
<li id="Tkmb47"> <a href="https://www.bloggersodear.com">Wake Forest</a> (1-0)</li>
<li id="vE9Tcz"> Tennessee (1-0)</li>
<li id="5AowAQ"> Houston (1-0) </li>
</ol>
<p id="Yno9Tg">Top 25 match ups on the schedule for Week 2: </p>
<ul>
<li id="TgWVth"> No. 24 Tennessee at No. 17 Pittsburgh 2:30 p.m. CST (ABC)</li>
<li id="diBnUZ">No. 20 Kentucky at No. 12 Florida 6:00 p.m. CST (ESPN)</li>
<li id="UpwDiT"> No. 9 Baylor at No. 21 BYU 9:15 p.m. CST (ESPN)</li>
</ul>
<p id="LocZPm"></p>
<h3 id="DwkVcv"><em><strong>My updated SEC Power Rankings after Week 1: </strong></em></h3>
<ol>
<li id="d68xgx">
<em>Alabama</em>: I was tempted to put Georgia here, but 55-0 is 55-0 over a Utah State team that won the <a href="https://www.mwcconnection.com">Mountain West</a> Conference last season. The Tide continue to roll. </li>
<li id="yH5pol">
<em>Georgia</em>: The defending champions don’t rebuild — they reload. 49-3 over a ranked Oregon team is obviously a really impressive performance, but the Ducks could be overrated just a little bit. </li>
<li id="Dqt7pr">
<em>Arkansas</em>: A huge win to open the season over Cincinnati. Yes, it’s not the same Bearcat team that made the playoff last year, but it’s still a win over a Top 25 caliber team. Expect KJ Jefferson and Jadon Haselwood to connect on a lot of touchdown passes. </li>
<li id="aXVg3j">
<a href="https://www.goodbullhunting.com"><em>Texas A&M</em></a>: The Aggies took care of business in a 31-0 shutout win over FCS power Sam Houston State, but two interceptions by Haynes King is a minor cause for concern. Appalachian State on Saturday could be a trap game with Miami (FL) and Arkansas looming for the Aggies. </li>
<li id="XEnSfD">
<em>Florida</em>: The Gators made the biggest statement in the SEC with an upset win over Pac-12 preseason favorite Utah to jumpstart the Billy Napier era. Anthony Richardson looks like the real deal. </li>
<li id="8YLQLB">
<a href="https://www.redcuprebellion.com"><em>Ole Miss</em></a>: Not much to takeaway after a 28-10 win over Troy, but the offense could be a lot of fun to watch with Jaxson Dart and Zachary Evans. </li>
<li id="KwAnFr">
<em>Tennessee</em>: An explosive offense led by Hendon Hooker after a 59-10 win over Ball State. We will see just how good the Vols can be on Saturday at Pittsburgh. </li>
<li id="bwl48T">
<em>Kentucky</em>: It was an underwhelming 37-13 win over Miami (OH) for the Wildcats, but Will Levis still had a solid day. They will be a more complete team when Chris Rodriguez returns. </li>
<li id="x6Kap1">
<a href="https://www.forwhomthecowbelltolls.com"><em>Mississippi State</em></a>: A Mike Leach offense continues to do Mike Leach offense things. Will Rogers had five touchdowns and 450 yards passing in a 49-23 win over Memphis. However, the Bulldogs’ upcoming schedule is brutal on paper. </li>
<li id="Jkicf9">
<em>South Carolina:</em> The 35-14 win over Georgia State was led by special teams with two blocked punts for a touchdown. Spencer Rattler struggled a bit with two interceptions. The Gamecocks could be in trouble on Saturday at Arkansas. </li>
<li id="UpptcC">
<em>Missouri</em>: Our Tigers did what they needed to do. Covering the 20-point spread against an FBS team is a step in the right direction. The defense looks vastly improved, and Luther Burden lived up to high expectations. </li>
<li id="ABlNdk">
<em>Auburn</em>: Not a whole lot to takeaway after their 42-16 win over Mercer. We’ll know a lot more after they play Penn State in Week 3. </li>
<li id="iooJoK">
<em>LSU</em>: A rough debut for Brian Kelly — losing in a heartbreaker to a Florida State team that went 5-7 last season. Still plenty of time to right the ship. </li>
<li id="F0rr1C">
<em>Vanderbilt</em>: The only 2-0 team so far in the conference right now! Yes, the Commodores have certainly improved, but they beat arguably the worst team in the FBS (Hawaii) and allowed 31 points to FCS’ Elon. </li>
</ol>
<p id="kyvudG"></p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2022/9/6/23338105/missouri-tigers-college-football-ap-top-25-sec-alabama-georgia-arkansas-florida-opening-weekendSammy Stava2022-09-06T10:00:00-05:002022-09-06T10:00:00-05:00Beyond The Box Score: Statements and Introductions
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<p>Where is Missouri in its build? How do the transfers fit in? We got a few answers to both and man was it pretty.</p> <p id="KYWEOG">The college football offseason is, simultaneously, the best and the worst. The best because you can pore over rosters, look at historical stats, and project anything you want based off of anything you want and it’s impossible to prove you’re wrong for nine entire months.</p>
<p id="3wZVrb">At the same time...the offseason is nine entire months.</p>
<p id="kvXnQG">As a Missouri fan - and a Missouri fan in the year of our lord 2022 - the offseason has been particularly eventful for our mind, space, and fantastical projections.</p>
<p id="rC3AT8">Will the Tigers be elite? Sure! The recruiting is there. Drink just needed all his guys together!</p>
<p id="1xaQLy">Will the Tigers be merely ok? Could be! It’s a tough schedule and those Drinkwitz recruits won’t be on the depth chart.</p>
<p id="jjbLs1">Point is: It was very nice to have a one game sample size to physically see what this team can do and continue whatever narrative you’ve been constructing since January.</p>
<p id="2oIrTi">With plenty of transfers littering the defensive two deep and a bunch of youngsters supplementing the leftover grizzled vets of the Odom campaigns, there was a real question as to how this team would announce itself in the first game of the year. As we all saw, they did so with aggression.</p>
<p id="hWBP2V">Here’s the advanced box score:</p>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rUoW-Xj8Hpo2v0bsHxQhMYcDYGo=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23998041/Capture.PNG">
<figcaption>Advanced Box Score</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="9t9ZXa">This game was played at an air-raid rate of pace with a ton of possessions! Last year’s average possession count per game for the Tigers was 10.5, with the highest possession total being 13 which was achieved twice, against Central Michigan and Arkansas. Against Louisiana Tech, the Bulldogs finished with 15 possessions and Missouri finished with 14. But even with a pace of play out of the ordinary for a Drinkwitz-coached Missouri team, the Tigers finished better than the Bulldogs in almost every single statistical category. It would have taken a disastrous amount of turnovers for LaTech to overcome Missouri’s production and they weren’t even able to break even in that category. And that’s how you blow out an opponent (and cover the spread)!</p>
<p id="FwrDDW">Let’s review the keys of the game;</p>
<h2 id="MlZZAr"><strong>When Missouri Has the Ball</strong></h2>
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<figcaption>Missouri’s Offense vs. Louisiana Tech’s Defense</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="MLgOp7">This was a “everybody gets a turn” kind of offensive night, even when the first teamers were out there. I enjoyed seeing lots of rotation in the skill positions against an opponent that wasn’t much of a threat to disrupt offensive production (outside of a few turnovers). However, while that’s great against overmatched foes, let’s hope it allowed the staff to figure out the main guys to turn to during games that are much more competitive.</p>
<h3 id="lQYxfL"><strong>Maintain Ground Efficiency</strong></h3>
<p id="w20M8Q">Entering the game we figured that Missouri would be utilizing at least three running backs throughout the course of the game so the goal was to have the <em><strong>combined rushing effort maintain a success rate of 45%. </strong></em>Missouri finished with a rushing success rate of 53.1% on the game which... yeah, that’s pretty dang good. The Tigers’ top three rushing success rates of last year were 48.1% against Kentucky, 50.0% against Army, and 61.4% against South Carolina, so despite a glitchy performance from the offensive line, this is a great start to the season for the running backs.</p>
<p id="Nx6bzH"><strong>Winner</strong>: Missouri</p>
<h3 id="W2Z8y3"><strong>Show off those super cool receivers</strong></h3>
<p id="hyYnva">I thought that the <em><strong>Tiger offense should be able to notch at least six passing plays over 16 yards</strong></em> against a Louisiana Tech defense that was particularly bad at pass defense last year and importing FCS transfers into their secondary this year. So how did Mizzou do?</p>
<ul>
<li id="6lzi4d">
<em>Barrett Banister</em> - 18-yard catch on 3rd-and-10</li>
<li id="2iTAVu">
<em>Luther Burden III </em>- 16-yard catch on 2nd-and-12</li>
<li id="GvfISQ">
<em>Tauskie Dove</em> - 18-yard catch on 1st-and-10</li>
<li id="5aJzYK">
<em>Tauskie Dove</em> - 21-yard catch on 1st-and-10</li>
<li id="eFZrML">
<em>Tyler Stephens</em> - 28-yard catch on 1st-and-10</li>
<li id="XtN5Rn">
<em>Dominic Lovett</em> - 25-yard catch on 1st-and-16</li>
<li id="cljzNK">
<em>Dominic Lovett </em>- 23-yard catch on 1st-and-10</li>
<li id="kyPEql">
<em>Barrett Banister</em> - 17-yard catch on 2nd-and-5</li>
<li id="yQnSz8">
<em>Mekhi Miller</em> - 17-yard catch on 3rd-and-6</li>
</ul>
<p id="O4nC4g">That’ll do!</p>
<p id="QAlaxE"><strong>Winner</strong>: Missouri</p>
<h3 id="cg0eSN"><strong>Finish your dang drives</strong></h3>
<p id="fYfqdP"><em><strong>At least 5 points per scoring opportunity </strong></em>was the goal and WOW(!!) did the offense deliver on that one! The highest points per scoring opportunity a Drinkwitz offense has ever hit was 6.0 against North Texas last year. Against LaTech, the Tigers hit 5.8, the second-highest output a Drink-powered Mizzou offense has ever achieved.</p>
<p id="tajyO2"><strong>Winner</strong>: Missouri</p>
<h2 id="HXIRhW"><strong>When Louisiana Tech Has the Ball</strong></h2>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/J7elUGyJRHJoRAAB5-51MBGvxyc=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23998654/Capture2.PNG">
<figcaption>Missouri’s Defense vs. Louisiana Tech’s Offense</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="7VWcUS">Sonny Cumbie’s Bulldogs are an air-raid team and, therefore, were never going to provide a legitimate test of Missouri’s run defense. But still...the Tigers annihilated the LaTech ground game. And other than two broken coverages (one by the backups), achieved nothing through the air. I thought that Missouri had a large enough talent gap to wipe out any offensive strategy that LaTech wanted to achieve but I certainly didn’t anticipate it being this effective.</p>
<h3 id="hM4zw4"><strong>Limit Explosive Plays</strong></h3>
<p id="aBFPLy">The goal was to keep Tech’s aerial attack to <em><strong>under 4 explosive plays through the air; </strong></em>here are their explosive passing plays:</p>
<ul>
<li id="mgX81v">Smoke Harris - 23-yard catch on 2nd-and-11</li>
<li id="p7W0Gh">Griffin Hebert - 75-yard catch on 1st-and-10</li>
<li id="h32B6n">Cyrus Allen - 64-yard catch on 1st-and-10</li>
<li id="iz6gqn">Cyrus Allen - 37-yard catch on 1st-and-10</li>
</ul>
<p id="t9DnYp">Three of those catches went for touchdowns but two of those came with Mizzou’s backups in the game. But hey, the Tigers kept them right at four! Good thing Missouri’s backups never have to play <s>Emanuel Hall</s> Cyrus Allen ever again.</p>
<p id="957Dvv"><strong>Winner</strong>: Push</p>
<h3 id="YuxHAD"><strong>Dominate on Standard Downs</strong></h3>
<p id="CbHrRx">As a reminder, a standard down is defined as any 1st-down, 2nd-and-7 or fewer, 3rd-and-4 or fewer, and 4th-and-4 or fewer. The goal was for the defense to hold LaTech’s <em><strong>standard down success rate under 40%</strong></em>. Of the 68 plays the Bulldog offense executed on, they faced a standard down scenario on 41 of them. In those 41 standard down plays they had a successful play on 16 plays. That’s good for a 39% success rate. 39% < 40%. Booyah.</p>
<p id="PzYNae"><strong>Winner</strong>: Missouri</p>
<h2 id="vhpnfq"><strong>The Little Things</strong></h2>
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<figcaption>“The Little Things” Report Card</figcaption>
</figure>
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<figcaption>Demerits</figcaption>
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<p id="gijEY9">Missouri had a higher yards per play, generated three more scoring opportunities than LaTech, benefited from 1.8 more points per scoring opportunity than the Bulldogs, had one fewer turnover, and didn’t miss a field goal. Punting at kickoffs were essentially a draw, but the real advantage that Missouri had over Louisiana Tech was in field position. On average, the Tigers started on their 39-yard line while the Bulldogs started on their 25. Over 14 possessions that’s a 196-yard advantage thanks to special teams (and, of course, a few interceptions). Think of it this way; if the starting field positions were equal throughout the game and all the scoring stats stayed the same, the yardage total would have been Missouri 752 - Louisiana Tech 366. Yowza.</p>
<p id="kyR8aZ">On the other hand, Missouri was a little sloppy in the penalties department, essentially <em>giving back</em> 105 yards in penalties from that 196 yards in field position. LaTech did have six penalties of their own for 62 yards but their big bummer was that their go-to receiver - Tre Harris III - was targeted 12 times out of the 45 passes thrown and had <em>three</em> drops.</p>
<h2 id="2yulKY"><strong>Extra Points</strong></h2>
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<figcaption>Success Rates by Quarter</figcaption>
</figure>
<ul>
<li id="vRk4i8">Last year, the median success rate of college football was 44%; Louisiana Tech was 6 points lower than that in the 1st quarter - their best quarter, mind you - and never even came close to hitting that the rest of the game. In fact, Missouri’s defense got better as the game went on (until the backups took over, anyway). What a change a year (and a new coordinator) make, huh?</li>
<li id="AS2dsr">Speaking of differences, let’s check in on those defensive transfers! Missouri finished with 46 tackles, 9 TFLs, 4 sacks, 8 PDs, and 3 INTs. Defensive transfers contributed 17.5 tackles (38% of total), 3.5 TFLs (38.9%), 2.5 sacks (62.5%), 2 PDs (25%), and 2 INTs (66.7%). Good thing they all chose to transfer to Missouri, huh?</li>
<li id="pXCcJK">Clearly you can’t just “take away” the plays for the most yards or the ones that ended up in scoring but...let’s do that anyway, okay? Parker McNeil came in to relieve the bewildered Matthew Downing toward the middle of the 3rd quarter and then got to play against Missouri’s backups in the 4th. He achieved 0 yards passing in the 3rd quarter and all 142 of his passing yards in the 4th. So, taking out the 4th quarter production, that means air-raid LaTech went 19-37 for 184 yards, good for 4.9 yards per attempt. But, wait, let’s go further! Downing’s lone touchdown came when the safeties bit <em>way</em> too hard on a play action pass to Griffin Hebert for 75 yards. Removing that puts the night at 18-36 for 109 yards, or 3.0 yards per attempt. Again...you can’t just take those away; they definitely happened. But the Mizzou starting defense held the Bulldogs to 40 rushing yards and 109 yards passing outside one massive screwup. That’s very impressive. </li>
<li id="LDyfb9">Cody Schrader is a super cool story and I’m glad he got the start and scored a touchdown in his first game as a Tiger. He was also, very clearly, the least effective running back of the bunch on Thursday. He had the worst line yards per carry (1.9, the team average was 2.9), second-worst success rate (37.5%/53.1%), second-worst opportunity rate (43.8%/61.2%), and barely did better than Brady Cook in highlight yards per opportunity (5.4/6.3). He also received 16 of the 49 carries on the night and the only one to exceed 10 carries. It might have been a bad night or he might have just had the jitters, but he struggled to find lanes, had difficulty running through contact, and needed a lot of attempts to finally break some big runs...and this was against a terrible Louisiana Tech defense. Assuming everyone else is healthy I’d like to use him as a 3rd-down back for short yardage and pass blocking and give some of the other guys a chance. </li>
<li id="P9CfYS">Finally, <a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2022/9/4/23336976/podcast-mizzou-is-perfect">I said this on the podcast</a> but it bears repeating here: Blake Baker’s first 60 minutes as Missouri defensive coordinator showed just how aggressive he likes to be and how much havoc he loves to create. It won’t always go this well - aggression, as you saw, can lead to blown coverages and easy scores - but it’s a ton of fun to watch and is incredibly effective when it connects. Last year, Missouri’s best Havoc rate was a 38.9% that they notched against Central Michigan, a game where the Tigers logged 9 sacks, 14 TFLs, 6 PDs, and 2 INTs over 56.5 tackles made. Against Louisiana Tech, Missouri’s 46 tackles were paired with a 43.5% havoc rate, their best havoc rate of the Drinkwitz tenure. That rocks.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="M3DC4R"><strong>Conclusion</strong></h2>
<p id="hN9OSi">So where is this Missouri program under the Drinkwitz rebuild? The old adage goes “First, you lose big. Then lose close. Then win close. Then win big”. If Missouri played Louisiana Tech every week this year we’d probably think we’re at the end. The rest of this year’s opponents will gives us a better idea of that.</p>
<p id="oHrQAF">I told you all I thought Missouri <em>could</em> and <em>should</em> beat the piss out of Louisiana Tech, but frankly, I didn’t anticipate them actually doing it. Between a new defensive scheme, a ton of transfers, and a lot of youth on offense, I figured there would be some hiccups and adjustment that would lead to a disappointingly content 17-point lead. Instead, the hiccups and adjustments happened and then Missouri dropped a 50-burger and covered the spread.</p>
<p id="hRoeMg">Louisiana Tech is bad so I wouldn’t read too much into how they won. However...<em>that’s </em>what an athletic advantage looks like and it’s something we have just not seen since the 2018 campaign. Missouri was better at every position and while they did make mistakes, they also were in no danger of losing that game at any point. It was a ton of fun and hopefully the players and staff learn enough to prepare fully for the first giant test of the 2022 season.</p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2022/9/6/23338192/beyond-the-box-score-mizzou-52-louisiana-tech-24Nate Edwards2022-09-06T07:00:00-05:002022-09-06T07:00:00-05:00The Revue: New, Improved (?) and Now with More Disrespect!
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<p>BETA FEATURES NOW LOADING PLEASE STAND BY</p> <p id="OqRqd8">Let’s get this out of the way right off the top: I can’t promise The Revue will <em>actually</em> be improving this year. At least not by the standards of the people who send me hate emails and leave bewildered comments. But hey, I suppose there won’t be as many of the latter now!</p>
<p id="e8jtIF">I’ve always found The Revue to be a space almost entirely dedicated to a very small amount of people. Those who I know read and enjoy it have never asked me to change anything. I imagine they’re here to see which unholy monster I’ll make in Photoshop. I’ve disrespected Truman in so many ways, I’m not sure God will forgive me. Oh, did you know that God is a Mizzou fan? The entire book of Ecclesiastes — “Everything is meaningless,” and all that — was written after God travelled forward in time to see how the Norfolk State game would end up. </p>
<p id="qAUVhw">But as much as I enjoy cranking out this weird, niche space every week of football season, I’m always looking for ways to tinker with it. Ultimately, I think this is my way of dealing with the unspeakable horrors of Mizzou fandom. The Tigers have hurt me so many times and in so many ways that I can only think to put my thoughts to digital ink and hope they will then slowly evaporate into the ether of the internet, never to be read by a soul (except Karen, hi Karen.)</p>
<p id="DHiFQL">Anyway, I hope you enjoy The Revue this year. I’ve decided to introduce a few new features. In fact, all the features are new with the exception of The Actual Revue.</p>
<h1 id="9athVf">The Revue</h1>
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<cite>Josh Matejka</cite>
</figure>
<p id="wtxkSO">Consistently, the hardest part of this piece is finding out which movie I’m going to compare the game to or superimpose the game onto. And honestly, I’m getting kind of sick of that part of it. So I think I’m going to try something different this year.</p>
<p id="UXVuNj">Don’t get me wrong, the Photoshop work feeds my creative energy. It’s easily the least productive thing I do any given week, and the fact that it takes me several hours to imagine and develop each one is a special kind of stupid that I believe counteracts any free radicals that may be swimming around my body after 15 years of cell phone use and three decades of fast food. It’s like when my kid puts a blanket on his head and spins around as fast as he can possibly go. You know it’s going to end poorly — like my 2 a.m. Photoshop sessions — but dammit, you’re having fun and the consequences will be what they will be.</p>
<p id="Jrh3lI">Yet it’s the writing that has really taken me out of The Revue. I pride myself on knowing a lot about movies... too much, honestly! But there are only so many times I can call Drinkwitz the Director or the Autear. I’m really stretching myself to say Blake Baker is Director of Cinematography — I think at one point in the past few years, I broke down completely and wrote Director of Defense? How do I still work here? — and talking about performances from top-billed cast and all that... it’s just become a bit stale. The metaphors are funny (to me, at least— me too, says your lone reader) but not when I’m having to force them. I want this to be more than a vehicle for dumb Photoshops. I want the writing work to <em>match</em> the Photoshop work... dumb, but in an intentional way! Or that’s the aspiration at least.</p>
<p id="4LbAEF">Anyway, I still think there’s a lot to be said about the experience of watching both college football and movies. In both, you’re required to suspend your disbelief — that you’re watching a man named Neo learn kung-fu in a green world made of numbers and love or that you’re watching “amateurs” play football for the joy of sport and a well-earned scholarship. In both, you see some of the <a href="https://twitter.com/Dubsco/status/1565480996237021184?s=20&t=bTQWrW53p6_lc1QMyzTAFA">dumbest</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41H2BNgnhks">things</a> imaginable (spoilers for Meet Joe Black!) And in both, you find yourself invested despite all of it (not in Meet Joe Black, though, that’s just an unfortunate coincidence in this case.) So I’m going to be writing about the <em>experience</em> of watching Mizzou play football. I anticipate lots of horror movie comparisons? Maybe things will get Lynchian? Or Herzogian? Hmmmm...</p>
<p id="on6YZu"><em>[bad German accent] “</em>The man stares down at the football game, knowing his team will not win. It will not be close. In a moment of agony, he affixes his pupils directly to the sun, daring the star to fall on him, to bathe him in the warm, incinerating glow of death. What is a life spent watching this horror, this ‘Mizzou Football’? Can there be meaning within the suffering? Or does the man simply wish to suffer to remind him that he is alive?”</p>
<p id="2NQ2uh">What does any of this have have to do with Tigerland? Nothing. I know it’s set in Louisiana. It’s got the word Tiger in it. Colin Farrell got swapped out for Truman, so I know he’s in it. It’s late here, and I spent a lot of time on the Disrepectful Play Index. I promise, this section will be fleshed out more next time. I’ll give myself one star out of five for spending too much time on the other sections and not this one.</p>
<p id="HZTfED">★☆☆☆☆ for my effort, ★★★★☆ for the game</p>
<h1 id="K0aoOr">Watchability Meter</h1>
<p id="0jhhIE">Any time Missouri wins, it’s a watchable game. The only exception I can think of would be Missouri’s 9-6 win over UConn in 2015, and this was far from that hot mess express.</p>
<p id="vIHnJA">With that said, Missouri’s win over Louisiana Tech did lack a bit of sizzle. Sure, that’s not what you’re looking for from the Week One, especially against a carefully orchestrated blood donor like Louisiana Tech. But after the first quarter, when Louisiana Tech led 3-0, it was all Missouri with no doubt left behind. The game was essentially sealed on Cody Schrader’s touchdown run to kick off the second quarter, which means Mizzou vs. LA Tech was (refreshingly for all of us) drama free.</p>
<p id="Pk9RMb">Now with <strong>that</strong> said, I’m still going to give this one high marks! After all, who among us wasn’t excited to see the product Missouri put on the field for their first week? Especially after the two highest rated recruiting classes in program history are now on campus. It was a treat to watch some of the youngsters cook and even more of a treat to watch them cook with the host of new faces that recently joined on via the transfer portal. If for reasons of hope alone, Missouri’s win over the Bulldogs was a whole lot of fun. <strong>Five bags of Luther Burden Riplets is our score out of a possible five.</strong> Another way of putting it? That’s roughly 1,800 calories out of 1,800.</p>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/x_981Hl6be_cuNZiGRgCso24JaY=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23996716/Untitled_1.png">
</figure>
<h1 id="nq1zkg">Disrespectful Play Index</h1>
<p id="aAIi9X">Cribbed directly from the ineffable genius of Shea Serrano’s mind, we’re going to introduce the <a href="https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/12/5/18127090/the-disrespectful-dunk-index">“Disrespect Index,”</a> this season. For those uninitiated, The Disrespect Index is something Serrano created for basketball coverage to accurately determine how disrespectful a dunk is to the person being dunked upon. It’s a good and very funny metric that holds up mathematically and requires little to no scrutiny. Given that it’s a metric created for basketball, we need to make some minor adjustments, including to the ordering of the categories to better reflect the run of play.</p>
<p id="UWtoP4">The “Disrespectful Play Index” is made of six categories, each scored differently.</p>
<ul>
<li id="nzU0iw">
<strong>Category 1:</strong> How difficult/impressive was the play? (0-20)</li>
<li id="9SF241">
<strong>Category 2: </strong>How hard did the defense try? (0-20)</li>
<li id="TqGuAm">
<strong>Category 3: </strong>How much did his teammates help? (0-5)</li>
<li id="oUym7T">
<strong>Category 4: </strong>What did the player do immediately afterward? (0-20)</li>
<li id="iE26HV">
<strong>Category 5:</strong> How did everyone not involved react? (0-15)</li>
<li id="mroysK">
<strong>Category 6:</strong> Is there a backstory/context to consider? (0-20)</li>
</ul>
<p id="tIufdm">At the end of the scoring, the total is tallied up to determine just what percentage disrespectful the play was to the opponent. For Week One, the play we’ll be analyzing is a pretty obvious choice.</p>
<div id="oBeRwP">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">HOMEGROWN <br><br>5⭐️ freshman Luther Burden has his first career TD with <a href="https://twitter.com/MizzouFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MizzouFootball</a> <a href="https://t.co/rbJMqoAZrB">pic.twitter.com/rbJMqoAZrB</a></p>— 247Sports (@247Sports) <a href="https://twitter.com/247Sports/status/1565511908542894080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2022</a>
</blockquote>
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<p id="YXWefa">Let’s break it down.</p>
<ul><li id="MidGxM">
<strong>Category 1:</strong> How difficult/impressive was the play?</li></ul>
<p id="FEQGxP">The play is a pretty standard setup: Burden goes into motion while Peat receives a fake handoff in order to draw the middle of the defense. It’s clearly designed to get LB3 into space, so let’s break this down into two parts. First, how much space does he have? Second, how many guys are in his way?</p>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/b10Q0jJ3rNt-fGXHbLPL-l5uEPQ=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23996731/Screen_Shot_2022_09_04_at_11.29.44_PM.png">
</figure>
<p id="94EJ2V">Burden is backed up just about 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage, where three defenders are in reasonable range of stopping him short of the goal line, maybe after a one or two yard gain. Five yards is a lot to work with, especially when you’re Burden, but he is at a numbers disadvantage here. Based on that fact, I’m going to award him a <em><strong>12/20</strong></em>, a score ever so slightly knocked because he’s Luther Burden and you can’t reasonably expect to tackle him if you give him that much operating room.</p>
<ul><li id="y4PCPp">
<strong>Category 2: </strong>How hard did the defense try?</li></ul>
<p id="1yiYEK">Burden broke four tackles on his way to this first career touchdown. Since we’re looking at a final score of 20, I think this can cleanly break into four parts. Part One:</p>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q5odzMQRuxzzjBig4ShIkR1JJrU=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23996741/Screen_Shot_2022_09_04_at_11.38.22_PM.png">
</figure>
<p id="kdWK23">No. 7 back there is firmly in “Ass on the Grass” territory. Luther threw him down quicker than a Joey Chestnut does a hot dog. That’s a full 5/5 if I’ve ever seen one. Part Two, which you can see in action above:</p>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/njoW1hhkPmOQ1TIqNh9jAl_5xFU=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23996747/Screen_Shot_2022_09_04_at_11.39.07_PM.png">
</figure>
<p id="albHNC">I feel like this isn’t so much a question of effort as it is the defender taking a bad angle against a much more talented player, but he still maintains his balance all the way through the miss. I can’t go above a 3/5 here. Tough, but fair. Parts Three and Four, in tandem:</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/GH_XYu_JpIMa7Fr5-qxN1VNnUqo=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23996749/Screen_Shot_2022_09_04_at_11.39.21_PM.png">
</figure>
<p id="jMDh3S">LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO</p>
<p id="uoQgAT">First of all, you can’t even see the first guy. He’s just a pair of pants. When you face a man down, it’s just your will against his and you reduce him to a pair of pants in frame? That’s disrespect. And I can’t get over how No. 9 looks like he just got dropped out of a very low helicopter. Not so high that it’s going to hurt, but low enough to where he can’t adjust and land on his feet. It’s almost as if he just jumped from a wrestling ring and is about to deliver The People’s Elbow onto the hard turf on Faurot Field. 5/5 and 5/5, respectively, for a total score of <em><strong>18/20.</strong></em></p>
<ul><li id="3PzKZR">
<strong>Category 3: </strong>How much did his teammates help?</li></ul>
<p id="otDPDK">We’re scoring in the inverse here, in the sense that a more helpful teammate will subtract from the overall disrespect score and vice versa. Luckily for Burden, Tyler Stephens is a bit, er, lumbering on this play and doesn’t quite land a hard block. But the guy he’s supposed to be pancaking ends up coming back delivering aforementioned People’s Elbow on the turf, so it worked out well for Burden in the end. <em><strong>5/5</strong></em></p>
<ul><li id="kbyhbP">
<strong>Category 4: </strong>What did the player do immediately afterward? </li></ul>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_udywBcdBnbYigxfcUrDVEDUW4Y=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23996754/Screen_Shot_2022_09_04_at_11.48.48_PM.png">
</figure>
<p id="Cwpsjq">Word on the street is that LB3 is a fairly humble guy, so it makes sense that his celebration wouldn’t be over the top. But I have to be honest, I need to see some more flexing here. Dude, you just stunted on four straight men. Please at least reveal a hidden bag of Riplets, or sign some NIL merch in the stands. You’ve earned it! <em><strong>9/20</strong></em></p>
<ul><li id="OJUd7M">
<strong>Category 5:</strong> How did everyone not involved react?</li></ul>
<p id="NnTiWF">This is going to be a hard one to gauge because football players are boring as hell. There are no carefully practiced and executed bench mob celebrations. There are no Shakespearean dramatics. It’s just a bunch of guys jumping up and down, slapping other people on the helmet. We’re really going to be relying on nimble camera people who can capture a good crowd shot. But Brady Cook seemed really excited, which is neat I suppose. <em><strong>7/15</strong></em></p>
<ul><li id="SoSbG3">
<strong>Category 6:</strong> Is there a backstory/context to consider?</li></ul>
<p id="feczZh">It wasn’t Burden’s first touch in the game, which would’ve been nice considering. However, it’s hard to ignore how massive a moment this was for both him and the program. He’s the first bonafide five-star player to come to Missouri since Dorial Green-Beckham. It’s opening night on national TV. It’s a great play for his first touchdown. While not exactly historical in a vacuum, this play has the potential to be one we remember for a long time. <em><strong>18/20</strong></em></p>
<p id="SawJxi">In total, this play was <strong>69 percent disrespectful</strong> to Louisiana Tech and its fans. Nice.</p>
<h1 id="iXARyr">Superlatives and Awards</h1>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IqeZixd6EpulRCX6swDAFlDMVJk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23996786/mostlikelyto.png">
</figure>
<p id="xJlgs9"><strong>Most Likely to... Succeed:</strong> Luther Burden III. Could it be more obvious?</p>
<p id="kVrtuR"><strong>Most Likely to... House an Entire Shakespeares Pizza Post-Game:</strong> Jayden Jernigan. My word, that man is stout.</p>
<p id="Lfg9Ye"><strong>Most Likely to... Land an NIL Deal with SEGA Sponsoring Future Sonic the Hedgehog Games:</strong> Elijah Young. You get it? Because he’s gotta go fast?</p>
<div id="m4ZOYo"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 57.4713%;"><iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/8mJT8sQxpaQdKubpOi" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media;"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="eTkE85"><strong>Best Photographer: </strong>Greg Sankey</p>
<div id="csZ0vd">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kickoff time in Columbia, MO for <a href="https://twitter.com/MizzouFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MizzouFootball</a> in 2022! <a href="https://t.co/HbFTO9zAwc">pic.twitter.com/HbFTO9zAwc</a></p>— Greg Sankey (@GregSankey) <a href="https://twitter.com/GregSankey/status/1565491976530714625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2022</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="HMwSFx">Clever cropping there, Gregory!</p>
<p id="R8DXmB"><strong>Most Likely to... Get a Shout Out on ESPN</strong>: Us, suck it nerds.</p>
<div id="ozdP3l">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Goodness, Peat engaged that nitro speed </p>— ROCK M NATION (@RockMNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/RockMNation/status/1565537826233585664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2022</a>
</blockquote>
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https://www.rockmnation.com/2022/9/6/23329316/the-revue-new-and-improved-missouri-football-louisiana-tech-reviewJosh Matejka2022-09-05T15:30:00-05:002022-09-05T15:30:00-05:00Manuel and Carnell shine in new “STAR” role
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Louisiana Tech at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KT8Yvq8BqUfqxeLhjaq4RyTgg04=/0x0:4069x2713/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71327119/usa_today_18966951.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Daylan Carnell celebrates with Ty’Ron Hopper and Martez Manuel after a tackle for loss. | Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Blake Baker and company gave many things to be optimistic about and the “STAR” position was no exception.</p> <p id="yXn61a">Going into Game One against Louisiana Tech, Tiger fans were unsure about how the defense would fare under Blake Baker, the 3rd defensive coordinator in three years. In the season prior, the Missouri defense was abysmal, which may be an understatement. The run defense kept the Tigers out of numerous games and it made it a near improbable task to stay close with teams who had a competent offensive line. Therefore, it’s safe to say that Tiger fans were crossing their fingers for a noticeable change. Lucky for them, they got it.</p>
<p id="njzDl1">With all eyes on the Missouri defense, the unit did not disappoint. Louisiana Tech was virtually non-existent in the run game, with 22 attempted carries for a measly 11 yards. This means that the Bulldogs couldn’t even manage to average one yard on the ground. The Bulldogs’ top rusher of the game was Marquis Crosby, who ran for 23 yards on 7 carries, which is an average of 3.3. Simply put, the Tiger run defense was unfazed and was quite a noticeable improvement in comparison to prior seasons.</p>
<p id="D6tDXK">So, what made the Tigers’ run defense as successful as it was? Well, most notably, the defensive line depth, plus the tremendous play of Ty’Ron Hopper, the factor that should be vocalized the most. Although an under-the-radar answer would be Martez Manuel and Daylan Carnell’s contributions to the “STAR” position.</p>
<p id="OpGeqN">While neither Carnell nor Manuel lit up the stat sheet, just the presence of each within the box helped tremendously when it was needed. Last season, Steve Wilks opted to play six in the box, while Baker opts to use seven. Instead of Baker using his fifth DB as a slot corner, Baker chooses to use his as a safety/linebacker hybrid. This results in added size, plus an extra body to clog up holes, which is exactly what this defense needs. Manuel finished the game with three tackles, while Carnell finished with two and a highlight TFL. Carnell read a man in motion perfectly and followed a jet sweep to a tee. Carnell used all of 6’2, 218 pound frame to lunge at the ball carrier’s lower body, resulting in a huge tackle for loss. Manuel and Carnell both did a solid job blitzing as well, consistently forcing Matthew Downing to get rid of the ball sooner than he would’ve intended.</p>
<p id="yN22eA">Manuel and Carnell have both shown briefly that the position is in good hands, so Missouri fans should feel slightly more confident compared to last season. Missouri will have a much more challenging test in week two, facing off against Deuce Vaughn, possibly the best running back in the country. Vaughn ran for 1,000+ yards last season, and he just ran for 126 yards on 18 carries vs South Dakota. While the performance against LA Tech warrants some optimism, it’s safe to analyze what the entire defense is after the war against the Wildcats.</p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2022/9/5/23337011/missouri-football-louisiana-tech-carnell-manuelJackson Meyer2022-09-05T09:00:00-05:002022-09-05T09:00:00-05:00Making The Play: Louisiana Tech
<figure>
<img alt="Louisiana Tech v Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6k_lZsB98lvUliNlivFgrz4_GRs=/0x46:4609x3119/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71325871/1420030994.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A focused look at the end of the half sequence against Louisiana Tech. </p> <p id="LZQhUq">It felt good to be back watching Missouri football. No more hypotheticals, no more theoretical ideas about what the team could look like. Just actual football. </p>
<p id="WnzHTi">There was a lot to like in Missouri’s opening win against Louisiana Tech. They ran the ball pretty effectively at times, the defense stopped the run and created havoc, and Missouri’s wide receivers looked as explosive as Missouri fans have expected. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Louisiana Tech v Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Vd9iO8hbNOsV0OnlPljRjX_0Q3U=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23996472/1420030992.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<p id="Ezvw1R">However, there was one particular sequence that stood out to me and gave me some hope that this year's team will be different than teams in the past.</p>
<p id="DKbLZo">Late in the 2nd Quarter, Coach Drinkwitz called a timeout to stop the clock and force Lousiana Tech to kick a long field goal, which they would miss. After the miss, it seemed like an opportunity for Missouri to push the ball down the field and at least try and get into field goal range. </p>
<p id="Ez68SE">With :24 seconds remaining, they ran this outside zone play, which is pretty successful. It gains a first down and the running back gets out of bounds to save the time out and keep the drive going. </p>
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<p id="XlB45y"> </p>
<p id="Oi3kPz">The very next play, Brady Cook hits Tauskie Dove on a levels concept. It’s a well placed ball that allows the Tigers to pick up a chunk of yards while allowing Dove to get out of bounds and again... preserving that timeout. </p>
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<p id="zZ8kQy">After one more chunk play on a levels concept similar to the first one, Missouri was set up in a good position for a Harrison Mevis’ field goal, which he would go on to make. They moved up the field and got into field goal range with less than 20 seconds coming off the clock, which served as a sort of swing in the game for Missouri. </p>
<p id="v1jxFC">That decision to attempt to push the ball down field and try for the field goal is just the aggressiveness that this Missouri team needs to play with. In years past, Eli Drinkwitz would’ve taken a knee and let the clock run out. There’s nothing wrong with that, however with Missouri having the kicker that they do, it was refreshing to see them be more aggressive in the end of half situations like the way they were on Thursday. It’s just one game, but I’m hoping that that trend holds.</p>
<p id="v5hibZ"></p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 20 Florida at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4eJIaVa8-nQXREGFjOTk0yYPD3E=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23996550/1236696308.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<h3 id="MCKtR4"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/iAirDry"><em><strong>Follow me on Twitter @iAirDry!</strong></em></a></h3>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2022/9/5/23337339/making-the-play-louisiana-tech-secAaron Dryden2022-09-05T07:30:00-05:002022-09-05T07:30:00-05:00MV3: Three newcomers top the ballots after win over Louisiana Tech
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Louisiana Tech at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0T6l9R2ifA-HMM135_D-oVayAn8=/0x0:3807x2538/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71325573/usa_today_18966955.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>While a host of newcomers got votes, our writers showered the most love on a trio of new guys after Thursday’s victory.</p> <p id="vnv6LB">These posts are always the most fun to put together after a win like Thursday’s.</p>
<p id="1xoXii">In case you’re new to these parts, let me refresh you on our weekly MV3 feature. Inspired by the Pujols-Rolen-Edmonds trifecta of the early-mid aughts St. Louis Cardinal teams, every week our staff submits a ballot of the three most valuable and important players who contributed to Missouri’s outcome — win or loss. Sometimes, in weeks like this one, there is no shortage of praise to spread around the roster. Some weeks, Harrison Mevis gets every vote and the rest of the spots are left blank. </p>
<p id="aVPGp3">For opening week 2022, however, we had a bountiful plate from which to choose. Would our writers lavish praise on Luther Burden, Missouri’s newly minted star boy? Would Brady Cook, the local hero turned QB1, get his flowers? Or would Dominic Lovett, who led Missouri in all-purpose yards, get some love?</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="Q6SGE5">
<h1 id="vDz9cj">1. Ty’Ron Hopper</h1>
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<img alt="Louisiana Tech v Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9QamMFoJSoXmCbY28tZpI0Axe-c=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23992080/1420015704.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="62Q0Ar">Luther Burden got the love. Nathaniel Peat shone near the end. Brady Cook earned his first start with a near pitch-perfect performance. But it was the defense that really starred against Louisiana Tech — aside from a few moments of broken coverage, that is.</p>
<p id="NW68GJ">Ty’Ron Hopper, the prized transfer from Florida, set the tone for the harder, better, faster, stronger Mizzou defense. Leading the team with six tackles while notching two TFLs, an interception and a sack, Hopper epitomized the nature of Blake Baker’s revamped defense: lean, mean and versatile. Hopper was one of our most anticipated additions to this roster, and it already feels like he’ll be a focal point of our praise all year.</p>
<h1 id="4Vg79J">2. Luther Burden</h1>
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Louisiana Tech at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iBX1R9nIJGl2HfIhMR6_XCewr68=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23992084/usa_today_18965960.jpg">
<cite>Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="K3jXKx">You knew he’d have to be on here, even if his minimal yardage output meant that he didn’t get the top spot. But the impact he had was inescapable, nay incomprehensible. Not since Jeremy Maclin has Missouri had a player this purely talented at first glance. Every time Burden touched the ball, you knew something special was going to happen. And almost every time, something did. Burden turned nothing-burger screens into 10-plus yard gains and poorly thrown balls into dazzling displays of strength and world-class shiftiness. </p>
<p id="JMcjSB">It still doesn’t feel real that we’re going to get to watch him play football in a Missouri uniform. I pray I never take it for granted.</p>
<h1 id="qFbYAV">3. Nathaniel Peat</h1>
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Louisiana Tech at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ysFyf1XYxcFrvB1x0zoRMYZtIR4=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23992027/usa_today_18965994.jpg">
<cite>Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="f0wyo1">Perhaps the biggest surprise of the Week One depth chart was the fact that Nathaniel Peat hadn’t separated himself as the RB-1. Cody Schrader was the feel good story, but lacked the Power Five experience. Elijah Young is as tantalizing a playmaker as anyone on the roster — save Burden, of course — but hasn’t logged the reps to be the out-and-out feature back. Peat, on the other hand, had multiple years of experience at Stanford and an exciting blend of size and speed that made him a natural fit in Eli Drinkwitz’s offense. </p>
<p id="k199Z7">Injuries have derailed the first part of his Tiger career, so much so that Schrader and Young got the majority of early game reps. But Peat came on strong in the second half, cementing his claim to the top back role with by engaging Mach 10 on the way to a 34-yard score. If he’s not first on the depth chart this week, it’ll be pure gamesmanship from Eli Drinkwitz.</p>
<p id="5ZOuNc"><em>Others receiving votes: Jaylon Carlies, Joseph Charleston, Brady Cook, Dominic Lovett, Martez Manuel </em></p>
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<p id="3L4aZK">Now it’s your turn! Tell us who your MV3 are in the comments or <a href="https://twitter.com/RockMNation">on Twitter!</a></p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2022/9/5/23334711/mv3-most-valuable-three-newcomers-top-ballots-after-win-over-louisiana-tech-mizzou-college-footballJosh Matejka2022-09-04T05:00:00-05:002022-09-04T05:00:00-05:00Pourover: Mizzou Football gets a Check Mark for Week 1
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Louisiana Tech at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/f7kzEegkGrdtjooWVOgOHhhJFcs=/0x0:4069x2713/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71322665/usa_today_18966951.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But Week 2 looms.</p> <p id="qCEvs6">Win game one. Check. </p>
<p id="XPWkrf">Regardless of your expectations going into the season, everyone had Mizzou winning their opener against Louisiana Tech. </p>
<p id="0kTtxM">Maybe there were some butterflies during the first quarter. The offense looked stodgy, the defense created pressure but allowed some free ball movement, and despite being in good scoring position at the end of the first quarter, Mizzou still trailed La. Tech 3-0. Hopefully most of the butterflies were assuaged within a minute of the 2nd quarters start. A quick rushing touchdown followed by an interception returned for a score resulted in Mizzou being up 14-3. The rest went as expected as the Tigers largely dominated the game. They made Tech uncomfortable on offense and capitalized on turnovers to expand the lead to 52-17 before a garbage time TD helped the final score. </p>
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Louisiana Tech at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/V9j3ZhTi4qYuNR6epCGNbx-Hynw=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23994596/usa_today_18966957.jpg">
<cite>Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<h3 id="Xiy1FY">So did this win fall short, meet, or exceed expectations?</h3>
<p id="KWf0f8">Met. That’s where we are this season, I believe. At least until this week has wrapped up. Because as much as this season is still on the “build” part of the rebuilt, the part where Eli Drinkwitz and his program are hitting expectations or exceeding them are going to come down to the toss up games in a much stronger way that the opening week might’ve taught us. </p>
<p id="NDI2Uo">The good signs were there. We saw what a special player Luther Burden was. We saw a disruptive defense. Once again Special Teams were reliable. If you were skeptical on Brady Cook as the quarterback, he left that door open plenty. But he was also pretty good and even made some special plays. It’s clear Nathaniel Peat should be option 1 at tailback, but he had help and other backs showed some promise. </p>
<p id="CBHC7N">Before I get too far into any game review, I’ll just <a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2022/9/2/23333906/five-takeaways-from-mizzous-52-24-win-vs-louisiana-tech">re-plug BK’s 5 takeaways piece</a> from after the game. He tends to have a pretty good grip on things. And I feel like he pretty much nails it after the game. </p>
<p id="fXvncD">Be excited. It’s a fun win. There was something for everyone. Big defensive plays, long returns, exciting play makers. </p>
<p id="9acwei">But that lingering feeling you have is also right. If you feel like you’re still not quite sure how you feel about this team in this season it’s because we want to see how they do in the toss ups. Kansas State is one of those games. The Wildcats were always one of those games. It seems an unlikely for a team in rebuild mode to go on the road in a rivalry game and walk about with a win. But that’s the difference between a forgettable season, and the one we’re all kind of hoping for... that season where maybe you’re not competing for an East Conference, but you’re competing for the season where the die hards talk about the wins before the breakout. </p>
<p id="MS1O4E">Kansas State is the kind of game where each of those two seasons are possible. Not every season hinges on one game in just one week. But on the road in Manhattan is a big one for many reasons. Drinkwitz and his QB can put their stamp on a season and rejuvenate a beleaguered fan base with a win. </p>
<h2 id="s34jHu">Other SEC results:</h2>
<ul>
<li id="YbphTQ">Alabama (1) 55, Utah State 0</li>
<li id="t6R9H5">Georgia (3) 49, Oregon (11) 3</li>
<li id="1dUJCl">Texas A&M (6) 31, Sam Houston 0</li>
<li id="AD0t7d">Florida 29, Utah (7) 26</li>
<li id="0ahrsQ">Arkansas (19) 31, Cincinnati (23) 24</li>
<li id="NdEBUS">Kentucky (20) 37, Miami OH 13</li>
<li id="lwli60">Ole Miss (21) 28, Troy 10</li>
<li id="1p0llg">Auburn 42, Mercer 16</li>
<li id="j0DW6S">Vanderbilt 42, Elon 31</li>
<li id="m5nFBd">South Carolina 35, Georgia State 14</li>
<li id="MtUe7z">Mississippi State 49, Memphis 23</li>
</ul>
<p id="c80x72"></p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2022/9/4/23336053/pourover-mizzou-football-gets-a-check-mark-for-week-1Sam Snelling2022-09-02T14:15:00-05:002022-09-02T14:15:00-05:00Mizzou’s Transfer Portal Payoff
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Louisiana Tech at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6GaXHEo05meWPdZPag5_1EgEp8s=/479x0:5800x3547/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71318304/usa_today_18965994.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Many Tiger fans were eager to see how the many new faces on this team would fare in their first game at Faurot. They were not disappointed.</p> <p id="7FxO6y">Knowing where his team stood after last season, Eliah Drinkwitz knew he had to do some major work in the transfer portal this offseason to fix some personnel issues.</p>
<p id="WMOhPo">“We were very tactical with what we plugged holes with. You go from how our rush defense started last year to now, it’s a big difference,” Drinkwitz said in the post-game.</p>
<p id="0lRCzL">Drinkwitz went out and pulled in eleven transfers this offseason, all of whom were immediately eligible to play. Many of them saw the field Thursday night, and some were the biggest stars of the evening for the Tigers. Here’s the breakdown for how some of them fared and what to expect from them in the future.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="28j4kg">
<h2 id="eDNGwj"><strong>Ty’Ron Hopper (LB, Transferred From Florida)</strong></h2>
<p id="iuIWZF"><strong>Stats:</strong> 6 total tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 INT</p>
<p id="JJ0y0V"><strong>Breakdown: </strong>There was a lot of buzz surrounding Ty’Ron Hopper in fall camp, and Mizzou fans got to see why Thursday night. The North Carolina product was a monster up front all night, whether it was stuffing run plays or getting after the quarterback. His size and speed allow him to come off the edge or blitz from a linebacker role, and he thrives in being disruptive. He has NFL-potential written all over him, especially if he keeps putting up numbers like this. The Tigers’ quarterback is also a big fan.</p>
<p id="GjFEBV">“That dude is the real deal. That’s one dude to keep an eye on, he’s legit,” Brady Cook said postgame.</p>
<p id="PAyt6f"><strong>Grade: </strong>A+</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="JsLUAj">
<h2 id="4PDYxi"><strong>Jack Abraham (QB, Transferred From Southern Miss)</strong></h2>
<p id="j0gZ5z"><strong>Stats:</strong> 2/3, 34 passing yards</p>
<p id="0mjW5Y"><strong>Breakdown: </strong>Abraham came in late in this game in relief for Brady Cook, and he showed why he won the second-string spot over the likes of Tyler Macon and Sam Horn. The senior orchestrated a nice scoring drive that was methodical and included him going through progressions and finding open receivers. He really proved that he can be a reliable backup option if something were to happen to Cook, and he and Drinkwitz clearly seem to be on the same page.</p>
<p id="qwdq7O"><strong>Grade: </strong>A</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="ocCpN0">
<h2 id="FADC1m"><strong>Josh Landry (DL, Transferred From Baylor)</strong></h2>
<p id="R8GTbp"><strong>Stats: </strong>3 tackles</p>
<p id="NtYWbB"><strong>Breakdown: </strong>With all of the other incoming names, Josh Landry was a guy who largely flew under the radar. However, he showed on Thursday that he will be a key piece in the defensive line rotation, as he more than held his own up front. It will be interesting to see the snap count between him and the host of other linemen Blake Baker has at his disposal as the season progresses.</p>
<p id="VlYOqn"><strong>Grade:</strong> A-</p>
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<h2 id="9buF3p"><strong>Tyler Stephens (TE, Transferred From Buffalo)</strong></h2>
<p id="b9EWoL"><strong>Stats:</strong> 2 catches, 33 yards, 1 fumble</p>
<p id="MSXf33"><strong>Breakdown:</strong> It was an up and down game for Stephens in his first start for Mizzou. He got the bulk of the snaps at tight end, but a fumble inside the 10-yard line early in the game will be what he is most remembered by for this game. Still, he had a great catch-and-run on a 28-yard reception later in the game, and his blocking was solid all night. We will have to see if he remains the full-time starter, and how much he will continue to be utilized in Drinkwitz’ offense.</p>
<p id="lGyqga"><strong>Grade: </strong>B-</p>
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<h2 id="pZGgWr"><strong>Nathaniel Peat (RB, Transferred From Stanford)</strong></h2>
<p id="UXPvlm"><strong>Stats: </strong>8 carries, 72 yards, 1 TD, 2 catches, 18 yards</p>
<p id="lC5upX"><strong>Breakdown: </strong>Peat battled the injury bug throughout much of fall camp, and many wondered how much he would see the field in Week One. While Cody Schrader started out the game, Peat slightly outperformed him as the night went on. He flashed his skills on a couple of big runs, including a 34-yard touchdown to put the game away in the 4th quarter. He’s got great speed and can run through arm tackles, and he even got involved in the passing game a fair bit as well. He started on the right track to securing the lead back role on Thursday.</p>
<p id="T7ZL0G"><strong>Grade:</strong> A</p>
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Louisiana Tech at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1sA7HnNTvUuxNBrT4GoZwkRdxL8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23992056/usa_today_18965513.jpg">
<cite>Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<h2 id="OndpWE"><strong>Cody Schrader (RB, Transferred From Truman State)</strong></h2>
<p id="xswsOd"><strong>Stats:</strong> 17 carries, 70 yards, 1 TD</p>
<p id="iPwTRO"><strong>Breakdown: </strong>Cody Schrader’s story from Truman State to Mizzou is one to watch all season long, and the fact that he started this game’s first two drives is a testament to his work ethic. Schrader proved yet again that he will be a tough, physical runner for the Tigers, as he was largely brought in for short-yardage situations. He did break off a couple of big runs (highlighted by a 29-yard scamper) and has the potential to make defenses pay in the open field. He doesn’t have the same elusiveness or speed as the other backs, but it seemed like he had a role against LA Tech, and he fulfilled it. Brady Cook is a big fan, as the two had similar dreams of playing in the Black and Gold.</p>
<p id="XJln2O">“I’m so excited for Cody. He was so excited to be here, and when I talked to him 6 months ago I don’t think he even thought he’d be playing this much tonight,” Cook said post-game.</p>
<p id="uO9BEM"><strong>Grade:</strong> A-</p>
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Louisiana Tech at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7t1CYdV0c_HJzhRJkaPkipQuExc=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23992058/usa_today_18966960.jpg">
<cite>Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<h2 id="0KN2cz">
<strong>Jayden Jernigan (DL, Transferred From </strong><a href="https://www.cowboysrideforfree.com"><strong>Oklahoma State</strong></a><strong>)</strong>
</h2>
<p id="bComC5"><strong>Stats:</strong> 2 tackles, 1 sack</p>
<p id="Drs1qg"><strong>Breakdown:</strong> A member of OSU’s vaunted defensive line a year ago, Jernigan picked up where he left off at Mizzou Thursday night. Jernigan was disruptive in the middle and proved to be a quality piece for this defensive line. He is yet another pass-rushing weapon up front.</p>
<p id="ERSV9S"><strong>Grade:</strong> B+</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="FNhTGe">
<h2 id="X1mGiH"><strong>Kristian Williams (DL, Transferred From Oregon)</strong></h2>
<p id="d0JLx3"><strong>Stats: </strong>1 tackles, 1 pass breakup, 1 QB hurry</p>
<p id="P7cNzk"><strong>Breakdown: </strong>Another name that flew under the radar this offseason, William’s night was highlighted by a tipped pass that resulted in Joseph Charleston’s pick-six. The Oregon transfer got solid pressure on the quarterback a couple times and showed that he can be a key cog in the rotation at defensive tackle.</p>
<p id="HzLbrK"><strong>Grade:</strong> B+</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="IENlkc">
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Louisiana Tech v Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/P4yx9uX_pIvD7898W7sBvNxAzoc=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23992062/1420015692.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images</cite>
</figure>
<h2 id="kjeesa"><strong>Joseph Charleston (S, Transferred From Clemson)</strong></h2>
<p id="nEunzf"><strong>Stats: </strong>4 tackles, 1 INT, 1 Touchdown</p>
<p id="2cWDjh"><strong>Breakdown:</strong> After having a pass interference call reverse his interception on the first drive of the game, Charleston got it back twofold with a pick-six later in the half. He showed some great speed and agility on his return, and that was just the highlight of his night, Charleston was known as a great tackler coming to Mizzou, and he was almost always around the ball on Thursday. Coverage was his concern coming in, and, while he was not tested too often, he played well in the back end. He certainly solidified his place as one of the top safeties on this team, and even got to celebrate with son, Dakota, after the game.</p>
<p id="6cjrV7"><strong>Grade:</strong> A</p>
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<p id="zJK0Wi"><a href="https://www.goodbullhunting.com"><strong>Texas A&M</strong></a><strong> transfer cornerback Dreyden Norwood also made an appearance but did not make it onto the stat sheet.</strong></p>
<h2 id="JhDj8f">Who do you think will be the biggest impact transfer as the season progresses?</h2>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2022/9/2/23334647/mizzou-tigers-football-transfer-portal-payoffParker Gillam