2016 Tiger Mailbag: 30th Edition

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Each week, PowerMizzou.com publisher Gabe DeArmond answers questions from Tiger fans in the mailbag. This format allows for a more expansive answer than a message board post. If you missed this week's mailbag, keep an eye out next week or send your question to Gabe at powermizzou@gmail.com. On to this week's entries.

GD: The first question is one that's simply unlikely to ever have a definitive answer. That's the rumor going around and I've certainly heard it, but I doubt anyone in a position to confirm it is ever going to actually say it happened on the record. As far as why the defense was changed, DeMontie Cross said last week that it is a different team. I asked Barry Odom that exact question on Monday and he didn't really answer it, but said he thinks the defense and the defensive line will be good as time goes on. On Tiger Talk Monday night, Odom said that he actually wanted to install a similar scheme last year but didn't feel he had enough time. It may not end up being the right decision, but that's not a judgment we should be making after two games (even though I know we like to make judgments much more quickly than that).

Tuesday's Daily Down Low

Tuesday's Top Tigers

Hoops visitor talks Tiger offer

Monday's Media Day Notebook

GD: If a kid says he's still open to be recruited, the staff will continue to recruit him. They won't waste their time on a kid they think is finished with the process. Last I knew, the door hasn't completely closed on Larry Boyd and Marquis Hayes, but I don't think I'd consider either of them real likely to switch at this point in time.

GD: Obviously, I have no idea if the trend will continue, other than to say that most seasons don't go exactly according to plans and point spreads. Almost every team wins a game it shouldn't and/or loses a game it shouldn't. Here are the games I'd expect Missouri to be favored in:

Vanderbilt, Kentucky, South Carolina, Delaware State, Middle Tennessee

The Tigers will probably be underdogs against Georgia, LSU, Florida, Tennessee and Arkansas.

If those results all fall in line, Missouri will be 6-6. Will it happen? That's why the play the games.

GD: Missouri runs a 4-3. There's been a lot of talk of a 4-2-5 and it technically does become that when they go nickel, but the hybrid guy has been a linebacker most of the time, so Mizzou is usually playing with three linebackers and four defensive linemen on the field. Like all teams, they have multiple fronts and defenses. As far as adjustments, sure. There always are. There are adjustments made within every game. The truth is, many of them are subtle adjustments that the average observer may not even see. The overall scheme isn't going to change dramatically, but there are subtle tweaks and changes all the time.