2016 Tiger Mailbag: 40th Edition

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GD: The timeline for the defensive line coach is as soon as you can get it done. The defensive line is probably the most important position in the next two months of recruiting and I'm sure those guys would like to know who is going to be coaching them. So you want to get someone in as soon as you can. My guess is as quickly after the open recruiting period ends (December 11) if not sooner.

On Cross, a decision--if there is one--doesn't have to be made right away. A lot of teams wait until after National Signing Day. You can argue whether that's the ethically correct way to approach it, but many do. If they make a move on Cross, it could happen any time or it could be a while. No idea on what a time frame would be.

GD: He is. I know he's at least planning to see Missouri's two linebacker commits, Jamal Brooks and Aubrey Miller. I'm sure he is seeing other guys as well, though thus far, I've not been able to confirm exactly who.

GD: Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson should be and will be, probably in that order as far as seeds go (2 and 3 don't really matter, it only determines which color uniform you wear). As far as number four, I think I'd personally go with Washington. You can make an argument for Penn State and, honestly, you can make an argument for Michigan. I don't think there's any argument whatsoever to be made for the Oklahoma/Oklahoma State winner.

As far as who will make it? I think it will be the four I listed. But I'm not positive. I could see Penn State getting in. I don't think I can see Michigan making it, but I'm not going to completely rule it out.

So my prediction, assuming that Washington and Clemson win, is Bama/Washington in one semifinal and Ohio State/Clemson in the other. And I'm good with that. I think those are the teams that have had the four best seasons.

GD: Offense: Drew Lock, Damarea Crockett, Kendall Blanton, J'Mon Moore, Dimetrios Mason, Johnathon Johnson, Paul Adams, Adam Ploudre, Sam Bailey, Kevin Pendleton, Tyler Howell.

Defense: Marcell Frazier, Terry Beckner, AJ Logan, Nate Howard, Eric Beisel, Brandon Lee, Terez Hall, Logan Cheadle, Octavious Morgan, Cam Hilton, Ronnell Perkins.

Special Teams: Corey Fatony and Tucker McCann

GD: We have a team of national and regional analysts who are tasked with assigning the ranking. I think there are 8-10 of them, led by Mike Farrell. They do ask for feedback from publishers like myself who have seen these kids play in person, but ultimately, that group of people hands out the ratings.

We generally have about 30 five-stars and another 250-300 four-stars. Everyone who goes D1 gets at least two, I think. Geography doesn't factor into it. If our guys think the 30 best players in the country are from the same state, then they'll get the five stars and everyone else won't. There isn't a set number of players at each ranking. If we only see 15 guys we think are worthy of five stars, that's where we'll go. Same if we see 45.

As I always say, rankings are a guideline and generally useful, especially on a big picture scale. But as far as being greatly accurate on an individual basis, they aren't. NFL GM's miss on about half their picks. College coaches miss on about half the guys they sign. To expect Rivals or anyone else to be better than that is dumb.

GD: Florida. They've won it each of the last two years (and 12 of the 24 overall). I didn't see enough out of Georgia this year, although with Jacob Eason with a year under his belt and Kirby Smart a year into being a head coach, it wouldn't shock me if the Bulldogs are a challenger. I won't ever pick Tennessee to win anything until it does (or until Butch Jones is replaced) and the Vols have to replace Josh Dobbs. Kentucky might be kind of a sexy darkhorse pick, but again, let's see them actually go do it. South Carolina, Vandy and Mizzou could all be improved, but they've got a long way to go if we're talking about winning the division.

GD: He'll start immediately. And he might be the best player pretty darn quickly. I would warn, however, that in a season-and-a-half at Texas, he didn't do anything. He'll clearly put up better numbers here because he'll play more. But is he going to take this team from where it is to where it needs to be? As I said last night, Jordan Barnett better be the second coming of Michael Jordan.

GD: Baldwin didn't not contribute because of injury as far as I know. Way back in the spring we posted that Baldwin was behind Cale Garrett and if he played it would be mostly on special teams. He did play on special teams a bit. He may have been hurt, I think he did have a concussion mid-year maybe, but I don't think that's the reason he didn't play a lot more. Prewitt should be in the rotation at safety.

At defensive tackle, I haven't heard anything about Tyrell Jacobs. I don't know if he's going to transfer or not, but Missouri was pretty thin there and played a true freshman and then went frequently with four defensive ends this year, so he's clearly behind other guys (or still over as a reserve offensive lineman, I can't honestly remember). Josh Moore is a defensive end now and I don't see him putting 50 pounds back on to play inside.

GD:

Eric Besiel leads the Tigers in tackles in 2017: False

Josh Augusta gets drafted before the 5th round: False

Charles Harris is more athletic than Kony Ealy: I have no idea, this is subjective

K9 beats JJ in the 40 yard dash: Don't know

Drew Lock can throw a football at least 75 yards in the air: Doubt it

Mizzou football finishes dead last in the SEC recruiting rankings for 2017: True

Mizzou Football signs at least two 4-star kids in 2017: True

Mizzou adds at least two running backs in the 2017 class: True

Mizzou has at least three wide receivers transfer out: True

There aren't 25 posters that you like better than me: I like everyone who pays equally

Lock has a better arm than Gabbert: False (unless you meant Tyler, then true)

Cam Hilton switches back to receiver: False

Jackie Shipp is a scapegoat: False

Demontie Cross takes Odom in a cage fight: Sure. I have no idea. Maybe I'll ask if they're interested in staging one and charging admission and letting us live stream it

GD: I don't think they'll change. I think this is the offense Josh Heupel wants to run. It's the Baylor scheme. I think they'll run it more, as they did as this year went along, but I don't think the scheme is going to change. It wasn't perfect, but it was miles ahead of last year.

GD: I'd like to give you a better answer than I don't know, but I really don't know. I would assume some combination of football knowledge and writing ability. But I've never asked because I've never had any interest in having a position like that.

GD: I think Moore has a pretty good shot. He's the leading receiver in the conference and I expect he'll get the votes. I'm not sure there's anybody else that will be first-team. Maybe Charles Harris, but the defensive line is pretty good in this league. I'd expect he's more of a second-team guy. Corey Fatony could get some honors. I don't really see anyone else who will.

GD: By next year, I assume you mean the 2017 class. They already have two and I suspect they take at least two more. So if four is loading up, yeah, they're going to load up.

GD: I would be surprised if there are many at all (and maybe none) from the two deep. Why transfer if you're playing a good amount? There might be one or two that surprise us, but not more than that.

On new coaches, if we're not including Shipp as a change, I'd go with the under there. I see 2-3 spots that would be possible, but I'll go with the under.

GD: I got about five versions of this question (not coincidentally all around 9 pm last night) so I just took the first one to answer. I think he will. I mean, I don't really see an advantage to firing him midseason. Who takes over? Steve Shields? What's the point in that? No way he's going to be the permanent guy. And the whole "you get a jump on everyone else looking for a coach" is overrated. Nothing stops you from making calls and inquiries behind the scenes and saying "Hypothetically if we were looking for a coach would this guy be interested?" Missouri's season will in all likelihood be over by day three of the SEC Tournament so they're going to have a jump on most other Power Five programs anyway if they need a coach. So, yes, I think he makes it through the year unless he for some reason steps aside before then.

GD: It's possible. But right now we're focused on basketball and football recruiting. Not ruling it out, but just kind of depends on time.

GD: I have a preliminary version which would need a little tweaking if we should be in a situation where it becomes necessary. To be honest, I've had it since last March.

GD: I think he will be. I think Mizzou might have to withstand some late charges from other schools, but I think he'll sign with the Tigers.

GD: I don't want to go through all the other rosters, but I know the SEC is pretty bad. Phillips, Puryear, Walton, Hughes and Jackson would be able to start at some. The majority? I don't know. Jordan Barnett probably would too once he gets eligible.