Every 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. Keep your eye out each week to submit your question for the mailbag or send them to powermizzou@gmail.com. On to this week's inquiries.
Ted E Letters asks: What impact, if any do you think the dismissal of Cross has had on the football team's improvement over the last 5 weeks? If you think it was a significant factor, what do you think specifically changed once he left?
GD: I don't want to pile on DeMontie, but I do think there has been an impact. Things just weren't right with the relationship with the players. Missouri's defense has looked better the last few weeks. The opposition is part of it, but so is the fact that everyone's on the same page. I don't want to overstate it and lay too much blame on the guy that's gone. I think it is a factor, but not the main one or anything.
mizzoudad asks: I'm going out on a limb here, and say HCBO wins at least 2 outta 3, and is coming back..(I am hoping 3 outta 3...)...So, he really needs a DC, a really good DC, so he can really be the HC... Who would you project, suggest, or otherwise say, here is/are really fine DC coaches to be considered..... Thank you.........
GD: First of all, I think he comes back unless the wheels just come off and he loses out. The team is clearly playing better. Blame him all you want for the 1-and-5 start (and it's fair) but you also then have to credit him for the rebound in the second half. So I think even 5-7, unless they just look God awful, gets him another year.
As far as the defensive coordinator, my guess is he promotes Ryan Walters and continues to call the defense himself. Then he'll hire one or two (depending on the 10th assistant deal) more position coaches/special teams coach/recruiters. Odom always planned to run the defense. Then he hired Cross and didn't do it and it didn't go well. Assuming they look solid on defense the last three weeks, I don't see it changing.
mglassma asks: Over/Under
GD:
3.5 four star football recruits sign--Over. They've already got two
The QB we sign in this class will have at least 4 other power 5 offers--Yes
Catches for Harry Ballard in 2018: 25--Under
Lock interceptions the rest of the season:3--Under in the regular season
Number of 2 star players in the football class: 3.5--Over
mexicojoe asks: Which is the best potential coaching job and why?FloridaTennessee A&M
GD: Florida. All three have crazy expectations. But Florida has actually reached them in the last 15 years. You've got access to tons of talent in your backyard (so does A&M, but I think Florida has less competition for the local guys maybe). A&M and Tennessee think they should be in contention for national titles every year. But the Vols haven't been in almost two decades and the Aggies haven't been in my lifetime.
bigbee67 asks: 1. Best QB in the SEC?-right now-season as a whole.2. SEZ project?-short-term, specific area for displaced season ticket holders, or random throughout stadium?-long-term (we have had a group of about 25 people spread out over about 6 rows in Section 8 since early 90's. Mostly smaller donors, but I piggyback on a few larger donors with a lot of points. I think I read there will be 1500 seats remaining out of 8000 and I assume they will make the cut. But how much will per seat cost go up?)-will G lot be shut down temporarily or permanently?
GD: I have a hard time believing anybody is better than Drew Lock right now. And honestly, by the end of the year, I think he'll have had the best season. Lock has 2975 yards passing with 31 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Shae Patterson is second among SEC quarterbacks with 2259, 17 and 9 and he is out for the year. Jarrett Stidham is third with 1996 yards, 11 touchdowns and three picks. Jalen Hurts probably gets more attention on post-season honors and such, but he hasn't had a better year. He's just on a much better team. If Lock wins the last three games and puts up even decent numbers, I think it's hard to argue he's the league's best QB.
On the south end zone stuff, I'm not trying to dodge it, but those just aren't things I know. You're better off calling the athletic department or the ticket office.
rlt002 asks: 1. What are some names as possible DC candidates for next year (if you can't say a list yet for certain reasons, what would YOUR list look like)?2. How long until the SEC East is comparable to the SEC West again in your opinion? 3. This offense has been obviously one where it wants to go no huddle as fast as possible. How does this staff handle their core of young running backs? A. They get designated series?B. Have specific situations for specific backs? C. Have more of a pro style type arrangement with an early down and third down back?
GD: 1. Answered above.
2. I won't put a timetable on it, but it will happen. When Tennessee and Florida were rolling it was better. These things run in cycles. Realistically, Nick Saban might have to retire before it happens again.
3. The backs get designated series for the most part, but I think there is an adjustment if one guy happens to simply be playing really well. For the most part, though, this guy gets this series and that guy gets that series.
S_W_M_O asks: I know you consider yourself media and you just reports what happens.... But honestly, how excited are you about bball season? After the last few years of being so terrible, a good bball team kinda feels like finding a lost puppy. Any concern the fan base expectations are too high?
GD: I feel the need to explain this every so often. When I say I'm a media member and not a fan what I mean is it doesn't impact how I do my job. I don't get pissed off after losses or celebrate after wins because I have to work. That doesn't mean I wouldn't rather have Mizzou win. Of course I would, for any number of reasons.
I have no problem admitting I'm excited for this hoops season. It's going to be fun. People are excited. They care. It's much more fun to write about a team people want to read about. And that arena, man, it's been depressing the last few years. I've seen Missouri basketball when it's good and it's a damn lot more fun than it has been the last few years.
Are expectations too high? Probably. I picked them 24-10 after the SEC Tournament somewhere around a six or seven seed. I think that's realistic. I think they could be better, but I won't consider that a bad season. I feel like some might. To me, if they make the tournament, it's a good year. If not, it's disappointing. But if they're dancing, it's a good season.
Mokane asks: What is the story on Foster? How did he go from being the star of the class and our future to “we wouldn’t take him if he begged us”? Have the coaches soured on his abilities? Were they expecting improvements his senior year that didn’t materialize? Or is it mostly the way he seemed to be looking over our shoulder to see who else is at the party while telling us he is devoted us?
GD: Not sure anybody said Missouri wouldn't take him if he begged them. The simple fact is that I don't think you can count on a kid who has already decommitted. You've got to recruit other guys. And you can't spend too much time and energy on a guy who said he was all in and then jumped out. He's a good player. Was when they took him and is now. But Missouri is looking at other quarterbacks. Now we just have to find out who they are.
mufootball1 asks: 1). Starting RB next season....Crockett or Rountree?2). Are all three starting WR’s next season on the current roster?3). Percentage that Lock enters the NFL draft after this season and if he does what round?4). Percentage that Beckner enters the NFL draft after this season and if he does what round?5). Which player leaving in 2017 will be the most difficult to replace?
GD: 1. Crockett
2. No. I think Hall, Johnson and DaRon Davis start.
3. 20%. He'd be a 2nd-4th round guy I think.
4. 90%. Also 2nd to 4th
5. Terry Beckner Jr.
Ferg15 asks: If Willie Taggert moves on from Oregon, do you think Tyler Shough would become an interesting option to watch? I know Mizzou was looking at him hard before Foster.
GD: Definitely, but if Taggart goes somewhere, he may very well get Shough to follow him. But coaching changes, jucos and transfers are guys to watch on the QB market in my opinion.
jrl3m8 asks: Who's redshirt is still in tact. Also, with a guy like Holmes - can your redshirt come any year? I know the mantra is '5 to play 4', but I didn't know if it was 4 consecutive or if it could be 1 - redshirt - 3.
GD: Yes, you can redshirt at any time. Marcus Murphy took his in his second or third year because of injury. You have five years to play four. When you play them doesn't matter. So Christian Holmes can redshirt this season if he doesn't play, and I don't think he should for exactly that reason. Here is the list of freshmen who have not played:
Caleb Sampson, Taylor Powell, Isaiah Miller, Terry Petry, Case Cook, Larry Borom, Logan Christopherson, Pompey Coleman, Hyrin White
rmotigers asks: Who will have a bigger impact this year Jeremiah Tilmon, Blake Harris or Kassius Robertson?
GD: I think all three are starters. I think Robertson is the second most important newcomer because he fills a role Missouri simply hasn't had in a knockdown shooter. He can also play the point and I think we'll see him do that. That's not to minimize Tilmon and Harris' impact as I think all three will be major players, but I think Robertson is the "most important" then Tilmon then Harris.
GowerTiger asks: 1. What players do you think could benefit most from bowl practices to make an impact next season?2. Rank the last 3 games in terms of toughest opponent
GD: 1. Pretty much all the young guys. Every one. Bowl practices will be vital for this team.
2. I'd say Vandy is the toughest in that they're the only team in the last four that I think has the same coach next season and they're still playing for something. I think Tennessee is second because I think they have the most raw talent. I think Arkansas is third because by the time that game rolls around, I think they're going to be 4-7 playing for nothing.
pogidragon asks: Over/Under MPJr averages 25 points per game this season. Already averaging 25points in exhibition. 2007 Offense without chase daniel. Who would you put in to replace him: Brad Smith, Blaine Gabbert, James Franklin, Maty Mauk, Drew Lock.What do you think of Drew Lock so far in his Mizzou career? Compared to other QBs named above.
GD: I think he's under 25. I don't think people understand how hard that is to do. There were three guys in the entire country who averaged 25 last year and none of them played on high major teams. If you are going to average 25, if you have a night where you get 12, you have to have one where you get 38. Kevin Durant and Michael Beasley are the only freshmen I think to have done it. Durant was just over 25 and Beasley was at 28, but he had the best freshman season I've personally ever seen. I think Porter averages 20, but not 25. And if the reports I've seen are correct, he's only averaging 23.3, not 25, so far.
For the second question, the way he's playing right now, I'd go with Lock. He's playing QB as well as anyone has here since Daniel. He just needs to keep it up. And if you give October Drew Lock Daniel's receivers and defense, I'm not sure he isn't in the discussion to be as good.
I think Lock has gotten too much heat over the last two years. That's how it is with every quarterback of every losing team ever. Most people do surface level analysis and say the QB and the head coach suck when a team is losing. There are a million different factors. I'll be accused of being a Lock apologist and I'm not. He was absolutely part of the problem up until about six weeks ago. But not the biggest part, at least not this year. I'm not putting him on a list with Daniel or Smith--or even Gabbert of Franklin--yet. Let me see him do it the rest of this year and next year before we go there. With Mauk, I think he gets the most blame for Lock's first two years. Drew shouldn't have played a down in 2015. The fact that he had to was Mauk's doing (and Pinkel not having anyone else he wanted to play). If last year was Drew's redshirt freshman year and this was his redshirt sophomore year, I think he'd be viewed quite a bit differently.
Abefor12 asks: Is there any talk about the strength and conditioning department, good or bad. Any word whether they are happy with it or want to make adjustments?
GD: Barry Odom loves Rohrk Cutchlow. I can't see a change there.
Cruz23 asks: In your opinion, what are the most promising pieces and signs this team has shown to have a real chance at improving next year? I.E. - Let's say Odom goes 4-8, 6-6 (with a bowl game) first two years, what would you point to as reasons we should improve to 7-9 wins next season?
GD: I think they have a quarterback who could be an all-American candidate if he comes back next year, two really good running backs coming back and all five offensive linemen plus two NFL tight ends. This offense could be scary next year. If the defense improves, Missouri should be a lot better. And I think seven to nine wins should absolutely be the goal. There's no reason Mizzou shouldn't go into next season as the second best team in the East.
