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.
kylefree asks: Would appreciate any insight you can offer specific to Connor Bazelak, and particularly his skills as they relate to current rostered QBs in Taylor Powell and Micah Wilson. While each were/are very similarly rated by Rivals (5.5 – 5.6 – 5.7), the overwhelming impressions from the fan base is that he’s destined to become our starting QB in ’20. While I completely understand the mentality of gravitating to the next guy in-line – and in this case it surprisingly isn’t the backup QBs – I’d like to understand if there’s actual scouting impressions by Rivals or other recruiting services that have led to this stance. Bazelak obviously comes from a run-first offense and hasn’t put-up gaudy stats, and frankly aren’t sure if he participated in and fared well in National or Regional camps. Basically, are the impressions earned or is it mainly founded on unknown potential?
GD: I think more than anything it's the next guy is always the best guy mentality. We haven't seen any evidence that Bazelak can't be the guy so we think he's the guy. To be fair, we haven't really seen any evidence that Micah Wilson or Taylor Powell can't do the job either. But they've been on campus for two years and we haven't seen any evidence they CAN. As I've said all year, the most telling thing here is the approach the coaching staff has taken. The Tigers took a grad transfer, then took a regular transfer, then took a high school quarterback. I understand recruiting depth and making sure you have backup plans, especially at the quarterback position, but you don't take this approach if you think you have a guy who's going to be ready to be the starter in a year or two. The simple fact is that, based on its actions, the coaching staff didn't think it had an SEC starting quarterback on the roster...next year or beyond. I think it's more likely that Bazelak would get beaten out by someone Mizzou hasn't signed yet than by anyone on the roster right now. In other words, you're going to keep recruiting quarterbacks every year. Who's to say you don't get one that's ready to start before Bazelak is? I think the ideal plan of succession is Kelly Bryant for a year, Shawn Robinson for two and Bazelak for two. But things almost never work out exactly like we think they will five years in advance.
MizzouFan314 asks: Any guess to whether Jontay will come back next season or declare? I think the team can be special next year if he comes back. How’s the progress with his recovery coming along?
GD: Jontay was on the bench at the Braggin' Rights game without a noticeable brace on his leg, so that's progress. The other times I've seen him before games he's had a brace and has been on crutches. So that means he's probably coming along well in the rehab process. As far as next year, we're not really to the point of asking questions about that yet so all I can give you is my opinion. My opinion is that I'd be shocked if he came back. Most mock drafts have him as a first round pick. He's a kid who has already seen one season in college wrecked by injury and has seen everything his siblings have dealt with. Unless NBA teams are scared to death of his health (which, let's be honest, a torn ACL is hardly career-ending anymore), I don't see how it makes sense for him to come back. Go get that contract and start getting paid to play. Obviously if he comes back, it changes what we might think about next year, but I just don't see any world in which it makes much sense for him to stay in school.
