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.
TigerCruise asks: How do you feel about the QBs behind KB? Any chance Robinson is eligible to play this year or is his waiver a hail mary?Running QBs have a tendency to miss a few series or games.
GD: I checked on Shawn Robinson's waiver a few days ago and was told it is still in the hands of the NCAA. So no update there. As far as whether it will get approved or denied, it's the NCAA, the Lord only knows. The best guess is whatever should happen won't happen.
Let's assume for the sake of discussion here that Robinson isn't eligible (or that if he is he plays no more than parts of four games). You can't count on Connor Bazelak, a true freshman from a run-heavy high school offense, to give you much this year, I don't think. So that leaves Taylor Powell and Lindsey Scott, Jr. Honestly, I thought Scott was a pretty strong transfer candidate. Then coming out of spring ball, Barry Odom and Derek Dooley told us he'd made up enough ground that they couldn't say for sure who the No. 2 was. The optimist will say "Scott must have really gotten a lot better." The pessimist will say "it's discouraging Powell couldn't distance himself and if you don't have a clear backup, you don't have a backup at all."
I don't know which one is true. But I do believe Bryant's health is a big key to the season. There's nobody behind him that I've seen play well in a college football game before. That doesn't mean none of them can do it, but at quarterback, you always prefer to have a guy out there who actually has done it before.
KWMizzou asks: In your opinion, who is the most underrated coach in SEC Football? And who is the most underrated coach in SEC Basketball?
GD: This is tough because it's hard to separate a coach from the talent he has around him for me. But I'll give it a shot.
In football, you can't really say Nick Saban is underrated because he's generally considered the best in the game if not the best of all-time. I think Kirby Smart has gotten his due for sure. I'd consider Dan Mullen, but I think most people generally acknowledge the job he's done. I don't think Will Muschamp or Barry Odom is really underrated. I think they're viewed pretty much in line with what the results say they should be. A lot of the other guys, I don't know yet because they haven't really been there long enough. By process of elimination, I guess I'm going to go with Mark Stoops for the time being. I'd also actually consider Gus Malzahn, who I don't think is an elite coach, but I also definitely don't think is a guy that should have to be worrying about whether he will keep his job every year.
In hoops, John Calipari would be viewed by many as overrated which I completely disagree with. I think if anything he's a little bit underrated. Mike White, Buzz Williams and Tom Crean have gotten their due for the most part. I refuse to let Will Wade be part of the discussion. In the past, I'd have said Frank Martin, but he's no longer underrated in my opinion. I was going to go with Bruce Pearl, but then I remembered Rick Barnes. I don't think Barnes has ever quite gotten the due for what he's done. People think he's good. I think he's great. He's done it at three different major programs. If he can make a Final Four run in Knoxville, I think people will finally acknowledge he's as good as I think he is. But even if he doesn't, I think he's one of the best coaches in the country (top 10-15).
MUCHI asks: If I can only go to one home game this season, which one should I go to?
GD: Honestly, I'd probably go to the West Virginia game. To me, if you can only see one game, go see the game that probably won't happen again any time soon. South Carolina, Florida and maybe even Tennessee are bigger games, but they're all coming back in two years. The Mountaineers are here for the home opener, the first game for Kelly Bryant, a team that should be in the top 25. There should be a lot of excitement and, to me, a full house (if that game's not sold out, shame on you Mizzou fans). Runner-up for me would be Ole Miss. It probably won't be a great game, but again, they won't be back for a while, Missouri might have a good season rolling at that point and it's mid-October, which is generally really good weather.
