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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.
bson24 asks: Is there anyway you can ask coach drink why coaches don’t go for it more on 4th down? The statistics and analytics say teams should almost always go for it on 4th and that it would be more advantageous. Especially in a covid year that we play Alabama and LSU with a small winning percentage change. Why not try something different? I have always wanted to know why middle of the road teams like Mizzou don't take up this philosophy.
GD: Yeah, at some point, that's definitely something we can talk to him about. It's probably not really a middle of camp question, but it would be interesting to get into his philosophy on it. While it would be fun, I can't quite advocate the video game never punt strategy, but once I crossed midfield I would definitely never punt. I'd probably do something like fourth and less than five when I cross my own 40 I'm going for it, fourth and anything if I cross midfield I'm going for it unless I'm in field goal range.
CamKCMIZ asks: Which position group has hurt the team more over the last 3 seasons, WR or DE? Obviously tough to compare stats, but which group's lack of production hurt their side of the ball and the overall potential of the team more? If you had to bet on one of the WR or DE position groups to see significant improvement this year on the field, which would it be?
GD: Last year it was wide receiver because the offense was dreadful. That wasn't all the wide receivers' fault, but they played their role. The two years before that it was defensive end because the offense was good enough to win more games than the team did...especially when Emanuel Hall was on the field. I think overall defensive end is a tougher position to recruit and one where you can see a much bigger difference. Wide receiver is a spot where I think after a handful of elite guys, there's not as much of a difference as there is with pass rushers. But if I had to bet on one of those two seeing improvement this year for Missouri I'd go with the wideouts because you have different guys. You've got two grad transfers and Jalen Knox goes from being the first or second option to probably the third. Defensive end, it's pretty much the same guys. You're just counting on them to be better. And at this point, I'll believe that when I see it because it's not like we're talking about sophomores.
