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.
WIsnLouis asks: Since you don't put out a weekly "Power Rankings" where would you have Mizzou ranked right now if you did? Who is the team directly in front and behind them at this point in the season?
GD: I like to do power rankings by tiers because I think we're often splitting hairs when we get down to the nitty gritty between two teams. So first I'll do the tiers, then I'll do a traditional 1-14 ranking.
Tier 1: Alabama
Tier 2: Florida, Texas A&M
Tier 3: Georgia
Tier 4: Auburn, Missouri, Ole Miss, Arkansas
Tier 5: Kentucky, LSU, Tennessee, South Carolina
Tier 6: Mississippi State, Vanderbilt
Here's how I'd rank them top to bottom:
1) Alabama
2) Florida (yeah, I know head to head and all but I think Florida is a better team)
3) Texas A&M
4) Georgia
5) Auburn
6) Missouri
7) Ole Miss
8) Arkansas
9) LSU
10) Kentucky
11) Tennessee
12) South Carolina
13) Mississippi State
14) Vanderbilt
MW74 asks: The in state 2022 class already has 15 Mizzou offers with 1 5 Star and 7 4 Stars. What is a realistic haul for this staff for the highly rated guys?Of the 3 star in state players who are the next 2-3 guys to keep an eye on for 2022?
GD: By highly rated guys, I'm going to assume you're talking about the four-stars and above. With seven in-state, I'd say a realistic goal is getting three of them. Four or more and you feel great. I have a feeling people will not like that answer and will think it's too pessimistic, but I think getting about half of the highly rated kids in the state is a really good barometer to shoot for. And I think Missouri is in a position to get more than half of them.
As far as which guys to watch, I'd say look at all of them equally at this point. Signing day 2022 is a long, long way away and Missouri is putting a clear emphasis on the state, so any kid with an offer at this point is worth watching relatively closely.
