The distribution of thoughts is going to be a little different today just because we’re coming off the bye week and it’s basketball opening day.

Jamal Roberts should continue getting more carries even if Nate Noel is back and healthy this week.

I would expect the backfield to become a three-headed monster, especially with the amount of running the Tigers are going to have to do if Brady Cook isn’t able play long term.

The running back room next year looks kind of thin at this point, though I'm sure Eli Drinkwitz will hit the portal hard for another option once again, but Missouri has a chance to get a freshman who has looked good fully up to speed in game action. I'm not saying this because this year is over, but in college football, there always has to be an eye on the following season.

I think the best thing the Tigers could do for their backfield next year is to get Roberts rolling and confident through the last four games.I would say you could do the same with Kewan Lacy, but he's still eligible for a redshirt as long as he doesn't go back on the field in the regular season, so I would expect the Tigers to do their best to maintain that and give him an extra year.

Speaking of Cook not being able to return.

I've said it a couple of times and I'll say it again, the offense has to look different if he's not on the field and I don't think he will be.

We're down to the stretch run with a month of regular-season ball left. Wow that went quick.

As much as I and others have talked about the talent in the receiver room or the expectations of an offense coming off an elite season with a majority of its key players returning, it's time to accept that's not what this year is. And it's not what the last four weeks are going to look like.

Freshman Aidan Glover is the only option in the quarterback room who has the skill set to run the offense built for Cook, but I have to believe there would have been chatter about him around the team if he was close to ready.

I haven't heard any of that chatter.

Which means it's either Drew Pyne again or JR Blood.

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