Following No. 11 Missouri’s 51-0 win over Murray State on Thursday, Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said it took about four plays to figure out the Racers.
Remember, going into the game, Murray State had the element of surprise since it was debuting a new coaching staff with a roster that had over 60 new players.
That could be exaggerated just a bit because four plays in the Racers hadn't had the ball yet. The first play was Murray State onside kicking to start the game with the Tigers recovering. Then, the next three plays were a part of Mizzou's play six-play, 42-yard touchdown drive.
So, it took more like 10 plays, but realistically, in four-game minutes and 10 real-life minutes, Missouri had seen all three phases of Murray State's team and knew exactly what it could and couldn't do. That much was evident.
So, let's talk about what went well, what went wrong and everything in between.
What went well: Almost everything. The defense held an opponent scoreless for the first time since 2019. It also forced multiple turnovers versus an FCS opponent for the second time in three seasons. It marks just the second time in the last six games that Missouri has forced multiple turnovers against an FCS opponent. The Tigers also held the Racers to 85 yards and an average of 1.7 yards per play.
The offense was able to go 7-of-7 in the red zone with four touchdowns. It also went 8-of-13 on third down, averaged 6.3 yards per play and helped the team eclipse 50 points for the first time since the 2022 season opener versus Louisiana Tech.
On special teams, kicker Blake Craig made all three of his field goals in his debut for the team.
What went wrong: There was a fumble on a trick play on Mizzou's side of the field. Quarterback Brady Cook tried to hand the ball off to wide receiver Luther Burden on a jet sweep trick play and Burden fumbled it. That led to Murray State starting with its best field position of the game (on Mizzou's 40-yard line). The Racers only gained a yard on the ensuing drive. So, that turnover didn’thurt as much versus the Racers as it might versus someone else, but it's still something that can't happen.
Cook overthrew four passes that would've almost certainly led to touchdowns. So, Mizzou left point on the field even in a 51-point win.
Craig had the opening kickoff of the second half go out of bounds and give the Racers possession on its 35-yard line.
Also, the team had nine penalties (more on this below).
What the turning point was: With 11 minutes and three seconds left in the first quarter, Murray State had fourth and inches on its first drive from the Murray State 34-yard line. The Tigers got the stop and that was Murray State's last chance to surprise the Tigers since that was the Racers’ first offensive drive. This was the only time this season the Racers would have the element of surprise like this. After that failed fourth down attempt, Mizzou had the information it needed to keep the Racers in check.
What to be hopeful for: The defense lost its defensive coordinator, EDGE coach and six starters this offseason and didn't miss a beat on Thursday. Defensive coordinator Corey Batoon called an amazing game albeit versus Murray State, but this is what an SEC defense should do against an FCS opponent. As far as replacing the six starters, the team is deep at all 22 starting positions and it's evident on defense. You can't tell a drop-off from the starters to the second team. That's going to be handy during conference play.
Craig looked good and making his first three kicks is a good sign for someone replacing the school’s all-time leading scorer.
What to be concerned about: Penalties. Mizzou had nine penalties for 56 yards with seven of them being accepted. Six of the penalties were on the offensive line with Cayden Green having two holding calls, Jayven Richardson having one hold, Logan Reichert having two false starts and Cam'Ron Johnson having one false start. These penalties didn't effect the outcome of this game, but against someone else it could be more of an issue.
Player of the game: Cornerback Toriano Pride
This was a total team effort and there could be multiple players of the game, but Pride had the most memorable play of the game when he had a 25-yard interception returned for a touchdown in the first quarter. The play becomes even bigger when you realize it was Pride's debut and he got the start over Nic DeLoach, who he was battling with for the starting role. If he can make plays like this on even a semi-regular basis then Mizzou has found another quality cornerback capable of making big plays like his predecessors from the year before.
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