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football Edit

Mizzou 3-2-1: Idaho

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After each game, we take a look at what we learned, what we still don't know and make a prediction going forward. Here is the 3-2-1 report from a Mizzou's 68-21 win against Idaho.

THREE THINGS WE LEARNED

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1. Lock and Moore will finish their careers at Mizzou in some select company. The talented combination of Drew Lock and J'Mon Moore continue to march up the Missouri record books with each posting big numbers against Idaho. Lock finished 23-33 for 461 yards and six touchdowns. Moore finished with 11 receptions for 174 yards and one touchdown. Lock now sits at No. 5 on the Mizzou career passing yardage leaderboard and he'll finish the season at No. 3 barring an injury. He is No. 4 on the Mizzou career passing touchdown leaderboard and should finish the season at No. 2. When it's all said and done Chase Daniel will be the only quarterback with better numbers than Drew Lock at Mizzou. Moore now sits at No. 9 on the Mizzou career receiving yards leaderboard and he should finish his career at No. 5 barring an injury. He is No. 7 on the receiving touchdown leaderboard and will likely finish his career at No. 4. Only Danario Alexander, Jeremy Maclin and Justin Gage will have had more productive receiving careers at Mizzou than Moore when he graduates.

2. This offense should be okay without Crockett. Of course losing a top running back and a 1,000 yard rusher from last season is not ideal, but Missouri does appear to have the pieces to sufficiently fill in for Damarea Crockett for the rest of the season. I understand Ish Witter is not real flashy and Larry Rountree is just a true freshman who wasn't expected to carry much of a load this season. Each is a very solid player though and give the Tigers enough of a running game to open up they're electric passing attack. THERE IS NO NEED TO RUSH CROCKETT BACK.

3. That freshman linebacker from Memphis is a crazy man. After just a few weeks off due to a broken leg, Aubrey Miller was back on the field yesterday sprinting after the ball carrier on the kickoff coverage team. It was never specifically reported how much time Miller would miss with his broken leg he suffered during the practice week leading up to the Auburn game, but for him to be back and on the field running full speed and absorbing contact is remarkable. I only ever broke my elbow jumping out of a tire swing, my wrist changing close for basketball practice and my finger on the cast for my wrist so I don't have any experience with weight bearing bone injuries, but come on man.

TWO QUESTIONS WE STILL HAVE

1. Will these defensive changes help against a more talented team? This is the million dollar question coming out of yesterday's game. Of course it was nice to see more pressure on the quarterback and better coverage down field, but was it just the opponent. This week against UConn won't be a significant talent upgrade over Idaho, but it will be a better test. Temple held the Huskies to 278 yards. Every other game Connecticut has gained over 400 yards of total offense. The week after that Mizzou faces a Florida offense that has a bunch of athletes, but has only gained more than 400 yards in one game this season and has failed to score at least 20 points in each of the last two games. With a little bit of confidence coming out of the Idaho performance it is not totally unrealistic to think this defense can maintain the improved play going forward.

2. What will the defensive back rotation look like at Connecticut? There were significant changes in the defensive backfield against Idaho. Logan Cheadle and Adam Sparks started at cornerback and stayed on the field almost all of the first three quarters. DeMarkus Acy did not play at all. Jerod Alton did not play at all. Both had seen significant action in previous games with Acy starting each of the first six. Cam Hilton was back in the rotation and played significant snaps at the nickel corner in passing situations. He lined up exclusively on the slot wide receiver. Kaleb Prewett and Anthony Sherrils started at safety while former starters Thomas Wilson and Ronnell Perkins saw their snaps decreased significantly. Perkins didn't play on defense at all in the first half. Were there injuries that didn't get disclosed? Was it a matchup situation? Regardless it will be interesting to see who gets the most snaps in East Hartford.

ONE BOLD PREDICTION 

Mizzou will finish with a recruiting class ranked in the Top 30 this year. They'll add a few more four-stars and some highly rated three-stars and get back to the Top 30 for the first time since 2015. How will it happen you ask. Mizzou is going to finish with at least five wins and has a decent chance to get to a bowl game. That will be enough improvement to convince recruits that Barry Odom has this program going in the right direction. There are several top targets teetering so this turnaround is happening at the ideal time.

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