There weren't many negatives that No. 9 Mizzou put on tape in its 51-0 win over Murray State in the season opener.
It was a game of many firsts for the team. It was the first time since 2019 that the team held an opponent scoreless since 2019. It was the first time since the 2022 season opener versus Louisiana Tech that Mizzou had scored 50 or more points in a game.
It was also the first time left tackle Marcus Bryant and Cayden Green wore Missouri uniforms. The duo replaces All-American left tackle Javon Foster, now a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars and left guard Xavier Delgado, who had started the last 25 games he played in for the Tigers.
Center Connor Tollison thought the pair played well in their debut.
"I think they did some good things out there together," Tollison said on Tuesday. "Being their first time, I think they'll have things they need to improve on. But I think you find the biggest improvement from Week 1 to (Week) 2. So, I think they'll be all right."
The former SMU tackle (Bryant) and former Oklahoma guard (Green) joined returning starters Tollison, right guard Cam'Ron Johnson and right tackle Armand Membou. The unit helped the team rush for 189 yards and pass for 300 yards in Week 1.
Rushing for at least 180 yards and passing for at least 300 yards was something the team did only three times last season (versus South Dakota, Memphis and South Carolina).
Tollison was more focused on what the unit needs to do better going forward but he did think they did a good job of keeping quarterbacks Brady Cook and Drew Pyne upright and not letting too much damage happen in the backfield.
"I don't think we gave up any sacks and maybe a few tackles for a loss, and I'd say those are two stats that have more say on how an offensive line did throughout a game," Tollison said.
Tollison is right. The team didn't give up a sack and only allowed two tackles for loss. It also allowed just three quarterback hits. However, the offensive line had six of the team's nine penalties with Green getting called for two holds and Johnson getting called for a false start.
But that's not what Drinkwitz said is what the offensive line's biggest area of improvement needs to be.
"We didn't sustain blocks as well as we wanted to on the outside zone," Drinkwitz said. "I don't think our counter scheme was as clean as we wanted it to (be) as far as our kick-out. I think we were light a little bit on our inside zone double teams. So, there are plenty of opportunities for us to continue to improve. Specifically, with those young guys, we got down inside the 10 and weren't able to score, running inside zone behind two guards in there that are 340 pounds a piece. We were getting knocked back into the a gap. So, that's got to improve if we want to have a shot in this league."
Cleaning up the penalties, better establishing itself in the run game and keeping Cook clean in the pocket will be of the utmost importance in Week 2 because Buffalo has linebacker Shaun Dolac back in the fold after missing all but four games last year.
Dolac was a first-team All-Mid Atlantic Conference selection in 2022 after finishing the season with the second-most tackles (147) in the nation that year. He missed all but four games in 2023, but came back with a vengeance in Week 1 versus Lafayette.
Dolac recorded 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and an interception versus Lafayette en route to MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
"(He's a) really good player. A guy that pops all over the tape," Drinkwitz said. ... "You can tell he studies tape and that he's a very smart, physical player at the point of contact. They utilize him in the box, out of the box and they pressure with him. So, he's a really good player. It's going to be a real challenge for us. He's consistent with what you see in our league. He's a guy that as we work off combo blocks, we're going to have to make sure we can get to him. Otherwise, he'll make the tackle, and we're going to have to know where he is in pass coverage and not make a mistake with the ball because he's got really good hands."
Fortunately for Mizzou, the starting lineup didn't have to work too hard versus Murray State. The starting line played just 54 snaps, which will lead to a fresher unit in Week 2 versus Dolac and the Bulls, and possibly in league play.
"I think it's definitely going to help you stay fresh as the year goes on," Tollison said. "Also, your body really does take a toll, especially playing offensive line. So, I think just limited wear and tear is only going to be better just to stay fresh and have your legs underneath you.
"I think you could tell even in the fourth quarter how good your treatment or preparation was during the week. I think you could tell, coming back on Monday, it (their bodies) wasn't as bad as it has been before."
A couple of weeks ago, Toriano Pride Sr. told PowerMizzou that we'd be getting "the Toriano," referencing what his son Toriano Pride Jr. would do for Mizzou this season.
What is the Toriano? It's just Junior being himself and playing free, and it didn't take too long for him to prove Senior right.
"You can get a lot from me. If you know me, you know I'm a playful person," Junior said with a smile. "I like to have fun. I like to talk trash. I just like to swarm around the ball (and) play defensive football. You're just going to get the real me. I don't really know how to explain it, but you're going to get my real personality."
In a game largely decided by the middle of the first quarter, Junior not only had the play of the game but the play that would be an indication of how the rest of the game would go by taking an interception 25 yards for a touchdown to give Mizzou a three-score lead.
"Because he threw it high -- I was really worried about, like, I have to catch it, but I knew it was a touchdown if I caught it," Junior said. "I was worried about staying on my feet after."
Junior, who had been battling Nic DeLoach for the starting spot, officially was named the starter minutes before kickoff and did a little bit of everything even though the only thing that shows up in the box score is his interception for a touchdown.
According to PFF College, he allowed just one reception for five yards on four targets and had a coverage grade of 93.6.
He also indirectly forced a drop pass when he blew up a wide receiver screen by forcing the blocker into the receiver who then dropped the pass on a second down play in the second quarter.
"I saw the receiver was my size, so I was like, 'I know you not as strong as me and you're a small receiver so you're not going to block me,'" Junior said.
Pride also recorded four snaps in the slot, something he did just six times in two years at Clemson. It's a small sample size, but it's something he can and is willing to do for a team that wants to use three cornerbacks on passing downs more often.
"It's a lot different than (boundary) corner," Junior said. "So, it's kind of like they (the opposing receiver has) got a two-way go. But, you've got to have a different technique for it. But it's not really too much (of a) difference for me."
One of his Mizzou cornerback predecessors, Kris Abrams-Draine, knows a little about playing in the slot and on the boundary.
It's not a secret that Junior has some big shoes to fill to help replace Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw, but he doesn't look at it that way. Respectfully, that's not what he cares about. He's here to play his game and establish his legacy at Mizzou.
"It's no pressure (to replace Abrams-Draine and Rakestraw)," Junior said. "I don't really care who came before me. I just want to do what's best for me. I'm happy for Ennis and KAD, though. I just talked to Ennis and he was there Thursday. He plays with one of my old teammates in Detroit. I'm still I'm happy for them. They're balling out in the league. I think they both made the 53-man roster. KAD (has) been doing good at the Broncos, but like stuff like that, I couldn't care less. I didn't come here for them."
As it stands, Junior's start to his Mizzou career is off to a great start, and he can keep the momentum going with a decent showing versus the Bulls on Saturday.
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