9/9/2022 football Edit

Mizzou Game Day Countdown: Week 2 at Kansas State

Jarod Hamilton • PowerMizzou

Staff Writer

Missouri (1-0) started the season off with a good but far from flawless win over Louisiana Tech last Thursday. This week the Tigers will head to Manhattan, Kansas to face a familiar Big 8 and Big 12 foe in Kansas State (1-0).

The Tigers are hoping to defeat the Wildcats in the pair's first matchup since 2011, which the Wildcats won.

Our game day preview will look at the five matchups to watch, four Mizzou players to keep an eye on, three keys to the game, two questions that need to be answered and a prediction of who will win.

Kickoff Information

Time: 11 a.m.

Location: Bill Snyder Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas

TV: ESPN2 (Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison and Stormy Buonantony)

Radio: Tiger Radio Network (Mike Kelly, Howard Richards, Chris Gervino)

Spread: Kansas State -8

Series history: Missouri leads 60-32-5, Kansas State won last matchup in 2011

Mizzou Injury Report

WR Demariyon Houston: Out

DL Ky Montgomery: Out

WR Chance Luper: Out

OT Hyrin White: Out

5 Matchups to watch

Brady Cook vs. Wildcats’ 3-3-5 defense

Missouri quarterback Brady Cook played a decent game versus Louisiana Tech. He completed 18 of 27 passes for 201 yards and an interception. He also rushed seven times for 61 yards and a rushing touchdown.

It’s fairly early and too small of a sample size to label Cook a game manager but that is what his job looked like in week one and he did it well. The interception he was credited with ricocheted off of Luther Burden III’s hands, so by all accounts, he didn’t do anything to put the Tigers in danger of losing the game. He had great pocket presence and located his receivers and moved the ball down the field.

When the Tigers face the Wildcats on the road it will be different though. This is a Power 5 team with six Preseason Big 12 selections. Three of them (defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah, linebacker Daniel Green and defensive back Julius Brents) happen to be on defense.

Cook had the benefit of playing a Louisiana Tech that essentially ran the same defense that Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker runs. This week he will face Kansas State’s defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman’s 3-3-5 scheme.

“It's a whole new test and opportunity, and going on the road and playing in front of 50,000, who really don't like you is gonna be a whole lot different than playing in front of 50,000 who do,” said Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “So, it kind of puts guys on islands it lulls the quarterback to sleep because he's thinking it's zone and he should have time and those guys create penetration that punctures the pocket.”

Adrian Martinez vs. himself vs. Mizzou defense

Adrian Martinez is a solid dual-threat quarterback but he’s known to beat himself up and turn the ball over. He will have to fight his reputation for making costly turnovers in crucial moments, and the Tigers will have to try and force him to make those mistakes.

Over his career, he's thrown 45 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. He has 36 career rushing touchdowns including one last week versus South Dakota which is where the dual-threat ability comes in.

Martinez will also have to deal with the Tigers defense that allowed 24 points (17 when it mattered) to Louisiana Tech. That defense forced three turnovers including an interception for a touchdown. It was only the Bulldogs, but it was probably a better showing than was expected by many.

Expect the Tigers to try and dial up some pressure on passing downs to collapse the pocket and make him think about what he’s doing when he’s passing.

The Tigers need to force Martinez to battle himself and the defense. If they don’t contain the edge for Martinez, Deuce Vaughn and the jet sweeps, they set themselves up for letting play action come into play.

Felix Anudike-Uzomah vs. Tigers offensive line

The Tigers' offensive line was probably the second weakest position group (ahead of the tight ends) in week one. Although, they helped Missouri rush for more than 330 yards, Drinkwitz alluded to the fact that the running backs were making defenders miss and getting yards after contact more than running through holes paved by the offensive line.

Anudike-Uzomah, the 2021 Big 12 Co-Defensive lineman of the year, is probably Kansas State’s x-factor, even more than Vaughn because Cook has never had to deal with a Power 5 team and its defensive talent. Anudike-Uzomah lived in his opponents' backfield last season. He recorded 52 tackles, (37 solo), 14.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and six forced fumbles. In week eight versus TCU, he recorded four sacks and two fumbles.

Now, the Tigers do have a preseason all-conference selection in left tackle Javon Foster.. The issue becomes when Anudike-Uzomah lines up over right tackle Zeke Powell, who was the Tigers' best run blocker and worst pass blocker last week, at least according to the metrics at PFF College.

One would think the Tigers will be sending double teams Anudike-Uzomah’s way and using running backs to chip block to limit him as much as they can.

Deuce Vaughn vs. the Tigers front seven

Vaughn is an elusive back whose diminutive size (5-foot-6) can cause problems for multiple teams. His low center of gravity makes him a tough player to tackle but Drinkwitz noted that he’s not worried about tackling him 一 but everything that makes him a Preseason All-Big 12 selection.

“What I'm more concerned with is his talent,” Drinkwitz said. “His vision, his speed, his toughness, his ability to read their scheme, that duo scheme, set people up in blocks. If a defensive lineman gets eyes in the wrong gap, he's going to expose it.”

Safety and captain Martez Manuel said he’s been trying to remind the defensive line about gap integrity and not trying to do more than they are asked when it comes to doing their assignments because Vaughn takes advantage of undisciplined players.

“He likes to hop around back there until the hole develops, so we can’t have defensive linemen jumping in the gap and then jumping out of it,” Manuel said. … ”We got to play for each other; we can't have somebody that's trying to run up their stats and try to do everything wrong screwing the person behind them.”

Vaughn recorded 1,404 yards and 18 touchdowns on 235 carries last year. He also caught 49 passes for four touchdowns and 468 yards. Last week, Vaughn rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

Mizzou Special teams vs. "Special Teams U"

Missouri’s special teams did alright for the most part in week one. Preseason All-SEC selection Harrison Mevis did what he needed to do and converted all seven of his extra point attempts and a field goal. The punt unit for the Tigers did give up a 43-yard return on a punt that landed inside of Louisiana Tech’s own 10-yard line.

It’s one thing for the Tigers to allow that versus a Group of 5 opponent but they can’t afford to do that against a team dubbed “Special Teams U.”

Last week, the Wildcats returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. Malik Knowles didn’t get much of a chance to show why he was named to the Preseason All-big 12 team. But he had a return average of 33.1 and took two kicks back for touchdowns last season.

If special teams become a problem the Tigers will likely leave Manhattan with a loss.

4 Players to watch

1.) Zeke Powell

Powell probably needs to have a career day for the Tigers to be in a good position to win. If he struggles to handle the defensive line or the complex blitzes that Klanderman may dial up.

He will have right guard Connor Wood to help him but he has to seal the edge. When Anudike-Uzomah comes over to his side he will have to make sure he has a low pad level and is ready for the bull rush.

2.) Brady Cook

It was cool that Cook didn’t lose the Tigers the game in week one and even added a 20-yard scamper for a touchdown to show that he can leave the pocket and make plays with his legs. But this defense will be a unique look for the Tigers and Cook.

He’s got to get the ball out quick and not force anything. Again, he shouldn’t be labeled a game manager with such a small sample size but until he proves otherwise he will be considered just that. He and redshirt freshman center Connor Tollison will have to be on one accord as they make pre-snap adjustments.

If the Tigers make Adrian Martinez have to overthink and battle himself and the defense then it will be almost for nothing if Cook and the offense can't take advantage.

Keeping it simple should be Cook’s formula to success.

3.) The STAR position

Whoever is manning the STAR position, whether it be Manuel or Daylan Carnell, needs to make sure his impact is felt. The concept of the STAR is to be big and fast enough to cover tight ends, blitz the quarterback and help stop the run.

Manuel and Carnell played well versus Louisiana Tech but how will they fare against a team who runs multiple personnel sets and have a 1,400-yard rusher in the backfield?

They will have to tackle well like they did last week, keep everything in front of them, and help contain and set the edge to limit Martinez, outside runs and jet sweeps.

4.) Ty’Ron Hopper

Ty’Ron Hopper was the best Tiger on the field on either side of the ball last week but can he replicate that success?

It was a great sign in week one that he was able to do to Louisiana Tech what he did to Missouri when he was with Florida. But again, that was a Group of 5 team that finished 3-9 last season.

If he can shoot the gaps and stop the runs up the middle that helps in the aspect of forcing Martinez to throw the ball because Vaughn is a north-south runner. He can run to the outside but him being short and hiding behind his blockers until a hole develops is his game. And if the Tigers stop that, sooner or later Martinez will have to do something to move the ball with his arm.

3 Missouri keys to victory

1.) The theme of the week for the defense seems to be gap discipline. Everyone should be where they are supposed to be when they’re supposed to be there. It’s as simple as that.

2.) The offensive line needs to play good to great. Last week, they played alright and it was highlighted as such because they won by 28 at home. But if they rush for 300 yards it needs to be because of the offensive line, not because the running backs are doing it all on their own.

3.) Force Adrian Martinez to beat you. If the Tigers lose because of Vaughn they can live with that more than living with Martinez beating them. Martinez will cough up the ball some way somehow if pressured. Now, his offensive line is much better than anything he had as a Cornhusker, but it’s hard to break old habits.

2 Questions that need answering

1.) How will Luther Burden fare versus better competition?

Burden didn’t put up an absurd stat line last week but he did score twice including one play where the broke three or four tackles and turned what should’ve been a tackle for loss into a score. Now, the level of competition is up, and Burden will probably have to face this question until he faces an SEC team or two.

It’s one thing to dominate high school and then play a below-average Group of 5 team. His next test is showing that he can do it versus a Power 5 team with potential. The Wildcats probably aren’t winning the Big 12 championship but they probably will make a bowl game and they have the talent to be looking at another 7-5 or 8-4 season. There will be more athletes on defense than a week ago. Does Burden still stand out?

2.) Is the defense for real?

Being the No. 1 rushing defense in the nation is great but there wasn’t too much learned from Missouri’s defensive play last week besides that the defense won’t let just anyone run all over them like in seasons past.

Besides the two blown coverages, they played excellently in the passing game too. But they have to eliminate those plays this week. Baker said that the blown coverages were technique errors and that he has to be better at teaching the secondary how to have better technique.

Prediction

Jarod: I think this is a game that I wouldn’t be surprised with either team winning but there are too many questions I have for the Tigers. How will the offensive line fare? Is the defense from week one a fluke or the real deal? Will Missouri’s special teams falter? Can Brady Cook compete at this level versus this level of competition? I don’t know. Give me Kansas State 31-21.

Gabe: I think this is a pretty evenly matched game. If this game were being played four weeks later I think I might very well pick Missouri. With so many new faces and young guys I just don’t know it Mizzou is ready to go on the road in an amped-up atmosphere and beat a good team. The good news is I think the defense will show the improvement from week one wasn’t a fluke. But I’m picking Kansas State 27-17.