The Missouri offense has drawn its fair share of criticism over the last couple weeks. Specifically, the pace of the offense has been questioned. Barry Odom has said repeatedly—and did again on Monday—that the offense is the one that best suits the current Missouri roster.
But on Monday, we asked, what does that mean? Why?
“If we can get a first down, you gain an advantage a little bit on the other side trying to catch up,” Odom said. “And if they’re always sitting there waiting on you to get lined up, and it is a very calm, controlled environment, I think that is an advantage for the defense.”
Obviously getting that first first down was an issue on Saturday. It took more than 27 minutes. But offensive guard Alec Abeln offered a little more insight into why the fast-paced scheme might be a better fit for the Tigers.
“Physically we’re athletic dudes. We play well as a unit, but I think we’re not necessarily 6-foot-8, 300,” Abeln said. “There’s times when I’ve got to be physical and times when I’ve got to be able to do that, but on an every down kind of basis that’s not how we’re built right now. I think with the speed we play with, with the tempo we play with, with some of the protections we do, it gives us an edge and a chance to be more successful up front. I think a lot of our success up front is because of that.”
The offensive line was the unit that was most questioned coming into the season (Michael Scherer on Monday recalled reading an article over the summer saying that OL coach Glen Elarbee had “the toughest job in America”). But Missouri has allowed only 12 tackles for a loss, four fewer than any other team in the country. Tiger quarterbacks have been sacked three times. Only Troy has allowed fewer. So maybe that’s the method to the madness.
RELATED LINKS: More from Media Day | Sunday Chat | Following The Future
NEW LOOK, IMPROVED DEFENSE
Two Missouri defenders got their first starts on Saturday. Ronnell Perkins started at safety and freshman Cale Garrett at middle liinebacker. Garrett was inserted to the lineup when the Tigers moved Scherer to weakside linebacker.
So what changed for Scherer going outside from the middle?
“Everything,” he said. “I have a lot more pass coverage responsibilities, which I kind of like, I get to move around a little bit more. The hardest part for me on Saturday was actually realizing that I have to be on one side of the field or the other instead of right in the middle. I actually had to look at where the short side of the field was most of the time.”
Scherer said he played SAM linebacker his freshman season at MICDS in St. Louis.
“It was, ‘Line up here and go do something,’” he said. “It’s a little different now.”
Scherer wasn’t too concerned about Garrett’s ability to take over his spot in the middle.
“I knew he could handle it,” Scherer said. “He’s the type of kid you have to calm down a little bit. He has 800 thousand things running through his mind. The other day at practice coach asked him a question like, ‘What do you have to do on this play?’ and he said like 85 things.
“I know he puts in the work during the week and he beats himself up enough during the week in practice when he does things wrong that he’ll get it right on the weekend.”
Marcell Frazier was also back in the startling lineup at defensive end. For Frazier, the key to earning more reps started with a conversation with Tiger assistant Will Franklin a few weeks ago.
“Straight up, I just asked him ‘What do I got to do to play more?’” Frazier recalled. “He said ‘you got to increase your practice habits and get better practice habits.’ I knew I had the top end talent to play well in the games, but I didn’t really put two and two together as far as every day in practice you’ve got to go as hard as you are in the game.”
Frazier said he felt he had practiced well most of the summer, but then lost his starting spot during what he called a “little lull” in his habits during the week.
“I had two weeks of pretty good practice. Just playing hard. Maybe not being correct all the time and perfect but just playing absolutely as hard as I could,” he said. “I think they’re just trying to build good habits with the players as far as practicing hard. You see the playing time usually reflects who’s practicing the hardest.”
There is little doubt that is the approach of Odom and his staff.
“I will forever believe that if you practice really, really well then you’re going to have an opportunity to play well on Saturday,” the coach said. “And if you don’t then you’re probably not going to be able to just flip the switch and I’m gonna go get mine on Saturday.”
CROCKETT RUNS WITH HIS CHANCE
On offense, Damarea Crockett took advantage of his first start with 145 yards on 14 carries.
“I think the’s learned over the course of getting some reps and some game reps on how to play the position,” Odom said. “He’s understood that he’s not gonna run away from a lot of guys. He’s got to be able to go North and South and get by his pads and use the physical skill set that he has.”
“I feel like that’s one of the first things that I had to learn,” Crockett admitted. “You’re not the fastest guy on the field anymore. Everybody’s fast.
“I’m starting to learn it’s more of a fundamental game at running back as well as athletically.”
Crockett’s breakout night led the way to 265 rushing yards for the Tigers. It was the most the Gators had given up in an SEC game in 16 years and a rare bright spot for the Tigers in Gainesville. All of that came on a night that the offensive line didn’t think it had its best performance.
“The running backs did a great job on a lot of things,” Abeln said. “I think as finishers and how physical we were at the point of attack, I think it was a step back from last week.”
“If the line felt they took a step back, I feel good about that,” Crockett said. “It means they think they can get better.”
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN
So with all these new contributors, somebody obviously has to lose time. A couple of those players are graduate transfers Chris Black and Alex Ross. Ross had two garbage time carries for three yards. Black was Missouri’s punt returner, but did not catch a pass and, according to David Morrison’s snap count, was on the field for just a single play at wide receiver.
“I don’t know,” Black said when asked why he thought his playing time had dipped.
He was then asked if he felt he was practicing well: “Yeah, I would think so. I bring energy to the offense every day. That’s what I try to do. I try to lead the team. Everything is about the team for me.”
Ross missed significant time with an ankle injury suffered against West Virginia. But he returned a kickoff at LSU and Odom called it a “coach’s decision” that he did not carry the ball. He was once again back for kickoffs at Florida, but had just the two carries, giving him 22 on the season. Eighteen of those came in the opener at West Virginia.
“He’s still got a little bit, more in deceleration, a little bit of a hindrance with his ankle. Doesn’t have the true top end back yet,” Odom said. “I keep thinking it’s gonna get there, it’s gonna get there. I think we’re really close. Really close doesn’t count. I’m hoping he’s back a little bit more in the fold this week.”
HOMECOMING FOR WITTER
Missouri has nine players from the state of Florida on their roster. The one who had the most productive night in Gainesville was Ish Witter, who ran 15 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. The Tampa native got 18 tickets and estimated he had more than 20 friends and family in attendance.
“Growing up that was my dream school to go to so it was actually kind of cool playing in the Swamp in front of my friends and my family,” he said. “A lot of my friends go to that school so it was pretty cool.”
FAMILIAR FOE FOR ODOM
Odom is plenty familiar with this weekend’s opponent. When he was at Memphis, Odom tried to recruit Middle Tennessee quarterback Brent Stockstill.
“The success we had at quarterback with Paxton (Lynch), we were hoping he might come in and be the next guy,” Odom said. “He was a talented kid.”
Stockstill has already thrown for 2,091 yards with 18 touchdowns and just five interceptions in six games. He averages 46 passing attempts per game, third-most in the country. Odom always knew landing Stockstill would be a long shot. His father, Rick, is the Blue Raiders head coach.
“I really recruited the mom,” Odom joked. “Tried to get a divide in there.”
SATURDAY KICKOFF INFORMATION
Mizzou and Middle Tennessee will kick off at 3 p.m. Saturday on the SEC Network. The Tigers won the only meeting between the teams in 2003. Missouri took that game 41-40 in overtime when Brian Kelly missed an extra point on the Blue Raiders’ extra possession.
Mizzou’s game against Kentucky on Saturday, October 29th was selected for an 11:00 a.m. kickoff. That game will also be televised by the SEC Network.
