Speaking to the media Tuesday, Missouri junior linebacker Cale Garrett was asked if getting over the Tigers’ 15-14 loss to Kentucky last Saturday felt different than moving on from other losses this season. Garrett didn’t answer with words. Instead, to illustrate the pain of blowing a 14-3 fourth-quarter lead, he placed his hand on a reporter’s chest and mimed ripping the reporter’s heart out.
Even in the minutes following Terry Wilson’s touchdown pass on the final play, which put Kentucky ahead for the first time since early in the second quarter, it was evident that the game wasn’t just another loss for the Tigers. Linebacker Brandon Lee said he wanted to give the usual “cliche” answer that the players will learn from the loss and move on, but Saturday’s loss stung more than most. The goal now for Missouri is to make sure last week’s loss doesn’t impact preparation for the team’s upcoming matchup at No. 13 Florida. Head coach Barry Odom said the Tigers took Sunday to reflect on the loss, but by the end of the day the players had shifted their attention to the Gators.
“I’ll be honest, it was a very hard Sunday,” Odom said. “Not just for one guy. It was hard for a group of 115 who were still stung by coming up short. … I thought at the end of the day Sunday we were starting to make progress moving forward.”
Offensive coordinator Derek Dooley said it was important that the coaching staff put aside its disappointment by Sunday so that the players would follow suit. He pointed out that how coaches handle a loss is an often-overlooked but important aspect of bouncing back.
“Everybody says, ‘How are the kids?’” Dooley said. “It starts with the coaches. You get gutted on things, and you beat yourself up and you wish you had done things differently. But you gotta get over it. Nobody’s going to feel sorry for you. You got a week to prepare, and so you got to go back to work.”
Garrett said that after the game Saturday night, he and a few other players went to quarterback Drew Lock’s house and talked through the disappointment they felt. The offensive linemen had a similar, albeit quieter, gathering; tackle Paul Adams said several of them ate at Wingstop after the game then went to Case Cook’s house and simply sat in silence for about 45 minutes. Garrett said taking time Saturday to acknowledge the pain of the loss helped him put that pain aside and move on come Sunday.
“Talking through it, kind of all feeling like really bad things all together, feeling those bad emotions, kind of being there with teammates helps get through it a little bit,” Garrett said. “But you can’t sit and sulk forever. The world is not going to stop and let you mourn, and we play this Saturday, so you have to go over it quick.”
That players gathered at Lock’s house following the game was significant. In the past, Lock said, his mindset after losses was “I’m not a babysitter; we’re all grown men.” He dealt with disappointment privately and was irritated by players who showed their emotions in different ways. Now, however, the team captain has learned the importance of reaching out to his teammates and making sure they’re all on the same page at the start of a new week. Lock said it was important to sort through his emotions Saturday night so he could objectively analyze his performance when he watched film from the game on Sunday.
“You have to put all those emotions aside and realize what you did wrong, be true to yourself on how you’re grading yourself and fix the things you feel like you did wrong or you could have done better in that game,” Lock explained.
That Missouri’s players felt a unique pain after Saturday’s loss is not a bad thing, Odom said. If they weren’t hurt, it would be a sign that the group was willing to accept mediocrity. And while the coaches don’t want the players to relive the mistakes they made against Kentucky all week, Garrett said he doesn’t want to simply forget the anguish that the loss caused him, either.
“It just sucks that we didn’t get the outcome that we wanted, obviously,” Garrett said. “But from here on out it’s doing everything in our power to make sure we don’t feel that.”
Odom sounds off on pass interference penalty
The most controversial moment of Missouri’s loss to Kentucky came on the second-to-last play. Kentucky had the ball at the Missouri 10-yard line, and as time expired, Wilson lobbed a pass to Ahmad Wagner in the corner of the end zone. Wagner didn’t get his feet in bounds before securing the ball, but Tiger cornerback DeMarkus Acy was flagged for pass interference on the play. The penalty gave Kentucky an untimed down from the two-yard line, which ultimately resulted in the game-winning score.
After the game, Odom declined to comment on the penalty, saying he didn’t have a good enough angle of the play. Tuesday, however, he took issue with the call.
“To see DeMarkus’ initial alignment, his on-snap footwork, his eyes, his hand placement, the movement of his feet within the position of where the receiver was — I would not change one thing in how it was taught, how he played it and how it was executed,” Odom said. “Not one step.”
Odom said he submitted that play, along with several others, to the SEC office to be reviewed. As of Odom’s press conference Tuesday, Missouri had not yet received a response.
Hall back on depth chart
The Missouri offense has been without its primary downfield weapon in senior wide receiver Emanuel Hall for the past four weeks. That may finally change against Florida. Tuesday, Hall practiced in a limited capacity, as he did a week ago, but for the first time in several weeks, he was listed on Missouri’s depth chart.
Odom said Hall “looked awesome” during Tuesday’s practice.
“Exciting, but I’m also cautious, because it’s the most work that he’s done in some time, so we have to see how he responds for tomorrow’s practice,” Odom said.
Dooley, too, preached caution as far as what to expect from Hall if he does return to the field this week. Hall was listed on the depth chart as a second-string receiver, behind starter Richaud Floyd.
“He’s been out a long time, so ... to think he’s going to look like he looked Week Two is a little bit unfair for him, expectation-wise,” Dooley said.
During Hall’s absence, the possibility had been raised that he could take advantage of the new NCAA rule allowing players who appear in four games or fewer to redshirt and preserve a year of eligibility. If he plays one more snap, Hall will no longer be eligible to extend his college career to next season. Odom said, barring a setback, he expects Hall to play again this season, thus making this year his last at Missouri.
“He thinks that he can go play the next four (games) right now, so I’m going to be as positive in thinking that same thing as well,” Odom said. “And then if we get to the position that we have a setback, we’ll being that topic back up.”
Injury report
Aside from Hall, two other regular contributors are dealing with injuries this week. Senior tight end Kendall Blanton didn’t practice Tuesday due to a knee sprain that kept him out of last week’s game. Odom said Blanton will practice in a limited role on Wednesday and his status for the Florida game will be determined based on how he looks then. He was not listed on the depth chart.
Meanwhile, sophomore cornerback Adam Sparks was a limited participant in Tuesday’s practice due to a bruised right shin, but Odom is more optimistic about his status for Saturday.
“He’ll have a good day tomorrow, I would anticipate him to be full ready to go,” Odom said.
