PostGame Report Card presented by MyPerfectFranchise.net
Every week through the end of Missouri's season, PowerMizzou.com will hand out a position-by-position report card from the Tigers' most recent game.
Here are the grades for Missouri's 38-21 Week 7 win over No. 24 Kentucky.
Quarterbacks: Brady Cook didn't start off the game too hot. In fact, it was pretty terrible. On just his third pass attempt he threw an interception trying to force the ball to receiver Luther Burden III, who was double-covered.
The team started the game with a punt, an interception and another punt, but then would score on seven of its final nine possessions, not including the final possession when Cook took a couple of kneel downs to end the game.
He finished the game having completed 19-of-29 passes for 167 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also had 10 carries for a season-high 40 yards and a touchdown.
His streak of four straight 340-yard passing games is over, but he bounced back after the turnover and took what the defense gave him after that. GRADE: B
Running backs: It wasn't easy to get what Mizzou got on the ground but one way or another Cody Schrader was going to make it work. The former Truman State product racked up 20 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown while also adding three receptions for 15 yards.
Nathaniel Peat had four carries for eight yards and also one reception for five yards.
The biggest play of the game for the group was around the 11-minute mark in the fourth quarter up seven. Schrader would finally break through for a 19-yard touchdown to make it a two-possession game and seemed to be one of the early nails in Kentucky's coffin. Even when the group isn’t putting up 100-yard rushers it makes sure it's putting games away. GRADE: B
Wide receivers: Burden actually had the worst day among receivers, hauling in just two of his five targets (including a drop) for 15 yards while also taking one carry for six yards. He didn't have a big day but he didn’t need to.
The depth of the receiving room was on full display on Saturday and it was led by Theo Wease, who had a team-high six receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Marquis "Speedy" Johnson had a pair of receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown came on a fake punt via punter Luke Bauer.
Mookie Cooper added two receptions for 29 yards. GRADE: B
Tight ends: Brett Norfleet made his first career start and he made sure that Eli Drinkwitz and his staff didn't regret the decision. He caught all four of his targets for 40 yards with 28 yards coming after the catch.
Norfleet is still working on his blocking but his presence on the field as a capable pass catcher is a lot bigger than what meets the eye. GRADE: B+
Offensive line: The pass protection was solid for the most part. Cook's hyperextended knee seems to be a bit of a thing of the past, so he was able to roll out and escape some pressure, but as the game went on the pockets seemed to get better.
The same can be said for the run game; as the game goes on the running lanes get bigger and better.
It’s been like that for the last three or four games.
The biggest win on the day, besides keeping Cook upright, is just one false start penalty on the line. That's huge after the last couple of weeks it has had dealing with penalties.
The seven tackles for loss, one sack and Cook having to be on the move a little bit stops this grade from being higher but this was a pretty good game from this line. GRADE: B+
Disclaimer: Everyone gets credit for allowing 149 yards and seven points in the last three quarters after giving up 150 yards and 14 points in the first quarter.
Defensive line: To start the game, the defensive line was getting into Kentucky's backfield at a fairly decent rate but it just couldn't get quarterback Devin Leary or Ray Davis on the ground. Then, all of a sudden it could.
The pressure on Leary was getting better as the game went on and the unit forced Leary into some really poor throws.
Darius Robinson played an excellent game and led the team in tackles (six), sacks (two) and tackles for loss (2.5).
Johnny Walker bounced back from an ejection in Week 6 with three tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and a quarterback hit.
Josh Landry had two tackles and Realus George also had a pair of tackles to go along with a bat down.
Jayden Jernigan had a quarterback hit.
The unit had 4.5 of the team's six tackles for loss and three of the four sacks.
Plus, this unit forced four holding calls on Kentucky's offensive line. GRADE: A-
Linebackers: Well, the good thing is this unit helped limit Davis to eight carries for 36 yards in the final three quarters after allowing him to gain 72 yards on eight carries in the first quarter.
The bad thing is the tackling was non-existent at times. Chad Bailey literally didn't record a tackle. Ty'Ron Hopper missed a handful of tackles early and he was on the wrong side of a stiff arm reminiscent of Derrick Henry to Josh Norman.
Hopper finished with four tackles.
Triston Newson and Will Norris each had one tackle.
GRADE: B-
Secondary: Without star cornerback Ennis Rakestraw the secondary had its best game of the season. Cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine recorded his fourth interception in five games and also had three tackles and a pass deflection.
Cornerback Marcus Clarke had a tackle and an interception.
Safeties Jaylon Carlies, Joseph Charleston and Sidney Williams each had five tackles. But Charleston also had a forced fumble that Mizzou recovered on the first play from the scrimmage to start the second half.
Safety Tre'Vez Johnson had four tackles. Cornerback Dreyden Norwood had three.
True freshman safety Phillip Roche had two tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble.
Safeties Daylan Carnell and Marvin Burks each had two tackles.
Kentucky receivers only had 14 receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown, but no receiver had more than three receptions or 32 receiving yards.
There was also a bit of a struggle tackling early on, but besides that it was smooth sailing for this unit. GRADE: A
Special teams: Bauer's 39-yard touchdown pass to Johnson sparked the team and was the beginning of a 38-7 run for the Tigers. He didn't have the greatest day punting, though averaging 38.3 yards on three punts. But the elements did play a factor. It doesn't matter all that much, though, because he actually put points on the board.
Harrison Mevis was 3-of-4 (25, 31, 29) on field goals with his lone miss being blocked from 46 yards out.
There were no punt returns but Johnson returned two kickoffs for a 27-yard average.
GRADE: A-
Coaching: The start of the game can't be ignored or forgotten. Two punts and an interception on the first three offensive drives and then on the first two defensive drives, Mizzou just allowed Kentucky to walk them down and put up 14 points.
Missouri got away with winning a 60-minute game in 45 minutes on Saturday, but that should be the exception, not the rule.
There was also some questionable playcalling, particularly in the red zone a couple of times. Like the quarterback draw plays on third and medium called multiple times. Or the swing pass to the flat on a third and eight in the. But that's really nitpicking.
Offensive coordinator Kirby Moore called a pretty good game and found a way for this offense to put up 324 yards and 38 points despite some of its struggles.
The fake punt called by special teams coordinator Erik Link was genius and well-timed as well as having Johnson be the new kick returner.
The defense bounced back in a big way after having egg on its face in the first quarter. Blake Baker's defense held in there and eventually had three sacks and three takeaways in the second half while allowing just 132 total yards and seven points.
GRADE: A-
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