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Sunday grade card: Tennessee

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Each Sunday, PowerMizzou.com will hand out a position-by-position grade card for Missouri from Saturday's game. Here are the marks from the Tigers’ 24-20 loss to Tennessee.

Quarterback: Kelly Bryant isn't healthy. Let's start there. He's playing as something much less than himself and his best asset is severely limited. But the hamstring isn't the only issue. Bryant was sometimes inaccurate and often indecisive. When nothing else on offense really works, sometimes you need the quarterback to drag everyone else to success. Missouri's can't do it. GRADE: C-

Running backs: Missouri committed to the run for the most part. It just didn't get anywhere. Larry Rountree had one 11-yard run. He got just 32 yards on his other 15 carries. Tyler Badie is the team's best receiver (yes, that's a problem) and ran for 35 yards. His 3.9 per carry led the team. The backs weren't great...but Badie is about the only thing allowing this offense to do even as much as it is. GRADE: C

Wide receivers: Missouri doesn't have a wide receiver who has caught a touchdown pass in SEC play. The best receiver is a former walk-on who started the year as the third-string slot receiver. Barrett Banister caught five passes for 46 yards and if we were giving him an individual grade it would be a B+. Nobody else makes a difference. Micah Wilson did throw a touchdown pass though. That's something. GRADE: D-

Tight Ends: Daniel Parker Jr. and Niko Hea combined to catch six passes for 49 yards. It's about as productive as the position has been all season while the preseason first-round draft pick was sidelined with a shoulder injury. GRADE: C

Offensive line: Bryant mostly had time. The running game had nothing. More than anything, the inexplicable regression here has submarined the season. GRADE: D-

Defensive line: Missouri was decent against the run, giving up jut 3.5 yards per carry. It didn't get much pressure on Jarrett Guarantano, but picked up one sack. On a night Missouri needed it to be dominant, the line was just okay. GRADE: C

Linebackers: Nick Bolton said he promised Cale Garrett a win. He played like he was trying to hospitalize the Vols' entire offense. But there were free receivers all over and the linebackers share the blame in that. GRADE: C-

Secondary: Tennesee threw for 415 yards. It doesn't matter how many people were hurt. Grade: F

Florida routinely picked on Missouri cornerback Jarvis Ware in the passing game.
Florida routinely picked on Missouri cornerback Jarvis Ware in the passing game. (Jordan Kodner)

Special Teams: Missouri blocked two field goals and one of them set up a tying touchdown. Richaud Floyd had a decent return and overall the special teams were a plus for Mizzou on this night.. GRADE: A-

Coaching: Missouri played hard. It did not play well. This wasn't a team that had given up on its coach. But at the same time, the Volunteers did the same thing all night and Missouri could never stop it. The biggest criticism of Odom--and it's fair--is his inability to pull this team out of a tailspin. It's the third time in four years he has had a five-game losing streak. And when you're saying after the game your quarterback can't run very well, why are you calling a quarterback run on the biggest play of the game? GRADE: D+

Final Overall Grade: C-

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