Young receivers shine in high scoring win over SEMO
Freshman quarterback Tyler Macon hadn’t even been on the field for two minutes when he connected with JJ Hester on a 65-yard pass to make the two latest entries on a long list of firsts for Missouri on Saturday. It was Macon’s first game and first career touchdown pass, something quite a few players could say by the end of Mizzou’s 59-28 win over SEMO.
On a day where everyone got in on the fun, perhaps no one took advantage of the matchup with the Redhawks more than the Tigers’ wide receiver room. Hester, who was on the receiving end of that Macon slant, scored his first career touchdown as he did the last 55 yards of work on the 65-yard score. The redshirt freshman showed some flash in the opening field and impressed alongside much of the young receiving corps.
“I thought the way he attacked the ball in the air on that slant route, and then, I mean, he knew exactly what to do with it,” coach Eli Drinkwitz said. ”He left people on that 50-yard pass, so that was really good. I thought he did a nice job blocking on the perimeter. He had the holding call late, but I thought he did a nice job there, getting lined up, knowing what to do.”
Hester didn’t hog the spotlight, though. Boo Smith and Chance Luper came away with their first touchdowns, too. Seeing Smith, Luper and Hester manage their first ever scores brought senior wideout Keke Chism back to a similar time in his career.
“Oh man, it was everything to me, man,” Chism said. “I was happy for them, because I remember when I caught my first touchdown. Just being there for those guys in that moment. Like I told Chance, it was amazing to me that I was out there blocking for him when he scored his first touchdown. The same with Boo, he scored his first touchdown here, I was able to run my route and hold that safety so he could get behind him and make that play.”
It might mean even more for the receiver group that as many as eight wideouts caught a pass versus SEMO. Redshirt freshman Mookie Cooper and true freshman Dominic Lovett, despite Saturday’s touches not being their first, both managed career-highs in yardage with 64 yards and 79 yards, respectively. The matchup gave Bazelak some freedom to pitch to different players, and some of the receivers the playing time they desired.
“Absolutely, I mean we got a lot of guys that can make plays,” Chism said. “No matter who's out there, I mean it's a confidence that we have about our business that whenever we're given an opportunity that we're able to make those plays, and to see some of those young guys go out there, showcase some of the things we've been saying in practice, it was good to see.”
When Bazelak exited, Brady Cook entered for his appearance of the season, completing all four of his passes including a touchdown. Not long after that, Macon made the most of his debut. Through four competitive halves leading up to Saturday, Bazelak’s backups didn’t see the time of day. Though Bazelak won’t be dethroned, Cook and Macon satisfied Drinkwitz and provided a glimpse of the future.
“Really proud of both Tyler Macon and Brady Cook for leading touchdown drives," the coach said. "That’s not easy to do, doesn’t matter who it’s against. So really proud of those two guys.”
Running back Michael Cox capped off Missouri's scoring with his first career touchdown on a 55-yard run. He was the fifth Tiger to cross the goal line for the first time.
On the other side of the ball, Kris Abraims-Draine donned the turnover robe after his first interception. Initially called an incomplete pass for the Redhawks, Abraims-Draine was getting ready for the next snap when the play was called for a review. But he knew what had really happened before it was overturned.
“I was just getting ready for the next play, but I knew I was in because I fell inbounds,” Abraims-Draine said. “…We were just doing our job, everybody was doing their job. I seen him throw the ball, I ain’t even know he was going to throw it, because I was on top of the route, but he threw it anyway and I just had to make a play on the ball.”
SEMO also made history while Missouri was on defense in the second half. With 2:54 remaining in the third quarter, the Redhawks scored their first ever touchdown against the Tigers through five meetings. Though it was MU’s second and third stringers who received the beating, SEMO continued to successfully pound the ball on the ground to finish with four touchdowns and 294 rushing yards.
“Obviously in the second half we had a lot of different people with an opportunity to play, which is good,," Drinkwitz said. "But it’s also a reality for a lot of these guys that we have to put a lot more work and attention to detail in and continue to develop.”
But after the day Missouri had, Drinkwitz likely won’t lose any sleep over his backups being outscored through the final 30 minutes.
“I’m not concerned about it in the least. I wouldn’t even have known it if you hadn’t told me. It was 38-0 at halftime.”