No, it's about understanding and accepting the situation and keeping realistic.

The idea of winning 7 games this year is fantastic, even with an easy ass back-half schedule. Take the wins and don't apologize for it, but I think it's a bit silly to go back and start rambling off teams that we would beat "with this current team" that we lost to. This team still has a lot of warts.

Mizzou vs Kansas State would be fun.

Saying "definitely" would have beat U.K., South Carolina and Purdue is too strong. I'll agree with that.

I'd like Missouri's chances in any of those games if they were played again. There have been some major changes that have elevated Missouri's play since those early season games:

1) Terry Beckner, Jr is healthy and confident he is healthy. He has returned to being a disruptive force. That really didn't start until the Georgia game.

AJ Logan is also no longer being held out. He's not a star, but he has made a difference in the run D and in occupying blockers.

2) Young blood in the back 7 on D has improved play. It's still a weakness, but guys are at least in the spots they're supposed to be in and making plays.

3) Larry Rountree has earned major PT in the run game and in the return game. He has ignited both. He's better than Crockett.

4) more young blood at DE. Tre Williams and Chris Turner have forced their way into the rotation at DE and have also been more disruptive forces.

5) Odom taking over the D has improved the unit overall. The players hated DeMontie Cross, and he was a detrimental factor. Poor effort, breakdowns, poor assignment football. It took him some time, but Odom's supervision has cleaned up a lot of issues.


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Correlation may not be causation, but Logan's return sure seems to have made a difference

Gonna wait and see how they play in a bowl game.

Crazy to think that if they started the season playing like they are now, they could be 8-2 with the only losses to Auburn & Georgia. They would be ranked from 10th-20th. Crazy.

All I know is that they would have destroyed Kentucky under all conceivable alternative scenarios.

Yes they would

Terez Hall earning more responsibility has also solidified the LB corps to a phenomenal degree. It's allowed Brandon Lee to utilize his athleticism a bit more and has allowed Garrett to concentrate a bit more on simply being a powerful anchor in the middle; he's not being asked to work in space quite as much.

The entire LB corps has really firmed up but I think it would fall apart again if Hall were to get injured.

As for next year...man, you worry that they're going to have to go through a lot of this all over again because Beckner's almost certainly going to leave and if/when he does (and Frazier graduates), they'll need to find an entirely different plan of attack on the front line. They'll lose all 4 of their present starters. While I don't think Harold's going to be that tough to replace, the other 3 won't be easy, especially not all at once.

Williams will obviously have to be a huge part of that but who mans the middle? They simply don't have anyone with Beckner's explosion or Logan's raw strength. And that's presuming someone like Turner can step up to replace Frazier. The DL may be awfully messy so it's a damn good thing they seem to have a bit of stability and performance at LB right now.

Of those 3 teams the only one I am confident we would beat is Kentucky. The other 2 we would make it a good game but not as confident as I am we would beat Kentucky.

That's assuming if K-State can get bowl eligible. I'm not confident that they will against Oklahoma State and Iowa State......

Plus, K-State has a lot of issues across the board.

I'm excited about Williams and Chris Turner - who is a real freak of nature and really stands out in person at DE. In the middle, if Beckner is gone as expected,
I think they do have some players with the potential/upside to be really good.

Akial Byers was an Alabama lean/commit at one point, and ended up at Mizzou because they stayed on him even when it looked like he had no chance to qualify. He's been playing more of late and really flashing.

Jordan Elliott played as a true freshman for Texas and transferred to Mizzou because of Brick Haley. He was an Army AA and has been really dominant in practice, from what I've heard.

And then you have Whiteside and Utsey, who have been solid as freshman. Lot of questions at that spot, but a lot of potential answers.


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I've heard a lot of good things about Kobie Whiteside. Specifically that he is freakishly strong and has a pre-2017 Tamba Hali-like work ethic.

I think Whiteside is going to be a monster.

Alternatively, Antar Thompson could re-commit 4 years after the first time he committed...

What a crazy story that's been.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">��<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DLineZou?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DLineZou</a> Committed�� <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShowMe18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShowMe18</a> ������ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Home?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Home</a> <a href="https://t.co/dhRq3QZCj3">pic.twitter.com/dhRq3QZCj3</a></p>&mdash; Tar�� (@TarrxXxNoZan) <a href="https://twitter.com/TarrxXxNoZan/status/930520769184006145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

He, in fact, did recommit. HUGE get at DT.

Great get and even better story. Hope he makes it big.

Exotic package helping Tigers get stops on third down

http://www.columbiatribune.com/sport...-on-third-down

Six minutes into Missouri’s game against Tennessee, the Volunteers faced their first third-down attempt. The Tigers’ sideline churned as waves of black jerseys entered and exited the fray.

“Every third down, they say key down, we get out there and they bring in our package,” Terez Hall said. “I tell them, ‘We gotta’” end the drive and ”‘get off the field right now.’ Third down package, it’s tough.”

As Tennessee contemplated third-and-7, Cale Garrett, the Tigers’ starting middle linebacker, ran off the field. Senior defensive line stalwarts Jordan Harold and A.J. Logan went off, too.

In their place entered three freshmen: linebacker Joshuah Bledsoe, defensive end Chris Turner and redshirt freshman defensive end Tre Williams.

Vols quarterback Will McBride snapped the ball with five Tigers on the line of scrimmage: from left to right, the line went Turner, Marcell Frazier, Hall, Terry Beckner and Williams. Bledsoe prowled 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage behind Williams’ right shoulder.

Turner immediately beat highly touted Tennessee right tackle Trey Smith around the edge and flushed McBride to his left, chasing him across the field. Williams spun out of his block and joined the pursuit.

Bledsoe was deployed as a spy on the play to keep McBride from scrambling. As soon as McBride moved to his left, Bledsoe pounced.

“He’s fast as crap,” Hall said of Bledsoe. “He’s the fastest in our position group.”

McBride didn’t have a chance. Bledsoe wrapped him up 4 yards behind the line of scrimmage for his first career sack.

Turner, credited with only a QB hurry on the play, helped finish the job. Williams arrived moments later. On the sideline, coach Barry Odom and defensive line coach Brick Haley gave massive, simultaneous fist pumps.

The freshman trio is a fixture in Missouri’s exotic third-down package, which was responsible for three sacks and a turnover against the Vols. Tennessee converted just 4 of 14 third downs and was 0 for 5 after halftime.

“It’s our job to get the best 11 on the field,” Odom said Monday. “It felt like at that point, with where we were at, they gave us the best chance.”

The Tigers installed the third-down package after a woeful performance against Georgia. The problems began well before that, however. Through the first six weeks, the Tigers allowed their opponents to convert on 53.1 percent of third downs.

Odom touted the third-down changes shortly after the Bulldogs converted 13 of 18 in a 53-28 victory. Three weeks later, Odom said the Tigers still hadn’t gotten to all the variations they’d come up with to remedy the third-down problem.

“There’s still some things three weeks ago, two weeks ago and even last week we didn’t get to on third downs,” Odom said after his Tigers crushed Florida. “That’s good. We’ll keep that in the back pocket.”

Missouri used a combination of fronts on third down to stymie the Vols. On all three plays that resulted in sacks, Hall stepped up to the line of scrimmage and the Tigers brought five rushers.

“If I get an opportunity to come off the edge, you best believe I’m trying to get that sack,” Hall said. “I’m watching D-line videos on Youtube, and I’m working moves and stuff like that.”

In the second quarter, Garrett stayed on the field for third down and charged through the line on a delayed blitz that resulted in a sack for Frazier.

In the third quarter, Frazier, who lined up one step off the line in a linebacker stance, ran a stunt behind Hall and forced McBride out of the pocket. Williams, lined up on the edge, shed his block and recorded a sack.

Anthony Sherrils also had an interception on a third down in the fourth quarter, when a four-man rush forced a rushed throw.

“We’re just focused on getting off the field,” Turner said. “We weren’t doing that too well at one point, but we started focusing on that, and we’ve done that a lot better.”

Saturday wasn’t an anomaly. Over the last four games, Missouri has allowed its opponents to convert on third downs just 35.9 percent of the time.

“D-line is getting a better pass rush, more hits on the quarterback,” freshman defensive tackle Kobie Whiteside said. “The DBs ... they’re staying inside of whatever DBs do. That’s out of my range.”

The Tigers’ youth movement has had a marked impact beyond just third down. Whiteside and fellow tackle Walter Palmore have also contributed heavily in the defensive rotation on first and second downs, and Adam Sparks has started at cornerback for the last five games.

Those three plus Williams, Turner and Bledsoe wreaked havoc against Tennessee. They recorded 11 tackles, five quarterback hurries, four tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

Williams was a force on his own. He had three tackles and two sacks — one of them a strip sack that Whiteside recovered in the fourth quarter.

“Tre was one of the first guys older than I am to take me under his wing and talk to me and work with me a lot,” Turner said. “We talked about it since we got here: We’re gonna go do some big things on the field together.”

They — and their freshman classmates — have turned one of Missouri’s defensive weaknesses into a strength.

“They came around just like we saw it in camp. We were just waiting on them to step up,” Hall said. “A lot of times, guys don’t have the confidence they can make plays until they make one play that sparks their whole career. ... All those guys, they got some confidence. They got some swagger about their game.”

djones@columbiatribune.com

Well, this couldn't have started much better. Marched right down the field to a quick score, then a 3-and-INT for Vanderbilt.

I'm surprised Sparks caught it. Shurmur floated the ball up so high it was probably a block of ice by the time it came back down.

Well shit.

Well, since that first happy post the offense has totally gone in the shitter. :spock:

Pathetic offensive playcalling

It has nothing to do with the playcalling. The interior line is getting destroyed and it is ****ing up everything on offense.

you can’t be serious.

That's a TD
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This turnaround is amazing. I don’t recognize the guys who ****ed early in the season.

Why does Witter always run into the last defender?

I was thinking the same thing. Literally any decent cut on that run and he scores.
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It's almost like he waits too long to make the cut. Dude was flat footed. That should have been an easy TD.

BRANDON GOD****ING LEE!!

Boom!
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Dayum

This defense is fantastic.

In the endzone put the pigskin
And give Vandy the hose again.

Woot..

MU clowned that DB

I think he may have still been celebrating from the last play.
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Good decision to field that
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I expect the Chiefs to kick ass like this tomorrow.

I can't believe we're going to be bowl eligible after the start we had.
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If this Mizzou showed up from Day 1, they're 10-2 at the absolute worst. What an amazing turnaround.

Garrett having a heck of a game.
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Watch the ball, moron.

College football is fun again you guys.

Hell of a job Barry Odom. I am impressed. I thought he'd be gone after this year after the 1-5 start...Now we have reasons to be optimistic for next year and beyond.

They just said mizzous o line was bigger than the Chiefs LMAO

LOL, MIZZOU's O-line is bigger than the Chief's! WOW!

Guess Mizzou thought the game was over at halftime . . . . .

How do you not catch that?

Hall likes to drop passes . . . . . . or so it would seem.

Back to looking like the team that started 1-5 in this third quarter.

Wow, what happened to the energy.

Hall is having the worst game I've seen from any WR, ever.

This is starting to stink like that Colts playoff game. :shake:

This is the worst half they've played all year.

Big 4th down here. Don't want to let Vandy back in it.

Finally the defense seems to have remembered how to play defense.

Get your bitch ass off the field. There is nothing to be proud of after how you've played the last 20 minutes.

Now the offense needs to get its shit together and give the defense a break.

That's saying something . . . . .

Yep, put together a long drive and eat up a bunch of clock.

Good play. They need to work the outside.

What the **** was that?

The commentator sounds bored.

STOP RUNNING UP THE MIDDLE! :cuss:

Lumbering, but wow!

Thank God.

Ugh.

Needed that. Heupel finally used the field between the hashes, and it worked.

Goddamn, Beckner is fast as shit.

Oh, FFS. Can we not do the Mizzou Fan thing for 5 seconds? ;)

I'd like to see beckner in kc next year

This up the middle stuff is mind boggling.

They are, literally, trying to run out as much clock as possible. How could you possibly have an issue with that?

It's been going on for the entire game, and not working. How does running around the end make a difference in clock management?

I'll reiterate that I would really like Missouri's chances against Kentucky, South Carolina and Purdue right now.


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Offense had a B-minus game. Defense was an A-minus in the first half and an F in the second half. They need to buckle down this week and figure out what happened in the second half during film sessions, because that was abysmal. Vanderbilt had five possessions in the second half and got inside the 10 in all of them.

Please stay Drew Lock.

Really liking the Hall, Lee, Garrett combo at LB. Incredible improvement from them over the past few weeks.