W
Wes Mitchell
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Will Muschamp's eyes were probably bleeding from having to watch the film of the Missouri and Missouri State defenses last week. And frankly I've got a bit of a headache myself. It was bad.
** Everyone talks about Missouri's pace and with good reason. The speed of their tempo on offense is most of the time limited only by how quickly the ref can get the ball spotted. They're almost robotic in how they immediately get lined up again and get ready. It's not even like they have to sprint to the line, there's almost a rhythm to how they go straight from the end of a play, to getting lined up for the next one, to the ball being spotted, to the ball being snapped.
When it's first or second down, the ball was often snapped with 29 or 30 seconds left on the play clock against Missouri State. When there's a third and long situation, they'll take their time and actually look at the defense and change the play, but most of the time, they're not worry about the defense's scheme and want the defense to have to adjust to them.
** This offense is a spread offense to the max. From a literal standpoint, they spread the field with splits as wide as anyone in the country - think Baylor under Art Briles - the two outside receivers are going to be almost on the sidelines.
While Missouri asks quarterback Drew Lock to throw the ball all over the field, they don't ask a whole lot of him from a mental standpoint. This is more of a one-read offense based on a multitude of run-pass options where Lock rarely has to go through 3 or 4 reads and look from one side of the field to the other.
That's part of the reason they're able to go so fast and don't really care what defense an opponent is in. While most offensive play-callers are trying to pick the right play for a particular defensive call, Missouri will run the same base plays over and over with different outcomes (run or pass) based on a particular read. Just about everyone has those now, but Missouri runs them as much or more than anyone.
** Those run-pass options are going to result in quick wide receiver screens, the stick route (quick hitch) and screens. They also love to send the tight end right down the seam and hit him quick off of the play fake. The shallow cross against man coverage and then straight fly routes where they use their speed to stretch a defense vertically are also staples of this offense. It's all based out of the shotgun and most of the plays will feature some type of play-fake or option to hand off. With all that window dressing on the outside, it does often open up the run for talented back Damarea Crockett.
** In watching Missouri and Missouri State, I felt like there was a lack of speed on defense from both teams. It allowed Missouri to break a lot of huge plays (both on run after the catch and vertical routes) that probably aren't there as often against SEC defenses.
** I have to believe that Missouri can't be as bad defensively as they showed last week, but they have a ton to improve on. Bad tackling in the secondary was a huge issue for them. There wasn't consistent pressure on the passer at all. Missouri State had success using motion and misdirection to get Missouri out of their proper run fits too that led to big plays and also pump fakes that led to Missouri defenders biting up and allowing for deep plays. Missouri State also wasn't scared to run it on third and 5 or even third and 10 and had success with that. They also converted a third and 24 for a touchdown.
** When they were winning the East, Missouri was known for its great defense which was mostly a zone-based scheme that could get pressure with just four and stop the run without an extra defender in the box. That's the opposite of what you see now. Mizzou will rotate back and forth between a three- and four-man front.
Looking back on the South Carolina-Mizzou game last year, and the Tigers ran a great deal of man coverage and blitzed quite a bit. That's really not surprising though considering about every team blitzed the Gamecocks a lot last year. Carolina's receivers absolutely owned Missouri in one-on-one situations last year as Deebo Samuel had multiple big catches down field and Chavis Dawkins had one too. I have to think winning those 50/50 plays will be a big key again.
** It's been talked about all week, but I'd certainly look for all three of South Carolina's running backs to have a bigger role this week than last week. I've also got a feeling that it's only a matter of time before Shi Smith breaks out in the passing game.
** So what does all of this mean for Saturday's game? I'm usually cautious to read too much into one game, but at the same time, Missouri's opener fit its MO from last season to a T. The Tigers didn't look improved from last season's SEC worst defense and that offense showed a tendency of beating up on lesser opponents then falling way back to earth against more even competition.
The biggest concern from a Carolina standpoint is if Missouri can stay on the field and wear the Gamecocks out. It may lead to more mistakes, but I look for Carolina's young backups to get more snaps and earlier opportunities in this in hopes that the first-teamers are fresh at the end.
If this game was in Williams-Brice Stadium, I'd actually pick South Carolina by two touchdowns, but SEC road wins are almost always difficult to come by. I also don't think this is necessarily going to be the track meet that some expect it to be. South Carolina wins 34-27.
If you want to make your eyes bleed too - here's almost the entire Missouri-Missouri State game.
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