Folks, I think the Missouri game is going to tell us something about the

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

progress of our team. By all accounts, the Tigers are ripe for picking. If we go up there and win then I think we have made good progress. It is still going to be hard for our team to win, we have to remember it is a SEC game on the road and wins are hard to come by for those type of road games.

But, at the same time, there is no excuse if we go up there and get blown out or even lose by two TDs, imo. So, as I said this game is going to tell us more about our team than any of the previous games.

 

[MUTiger91]

progress of our team. By all accounts, the Tigers are ripe for picking. If we go up there and win then I think we have made good progress. It is still going to be hard for our team to win, we have to remember it is a SEC game on the road and wins are hard to come by for those type of road games.

But, at the same time, there is no excuse if we go up there and get blown out or even lose by two TDs, imo. So, as I said this game is going to tell us more about our team more so than any of the previous games.

Vulnerable? Yes. Ripe for the picking? Probably not.

From what I have seen so far this year, MU has really struggled on offense. The problem is the OL (including injured C and LT who should really be LG, but we don't have a LT). It's also been a bunch of inexperienced and mostly young receivers and way too many drops. (On the plus side, they are getting open.) Finally it's been poor QB play with a lot of turnovers. Lock is a more accurate QB than Mauk, so it's possible that he gets more out of this group of receivers. I'm sure he will make FR mistakes.

On D, I have only seen parts of USC games. There have been times that they have looked solid (e.g. 2nd half of UNC game). But this is nowhere near the group you had a couple of years ago. This looks like the clash of a stoppable force with a movable object. I would call it advantage SC,

On offense, I have not seen much besides the Royal Egyptian Barrel-maker to be worried about from the SC side. Nunez looks like he could prevent some challenges as a runner. Typical approach for a guy like this is to bottle him up and make him throw it.

On D, MU has a new front, but they look pretty good and disruptive. Terry Beckner and Charles Harris are playmakers. The LBs are good. You do have the advantage that Brothers is questionable. Our secondary coverage has been solid. I think they can limit Cooper and make Nunez throw.

My prediction is MU wins a low-scoring game unless Lock is Peyton Manning.

 

[Cocky4SC]

Vulnerable? Yes. Ripe for the picking? Probably not.

From what I have seen so far this year, MU has really struggled on offense. The problem is the OL (including injured C and LT who should really be LG, but we don't have a LT). It's also been a bunch of inexperienced and mostly young receivers and way too many drops. (On the plus side, they are getting open.) Finally it's been poor QB play with a lot of turnovers. Lock is a more accurate QB than Mauk, so it's possible that he gets more out of this group of receivers. I'm sure he will make FR mistakes.

On D, I have only seen parts of USC games. There have been times that they have looked solid (e.g. 2nd half of UNC game). But this is nowhere near the group you had a couple of years ago. This looks like the clash of a stoppable force with a movable object. I would call it advantage SC,

On offense, I have not seen much besides the Royal Egyptian Barrel-maker to be worried about from the SC side. Nunez looks like he could prevent some challenges as a runner. Typical approach for a guy like this is to bottle him up and make him throw it.

On D, MU has a new front, but they look pretty good and disruptive. Terry Beckner and Charles Harris are playmakers. The LBs are good. You do have the advantage that Brothers is questionable. Our secondary coverage has been solid. I think they can limit Cooper and make Nunez throw.

My prediction is MU wins a low-scoring game unless Lock is Peyton Manning.

I do believe that Mizzu is a team that is most likely a bottom of the eastern division type of team with us this year. I haven't seen anything that tells me that you guys are the same team that has represented the East 2 of 3 years... While we have our struggles on offense and defense- we aren't UConn, SEMO, ARST. The common opponent we have played is Kentucky with both teams taking loses. However, you guys haven't exactly handled any of your opponents besides SEMO. All those games were also at home with the exception of Kentucky...

Carolina has had more up and downs than a roller coaster, but I believe that we have found a spark on offense with Lorenzo Nunez stepping in as our starting quarterback. He is similar is skill set as C.Shaw except he is faster and even more mobile. Offensively, I think we move the ball on you based on the above mentioned Nunez and his ability to make plays with his feet.

Defensively, we are still evolving but I feel we can get enough pressure on your weak OL and rattle you QB. We have shut out 3/4 opponents in the fourth quarter and if our previous game against UCF is any indication of our future on defense, I am afraid the outcome will not be to the liking of anyone from the other Columbia.

Prediction SC-20 MU-16

 

[superflyby]

We are not going to know anything about this team until the staff figures out who needs to be on the field and who doesn't. If it's a continual work in progress then it can't be a working unit. There are no real starters outside of Moore, and Cooper. The rest are just here and there or nowhere. They show up for one game and disappear.

 

[MUTiger91]

I do believe that Mizzu is a team that is most likely a bottom of the eastern division type of team with us this year. I haven't seen anything that tells me that you guys are the same team that has represented the East 2 of 3 years... While we have our struggles on offense and defense- we aren't UConn, SEMO, ARST. The common opponent we have played is Kentucky with both teams taking loses. However, you guys haven't exactly handled any of your opponents besides SEMO. All those games were also at home with the exception of Kentucky...

Defense did fine against UK too with very little help from the offense. MU can get better on D, but the issues are really on the offensive side of the ball by far. I'm not ready to say this is a bottom of the East team. It is a pretty young team that should get better as they go. Most MU fans think moving on from Mauk is a major step forward.

Carolina has had more up and downs than a roller coaster, but I believe that we have found a spark on offense with Lorenzo Nunez stepping in as our starting quarterback. He is similar is skill set as C.Shaw except he is faster and even more mobile. Offensively, I think we move the ball on you based on the above mentioned Nunez and his ability to make plays with his feet.

You lost me when you compared a guy who didn't complete 50% of his passes in high school to Connor Shaw.I think the play for Nunez is to hem him in and force him to throw. We have the DBs to keep coverage on the receivers. I think Cooper will get free for at least one score, but the idea will be to make it hard for Nunez to get the ball out to him.

Defensively, we are still evolving but I feel we can get enough pressure on your weak OL and rattle you QB. We have shut out 3/4 opponents in the fourth quarter and if our previous game against UCF is any indication of our future on defense, I am afraid the outcome will not be to the liking of anyone from the other Columbia.

Prediction SC-20 MU-16

I agree that the MU OL has not shown that its up to the task. We had similar problems at the beginning of the season last year (see Indiana loss). I think our new OL coach does a little too much mix & match of players in preseason. Between that and some injuries, they really aren't where they need to be. Having said that, pass protection against UK wasn't bad. The running game sucked, but that also had to do with a gimpy starter and a backup who is green and doesn't always see his cut back lane. Lock could make this OL look better simply by getting rid of the ball quicker. That is within his skillset. The question will be consistency.

For fans of opposite teams, we pretty much agree that this is a push. Each of us thinks our team wins a close low-scoring game.

 

[Cocky4SC]

Defense did fine against UK too with very little help from the offense. MU can get better on D, but the issues are really on the offensive side of the ball by far. I'm not ready to say this is a bottom of the East team. It is a pretty young team that should get better as they go. Most MU fans think moving on from Mauk is a major step forward. You lost me when you compared a guy who didn't complete 50% of his passes in high school to Connor Shaw.I think the play for Nunez is to hem him in and force him to throw. We have the DBs to keep coverage on the receivers. I think Cooper will get free for at least one score, but the idea will be to make it hard for Nunez to get the ball out to him..

The reason why I say you are most likely going to be near the bottom with us is looking at your resume through four games. You handled SEMO, you escaped Ark St., you won a baseball score game against UCONN, and lost to Kentucky. You have won the games you are supposed to win with the exception of Kentucky- like us... BUT you have struggled in EVERY GAME FOR THE WHOLE GAME since SEMO... Surely you don't think Ark.St and UConn are similar teams to SC do you?

When I compared Shaw and Nunez, I said they are similar in SKILL SETS... Both are mobile QBs with passing being the weakest part of their games. Nunez brings something that Shaw didn't have- SPEED. Shaw could get the job done with heart and determination... Nunez has 4.4 speed and has showed it in all three games he has played in. You can try to keep him in the box, Georgia/UCF tried the same things but he still was able to get the job done because he was used to doing this since high school.

I agree when you said your defense can get better. Heck, I know ours can only go up- we turn guys into Heisman Watch candidates. But again, take a look at your resume and see your results on the field... Was ARK ST a defining game for your defense? How about UCONN? I see a major difference in our numbers and results based on who we have played...

UNC- put up yards against everybody last year and still is this year. Shut them out in the second half
Kentucky- fell behind in the first half and couldn't close the deal in the second half, still held them to 3-out in every possession except the last that ran out the clock. Shut them out in the second half.
Georgia- we will not even waste any more space on them... Lambert just threw another completion and touchdown pass.
UCF- while they were statistically the worst in the nation, our D did what they were suppose to do. They gave up one true touchdown drive, the other was from a muffed punt on the one yard line... Shut them out in the second half.

We have truly had 3/4 games that were against "respected" opponents where as MU has only played 1/4.... Think the experience in the games helps based on the competition alone. If I have something incorrect, please give me your thoughts...

Good Luck! Go Cocks!

 

[Cock-a-Doo]

We need a Deebo or Googer to step up for us and start making some big plays....I think Nunez and the RB's can do their think OK in the running game but ONLY having Cooper as an option in the receiving game is hurting us.

Also, I would be targeting Jarrell Adams a lot more but that's not happening - he's shown the ability to make play this year but his opportunities are limited

 

[cockofdawn]

Missouri is in the same boat USC was in last year. They are either "over-Hyped" or have "under-Achieved". Probably a combo of each. I think the Talent is there, lets just hope the Cocks can put together just enough plays to win. It doesnt get much easier for either team, SC follows with LSU/A&M/Tenn/Fla in 4 of their next five.. Mizzou has Florida and Georgia for their next two.. This is a HUGE game for both teams.. it can give one alot of confidence going forward, one is going to be in pretty bad shape as far as making a bowl..

 

[MUTiger91]

If I have something incorrect, please give me your thoughts...
Good Luck! Go Cocks!

I don't think you have anything wrong. I think we are looking at mostly the same things, but weighting the possible outcomes differently. You are right that we haven't really played anybody, but I see Lock as giving us an opportunity to make a big leap forward. a 60% passer is just better than a 50% passer - especially when the 60% guy gets YAC because he places the ball a lot better. He will make some freshman mistakes, but Maty was making freshman mistakes in year 3, so I like the upside.

As far as our division goes, I see a lot of parity. It's Georgia and then everybody else. The gaps between teams are not huge and I see week to week improvement as the key to success. Will we improve enough this week to beat SC? Mizzou had a below average offense last eyar and won the division with D. We just need to improve on O from shit-stain to average and we will win a lot of games. I find average to be infinitely attainable.

 

[RoosterBooster1]

I don't think you have anything wrong. I think we are looking at mostly the same things, but weighting the possible outcomes differently. You are right that we haven't really played anybody, but I see Lock as giving us an opportunity to make a big leap forward. a 60% passer is just better than a 50% passer - especially when the 60% guy gets YAC because he places the ball a lot better. He will make some freshman mistakes, but Maty was making freshman mistakes in year 3, so I like the upside.

As far as our division goes, I see a lot of parity. It's Georgia and then everybody else. The gaps between teams are not huge and I see week to week improvement as the key to success. Will we improve enough this week to beat SC? Mizzou had a below average offense last eyar and won the division with D. We just need to improve on O from shit-stain to average and we will win a lot of games. I find average to be infinitely attainable.

Mark was something like 21-5 as a starter for you guys. Has he played poorly at times? Yep. Has he won some big games (2 division championships say yes)? Is he a threat with his legs? Yep. So you want us to believe a true fresh QB with no starts is better than your 21-5 (?) starter that could run and throw because the newbie is a higher percentage passer? Sure, np. I just ain't buying it, and who is behind your superman fresh QB should he get dinged up? Anyway you want to cut this thing, not ideal for Mizzou. We get it, we are on QB 3 and he is also a fresh, but we have seen more of him than you have seen from your superman and tbh, at least we know something about him as a starter. The Mizzou opponents ytd that we can compare to SC opponents are exactly one, KY, and your new guy hardly saw the field in that game. Our O is stinking up the joint, but last I checked, we have had a much tougher schedule to date and your O is ranked Nextel to last in every O category in the nation. Now a new QB, hmmm, thinking SC may play OK in this one.

 

[chucktowncock]

Mark was something like 21-5 as a starter for you guys. Has he played poorly at times? Yep. Has he won some big games (2 division championships say yes)? Is he a threat with his legs? Yep. So you want us to believe a true fresh QB with no starts is better than your 21-5 (?) starter that could run and throw because the newbie is a higher percentage passer? Sure, np. I just ain't buying it, and who is behind your superman fresh QB should he get dinged up? Anyway you want to cut this thing, not ideal for Mizzou. We get it, we are on QB 3 and he is also a fresh, but we have seen more of him than you have seen from your superman and tbh, at least we know something about him as a starter. The Mizzou opponents ytd that we can compare to SC opponents are exactly one, KY, and your new guy hardly saw the field in that game. Our O is stinking up the joint, but last I checked, we have had a much tougher schedule to date and your O is ranked Nextel to last in every O category in the nation. Now a new QB, hmmm, thinking SC may play OK in this one.

who is "Mark?"

thank you

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

Vulnerable? Yes. Ripe for the picking? Probably not.

Would agree, it's just a matter of semantics.

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

Well, it's time to tell as they use to say.

 

[MUTiger91]

Well, it's time to tell as they use to say.

I hope not. I still have a 2 hr drive to get there.

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

I hope not. I still have a 2 hr drive to get there.

Well, a couple of hours from the "actual time to tell". LOL!