Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Missouri Tigers season with what you need to know.
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Recruiting Class Analysis | Schedule Analysis
– Missouri Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 8-5 overall, 4-4 in SEC
Head Coach: Barry Odom, 4th year, 19-19
– CFN Preview 2019: All The Team Previews
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MISSOURI OFFENSE
– The Mizzou offense slowed down a bit under offensive coordinator Derek Dooley from the high-powered speed attack from 2017 under Josh Heupel, and it all worked. The Tigers finished 13th in the nation averaged 482 yards and 37 points per game. Even after losing QB Drew Lock to the Denver Broncos, the attack could be even stronger, because …
– Kelly Bryant really is that good. The Clemson transfer’s only sin was not being Trevor Lawrence, but he’s a versatile passer and natural leader who’s been able to step in and take to his new program right away.
Sophomore Taylor Powell is a promising No. 2 option, but he’ll have to be ready to battle with TCU transfer Shawn Robinson next year. For now, Bryant won’t be Lock throwing the ball, but he’ll add another dimension to the attack.
– The receiving stars are there to work with, starting with – arguably – the best tight end in college football. Albert Okwuegbunam is an NFL-caliber target catching 43 passes for 466 yards and six scores. Speedster Emanuel Hall is gone, but senior Jonathan Johnson is back after leading the team with 59 catches for 737 yards and five scores. In all, five of the top seven receivers are back after going with a bit of a youth movement last season.
– Get ready for more production from the running game with Bryant able to take off. Larry Rountree returns after averaging 5.4 yards per carry with 1,216 yards and 11 scores, and quick sophomore Tyler Bade will add even more flash to the backfield coming off a decent 437-yard freshman season.
– Three starters are back from a line that led the SEC in fewest sacks and tackles for loss allowed, and pounded away for 202 rushing yards per game.
6-7, 330-pound senior Yasir Durant will work again at one tackle spot – likely on the left side – and 6-4, 315-pound center Trystan Colon-Castillo and 6-5, 330-pound guard Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms are potential all-stars on the inside.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MISSOURI DEFENSE
– Six starters and five of the seven tacklers are back after finishing tenth in the SEC allowing 389 yards and 26 points per game. The run defense was solid, but the pass rush and the plays behind the line weren’t consistently there. It all starts with …
– The line is fine on the ends but needs help at tackle. The combination of 280-pound Akial Byers and 255-pound Chris Turner are back on the ends, but neither one did enough to get to the quarterback. 6-4, 245-pound sophomore Jatorian Hansford has the speed, talent and upside to be a new star after getting his feet wet in his first season.
Terry Beckner and Walter Palmore were good ones on the inside who’ll be missed, but 6-4, 315-pound Jordan Elliott is a talented potential all-star veteran to work around at one tackle spot.
– Leading tackler Cale Garrett is back in the middle of the linebacking corps after making 112 stops, but Terez Hall and Brandon Lee after gone after combining for 114 tackles on the outside. 22-tackle sophomore Nick Bolton is a 235-pound option about to step into a bigger role on the outside, and speedy 215-pound redshirt freshman Gerald Nathan will get an early look on the other side.
– Three starters return to a secondary that loses S Cam Hilton, but gets back third-leading tackler Tyree Gillespie and his 48 stops at one safety spot, and three-pick corner DeMarkus Acy returns to one corner job. Adam Sparks was banged up for a chunk of the season, but still finished sixth on the team with 38 tackles. Now he’ll find a spot somewhere in the secondary combining with big veteran Christian Holmes at corner.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP MISSOURI PLAYERS
Best Missouri Offensive Player
TE Albert Okwuegbunam, Jr.
You want a prototype NFL tight end talent? Here you go. The 6-5, 255-pounder was banged up a bit last year – missing time in four games – but he still managed to catch 43 passes for 466 yards and six scores after coming up with 11 touchdowns catches as freshman. He’s got size, downfield speed, and the hands to be Kelly Bryant’s top target in the big moments.
2. QB Kelly Bryant, Sr.
3. OG Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms, Sr.
4. C Trystan Colon-Castillo, Jr.
5. RB Larry Rountree, Jr.
Best Missouri Defensive Player
LB Cale Garrett, Sr.
The 6-3, 230-pounder started out with a strong 47-tackle freshman season, and turned into a star as a sophomore with 105 stops and three sacks. Last year, he took it all to another level with 112 tackles with a sack and 6.5 tackles for loss as an All-SEC performer.
The man in the middle isn’t going to be too much of a pass rusher, and he didn’t pick off any passes after coming up with three in his first two seasons, but he’s got good range and came up with four double-digit stop games.
2. CB DeMarkus Acy, Sr.
3. DT Jordan Elliott, Jr.
4. S Tyree Gillespie, Jr.
5. CB Christian Holmes, Sr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Missouri Offense
Tweak the offense around the player, and not the other way around.
Drew Lock was an NFL passer with the right size, arm and skills, but Kelly Bryant is more accurate – at least he was at Clemson.
The Mizzou offense is loaded with dangerous weapons and playmakers, and Bryant has the skills to make them all shine. However, the offense has to be ready to adapt and adjust a wee bit.
The Tiger transfer to the new Tigers completed 66% of his throws in his 29 games of work for his old school, but he wasn’t the downfield bomber Lock was. On the flip side, Lock was a decent runner, but Bryant will add something totally different to the attack.
Bryant might be coming to Mizzou to 1) play and 2) be groomed by offensive coordinator Derek Dooley to become a stronger pro prospect. However, Bryant is way too mobile and and way too dangerous a runner to not be used for all he can do.
Biggest Key To The Missouri Defense
Okay, Missouri secondary – it’s time to show up. It starts with getting more pressure from a defensive front that only came up with 27 sacks, but that’s nothing new. The Tiger D has been just okay at generating consistent pressure over the last four years since Shane Ray and company came up with 44 sacks in 2014.
The secondary has to do its part, though, too.
The Tigers came up with just ten interceptions on the season – two in the first six games – and were hit for 200 yards or more in nine of the last 11 games. They were able to beat Purdue despite getting ripped up for 572 yards and three scores – but that was the aberration.
Oklahoma State was able to bomb away for 333 yards and four touchdowns in the bowl win, and Georgia’s Jake Fromm and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa were able come up with big pass play after big pass play.
Worst of all, the defense melted down late against a passing-challenged Kentucky team in the 15-14 loss.
How much does this matter? Missouri went 4-0 last year when allowing fewer than 200 passing yards, and was 7-2 over the last three seasons when doing that.
Key Player To A Successful Season
QB Kelly Bryant, Sr.
Drew Lock is the prototype pro-style quarterback in terms of size and tools, right? He’s 6-4 and 227 pounds with a live, accurate arm. Bryant is 6-3 and 225 pounds with a live, accurate arm. – and a whole lot more mobility.
Bryant might have only thrown 13 touchdown passes in his big 2017 season as he led Clemson to the College Football Playoff No. 1 seed, but he also fit what the offense needed. No, he’s not the talent that Trevor Lawrence is, and he might not be the downfield passer Lock was for Mizzou, but he’s a great-sized, mobile veteran quarterback with something to prove.
If he can use all his experience and all his skills to push for around 3,000 passing yards and run for around 300, the offense won’t skip a beat.
Key Game To The Missouri Season
South Carolina, Sept. 21
Missouri has to be able to come up with the winnable SEC home game before stepping up the competition level.
The Tigers have lost three in a row to South Carolina, but this year this is their SEC opener with SE Missouri State the week before. Last year, this came off a loss to Georgia. On the flip side, the Gamecocks have to face Alabama before coming to Columbia, MO.
Considering there’s a week off to follow and Troy, Ole Miss, at Vanderbilt and at Kentucky up next, a win over USC should mean a massive start before getting a week off to get ready for Georgia.
– Missouri Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Missouri Fun Stats
– 3rd Down Conversions: Missouri 96-for-207 (46%) – Opponents 63-for-184 (34%)
– Rushing TDs: Missouri 27 – Opponents 11
– Punt Return Average: Opponents 10.1 yards – Missouri 2.6 yards
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. MISSOURI WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
Hell hath no fury like a good football team that got hit with unfair NCAA violations.
Missouri isn’t allowed to go bowling or play in the SEC Championship, all because of a rogue tutor. The school is appealing the sanctions, but there should be a whole lot of attitude to go along with a whole lot of talent.
There are some concerns, with the defensive front needing to retool and do a whole lot more, and hoping for more production from a secondary that finished last in the SEC in yards allowed.
The special teams need to tighten up a bit, winning the turnover battle a bit more would be nice, and the penalties have to slow down. However, the team was pretty good despite all of those issues.
Did the NCAA penalties lead to a mass exodus of players? Hardly. Clemson transfer QB Kelly Bryant chose to stay, and there was only one minor defection to the transfer portal.
The O line and receiving corps are going to be terrific, the secondary is full of experience, and Bryant is a great get to instantly take over for Drew Lock and keep the O going.
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 9
Going to Georgia will be tough, but there’s no Alabama on the slate like there was last season. After starting out at Wyoming, the Tigers don’t leave Missouri for until October 19th with a trip to Vanderbilt.
Going to Nashville isn’t that bad, and going to Kentucky isn’t an impossible task, either.
There will be a few whiffs to go along with the likely loss to Georgia, but Florida and Tennessee are home games, as are the dangerous non-conference games against West Virginia and Troy.
It’s a good schedule, a great team, and maybe – with a little luck and a change of heart from the NCAA – there could be a chance at a double-digit win season with or without a bowl game.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Recruiting Class Analysis | Schedule Analysis
