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Posted on Fri, Nov. 06, 2009 11:10 PM
Tigers know they can’t afford to lose
More Sports:
COLUMBIA | Two years ago, the day after Oklahoma handed Missouri its first defeat of the 2007 season, MU coach Gary Pinkel gathered his players around and delivered a message that defied conventional wisdom.
No talk about taking it one game at a time. With Kansas unbeaten and likely to stay that way until a Border War battle with Mizzou at Arrowhead Stadium, the Tigers had to win out.
Last week — with Missouri mired in a three-game losing skid — Pinkel resurrected his 2007 speech.
“Coach Pinkel brought it up to us,” said junior safety Tim Barnes, who as a freshman heard the original words, too. “It’s kind of the same lesson.”
Last Saturday, Missouri proved it was listening, rolling to a 36-17 victory at Colorado. But today there is Baylor. Missouri plays at Kansas State next Saturday. Then Iowa State comes to Columbia.
And on Nov. 28, there is the Border War again.
And realistically, to have a chance at a third straight Big 12 North title, Mizzou has to win all those games.
Battling doubt and overconfidence, as well as coming opponents.
“With the season we’ve had, that’s something we’ve got to be careful of,” Barnes said. “We’ve got to make sure we handle it right.”
From the depths of frustration at back-to-back-to-back losses, the aura surrounding the Tigers now has swung to the positive. Instead of retreat, it is time to charge. Win. Win them all.
Pinkel himself seems caught up in the possibilities.
“There’s a lot yet to be written about this football team and the challenge that we have,” Pinkel said. “We’ve got a lot of players that are starting to stand up.”
That was particularly true on defense last Saturday at Colorado, when the Tigers sacked Tyler Hansen eight times, recovered three Colorado fumbles, picked off a pass and forced a safety.
“Except for that center exchange problem they had, we created all of those,” Pinkel said.
That was part of Pinkel’s message to his players this week.
“That was very important for them to know, that the reason those turnovers happened wasn’t because of luck,” Pinkel said.
Of course, Pinkel is telling his Tigers not to overlook Baylor, despite the Bears’ 3-5 overall record and 0-4 Big 12 mark.
But neither is Pinkel telling his players not to look forward to a challenge that will remain even if Missouri blows Baylor out of Memorial Stadium this afternoon.
To have a chance to reach the Big 12 championship for a third successive season, Missouri cannot stumble anywhere down the stretch of the regular season.
Baylor at Missouri
•WHEN: 1 p.m. today
•WHEN: 1 p.m. today
•WHERE: Memorial Stadium, Columbia
•TV/RADIO: No TV; KMBZ (980 AM)
Other story lines
•WILL GABBERT BE AT FULL SPEED? MU coach Gary Pinkel has been sharing the expectation all week that quarterback Blaine Gabbert will be as close to 100 percent as he has been since suffering an ankle sprain against Nebraska.
•WILL MIZZOU RUN? Baylor can’t stop it, and Missouri netted 184 yards rushing last Saturday at Colorado. Will Mizzou maintain a commitment to the ground game?
•BEARS SCARED MIZZOU LAST SEASON: Not until the final three minutes did Missouri secure a 31-28 victory at Baylor last season. Can Baylor — without the star of that game in out-for-the-season Robert Griffin — push the Tigers this season in Columbia?
Posted on Fri, Nov. 06, 2009 11:10 PM
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