Mizzou thinks it’s better prepared to stop South Carolina’s Deebo Samuel. Here’s why
Deebo Samuel knows how to make an introduction.
Just ask Missouri.
In a home game against the Gamecocks last season, Samuel single-handedly took away Missouri’s momentum and started the Tigers’ slide into a five-game losing streak.
With Missouri leading 10-0 in the second quarter, Samuel returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. After a interception by Drew Lock, Samuel ran 25 yards for another touchdown 25 seconds later. Missouri went on to lose 31-13.
The Tigers face Samuel and the Gamecocks on the road Saturday, but they feel better prepared this time around.
“We played Georgia two weeks ago,” defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said. “They have about three of (him).”
In 2017, Missouri faced South Carolina in its second game of the season. This year, the Tigers faced Purdue and star freshman wideout Rondale Moore in week three before taking on Georgia and its own arsenal of talented wideouts.
Cornerbacks DeMarkus Acy and Adam Sparks said Missouri’s games against Purdue and Georgia were good prep for Samuel because they saw how players like Moore can change a game.
Moore had 137 receiving yards and a touchdown against Missouri, which led Walters to say the defense was “too timid” against him.
The defense got the message, and showed significant improvement against Georgia’s pass catchers, making stars like tight end Isaac Nauta (one catch for three yards) and wideout Terry Godwin (one catch for eight yards) non-factors. No Georgia wideout cracked 100 yards receiving in the Bulldogs’ win over Missouri.
Mizzou coach Barry Odom called Samuel “one of the top playmakers in college football” and understands how careful Missouri has to be on defense and special teams this weekend.
“He makes multiple plays every game,” he said. “There’s times that there’s not much there and he ends up making a play. He can change the dynamics of the game.”
Samuel wouldn’t even be on Missouri’s scouting report if it weren’t for a broken leg he sustained in the third week of last season. At the time, Samuel was on pace for a 1,000-yard season that likely would have vaulted him to the NFL. He’s currently a projected first-round pick in April’s draft.
Odom thinks the route concepts new offensive coordinator Derek Dooley has installed has helped Missouri’s defense prepare in practice for players like Samuel.
“As a unit we’re a lot smarter than we may have been in the previous year,” safety Khalil Oliver said.
Odom said one-on-one matchups will be a major factor in the game. Bryan Edwards, who starts opposite Samuel, is another key part of the Gamecocks offense, which means all the attention can’t go to Samuel.
Sparks is optimistic that Missouri learned its lesson last year and is ready to pick up where they left off against Georgia.
“I think we’re going to be able do what we have to do,” he said.
Alex Schiffer
Alex Schiffer covers University of Missouri athletics for The Star.
