Third downs, pass defense dooms Mizzou in fifth straight loss
Down four points and the clock ticking, the Missouri Tigers had the Tennessee Volunteers for a third down — twice. It was the perfect opportunity to get off the field and give the offense a chance for a potential game-winning drive.
But Mizzou’s defense couldn’t get off the field as the Vols milked the final 3 minutes, 33 seconds left on the clock. One week after allowing a season-high 330 yards passing to Florida, the Tigers were torched for 415 yards by Vols quarterback Jarrett Guarantano and their talented cast of wide receivers.
The pass and third-down defense — both Mizzou staples — abandoned the Tigers in the 24-20 loss to Tennessee. After the offense struggled leading up to Saturday, it was the Mizzou defense that finally broke.
“It’s a tough locker room,” Mizzou coach Barry Odom said. “We had a number of guys out tonight, injury stuff. Guys stood up and went and competed in battled. Didn’t make enough plays, they did. Knew it was going down to the fourth quarter and we didn’t find a way to win.”
From the beginning, it figured to be a difficult day for Mizzou once DeMarkus Acy was out for the game with a hamstring injury. The senior captain didn’t play a snap on his Senior Day, relegated to the sidelines in full pads.
Then fellow cornerback Jarvis Ware went down with an injury in the first quarter. It forced backups Christian Holmes and Adam Sparks into action. Guarantano targeted them often for the rest of the game. Holmes was called for three pass-interference penalties and Sparks struggled as Guarantano threw for a season-high in yards and two touchdowns.
Three different Volunteers — Marquez Callaway, Josh Palmer and Jauan Jennings — each had more than 100 yards receiving in the same game for the first time in Tennessee history.
“We didn’t play very well against the pass,” Odom said. “Ware goes out early, Acy wasn’t able to play. Unfortunately, the injury part of the game puts some things on display that couldn’t get covered up.”
Fellow members of the defense stressed it’s a “next man up” mentality when it came to the injuries. Once a backup’s in, the defense plays as though there’s no drop in play, defensive tackle Kobie Whiteside said.
But the pass defense was attacked often. Odom pointed out how the Tigers lost one-on-one battles and jump-ball situations, making life difficult.
“It’s just next-play mentality throughout the game,” Missouri linebacker Nick Bolton said. “They’ve got good players over there, they practice as well. (On) 50-50 balls, just gotta come down with them at some point in time. Our DBs are a confident group. Everybody in our class has faith in them.”
When the Tigers were able to gather a few stops, they folded on third down. They came into the game allowing a third-down conversion 30.9 percent of the time, 14th in the nation. The Volunteers walked away 9 of 16 on third downs or 56.25 percent.
Tennessee wasn’t moving the chains on third-and-short situations either. With the passing game seemingly wide open, Guarantano was throwing it often when he needed to. On Tennessee’s second touchdown drive, it converted two third-and-longs, one for 18 yards, deflating the Tigers defense.
“That’s our whole defense,” Whiteside said. “They make a big play, you gotta make a big play next. They made a next play, then three-and-out. We gotta do something about it. We just can’t sit there and be frustrated.”
The Tigers have one last chance to get to six games and qualify for a bowl, though even that is up in the air because of the NCAA appeal situation. They play the Arkansas Razorbacks at 1:30 p.m. Friday in Little Rock.
“Hate it for my seniors,” Odom said, “but I’m going to continue to swing and battle and do the things that we need to do.”