Missouri’s Gary Pinkel hopes bye week gives offense a chance to heal

During the SEC’s weekly teleconference Wednesday, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said the Tigers’ first bye week comes “at a pretty good time for us.”

Without senior wide receivers Jimmie Hunt and Darius White, Missouri’s passing offense struggled at South Carolina.

Quarterback Maty Mauk completed only 12 of 34 passes for 132 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

“We have some guys banged up a little bit,” Pinkel said. “We had a couple starters that didn’t play last week, so I think we’re going to get a chance to get those guys back.”

Pinkel seemed confident that Hunt (knee infection) would be back for the Georgia game on Oct. 11, but White (groin strain) might be a game-time decision.

Hunt has caught 16 passes for 198 yards with a team-high five touchdowns, while White has 15 receptions for 230 yards and three scores this season.

Pinkel was less optimistic about running back Morgan Steward’s chances of making his 2014 debut.

“That’s doubtful,” Pinkel said. “… He’s on the right track and he’s getting better, but the seriousness of the injury is such that a timetable is really hard to pinpoint.”

Steward, a sophomore from Staley, has been sidelined since early August with what Pinkel has termed a hip strain.

This story was originally published October 1, 2014 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Missouri’s Gary Pinkel hopes bye week gives offense a chance to heal."