Even after good vibes in victory, Missouri Tigers know they must clean up mistakes
It’s the nature of college football coaches to nit pick a team’s performance even after a satisfying triumph.
So it is for Missouri and Eli Drinkwitz, who this week after congratulating the fan base for the good turnout in last Thursday’s lopsided victory over Louisiana Tech, listed areas where the Tigers must improve as it prepares to face Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan., on Saturday.
First rankle: punt coverage. A breakdown nearly allowed Tech to go 97 yards for a touchdown. The return went for 42 before Bobby Lawrence slowed Smoke Harris and Joseph Charleston finished the tackle.
“Not nearly good enough or efficient enough,” Drinkwitz said.
Missouri’s run defense was excellent, allowing eight yards. But the Bulldogs delivered touchdowns passes of 75, 64 and 37 yards.
“We’ve got to do a much better job on the back end with disciplined eyes,” Drinkwitz said.
And although the Tigers’ offense produced 558 yards, some moments required better execution. Mizzou committed a fumble and quarterback Brady Cook threw an interception on a pass that was tipped. Both turnovers occurred in the red zone.
Also, three times, Missouri was stopped on third or fourth down in short yardage situations.
“We’ve got to be more physical in the trenches and have a better attitude about that,” Drinkwitz said. “All of us look at the tape and know we can be better.”
Some of those areas of improvement play into Kansas State strengths. A special teams breakdown? The Wildcats live for those. They blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown in last week’s victory over South Dakota, giving the program its 126th non-offensive touchdown since 1999. That’s the most in the nation in that span.
Not getting push up front? Kansas State is stout on the defensive line with ends Felix Anudike-Uzomah, the Big 12 preseason defensive player of the year, and Nate Matlack and Eli Huggins in the middle.
Make no mistake, Missouri played well in its opener. With a new starting quarterback in Brady Cook and a defense guided by a new coordinator and featuring several new faces, the Tigers carried plenty of uncertainty into the contest.
But Cook played a steady game with his decision making, and his running ability is a weapon from the position Missouri didn’t have last year with Connor Bazelak.
The newcomers on defense not only blended it, they led by example. Linebacker Ty’Ron Hooper, who spent his first three years at Florida, was a menace with an interception, sack and six tackles.
The Tigers, a three-touchdown favorite last week, now step up in class and play the underdog’s role against Kansas State in the first meeting between the old Big 12 foes since 2011. It’s a measuring stick game for both sides.
The programs frequently battle on the recruiting trail, and especially around Kansas City. Now they meet on the field in the first of a two-game series that continues next year in Columbia.
Although a Drinkwitz program has never matched up up against the Wildcats, he has an idea of what awaits. That’s why after a resounding victory in the opener the good vibes quickly became cautionary tales.
“You’re going to have to go in there and play your best version of football to have any type of chance,” Drinkwitz said. “Which is why I so harping on what happened Thursday. It was not our best football and if we duplicate that we’re in for a long day.”