5 Things You Need to Know About the Missouri Tigers

On3 imageby:Brandon Ramsey11/05/22

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The dream Kentucky Football is simply not going to happen at this point. A tough loss at Ole Miss turned into an ugly home defeat at the hands of South Carolina. Last weekend, the ‘Cats were blown off of the field at Neyland Stadium by the Tennessee Volunteers. Now, the Wildcats face the Missouri Tigers in what feels like a must win football game. Kickoff is scheduled for noon Eastern Time on the SEC Network.

If Coach Mark Stoops and company can stop the bleeding, a good season is still on the table. However, they are catching Missouri at a time where they have won two straight including a victory at South Carolina. Back on October 1st in Columbia the Tigers gave #1 Georgia everything they wanted right down to the final buzzer. This is a football team with a strong defense and a style of play that might look familiar to Big Blue Nation. Morale may be low right now around Kentucky Football, but there is still plenty to play for this season.

As always, make sure you’ve read through Adam Luckett’s Scouting Report. Also, Freddie Maggard has outlined How Kentucky Beats Missouri. Now, let’s dive in to five things you need to know about the Missouri Tigers.

Shaky QB Play Headlines Struggling Offense

The Missouri Tigers offense has left a little to be desired this season. The lack of production has likely cost them a couple of wins that could have created a very successful season. Missouri averages just 17.5 points per game against Power Five competition, creates just 5.4 yards per play, and has converted just over 50% of red zone opportunities into touchdowns. This game could easily turn into a rock fight on Saturday.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brady Cook is the one taking the snaps. The most eye-popping stat for Cooks is the fact that he has thrown more interceptions, seven, than touchdowns, six. That is not a recipe for success. However, the Tigers quarterback does provide some production in the running game and has connected on some deep balls. Cook 280 rushing yards and five completions of 40 or more yards this season.

Missouri Relies on Talented Slot Receiver

Dominic Lovett has been the favorite offensive target through eight games for head coach Eli Drinkwitz. The sophomore leads the Missouri Tigers with 45 receptions for 659 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Lovett is second in the SEC with 12 catches of over 20 yards and is averaging 14.6 yards per catch. The talented pass catcher will be a challenge for Kentucky’s secondary in Columbia on Saturday afternoon.

Conservative Offense Leans on Rushing Attack

Coach Drinkwitz hit the transfer portal to supplement the Missouri Tigers rushing attack. Nathaniel Peat came in from Stanford after averaging 5.7 yards per attempt over three seasons. The other, Cody Schrader, was brought in from Division II Truman State. Despite the expectations surrounding Peat, it has been the DII product that has taken the RB1 job by the horns.

Schrader leads the Tigers with 90 attempts for 457 yards and five touchdowns. Big plays have been hard to come by, for any Missouri running back, but Schrader has been able to stay ahead of the chains for the most part. Peat isn’t far behind with 87 carries for 438 yards, but was benched last weekend. Regardless of which back is getting the majority of the carries, look for Mizzou to try and establish the run at home against the ‘Cats.

Tigers are Big Play Hunting on Defense

In just one season, the Missouri Tigers have gone from one of the worst to one of the best defenses in the Southeastern Conference. A mixture of nine returning starters and some quality transfer portal additions, plus a new defensive coordinator, has led to a drastically improved unit. Mizzou will play an aggressive scheme and it has paid off through eight games this season.

The Tigers lead the SEC with 7.1 tackles for loss per game and have forced 13 turnovers on the season. Against a Kentucky offense that has struggled with ball security, this could be a turning point in Saturday’s matchup.

Defensive Success Starts at the Line of Scrimmage

On the defensive line, the Missouri Tigers will use a four down front and rotate two-deep at each spot. Those eight total linemen have account for 10 sacks and another 10.5 non-sack tackles for loss. Quite simply, Mizzou might have the defensive line in the SEC. That is high praise, but this group has the production to back it up.

The best player of the group has been defensive end Isaiah McGuire. The 6’4″, 274 pound senior has recorded 9.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. He also has 26 total tackles. His ability to create havoc off of the line of scrimmage will put a lot of pressure on the Kentucky offensive line.

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2024-03-28