Sure, Missouri soccer seemingly wants Brady Prepare dinner again and wholesome to be constantly profitable down the stretch.
However loads of the groups left on the Tigers’ schedule — starting this Saturday towards Oklahoma — are loads flawed if they should go to a backup plan.
Mizzou listed Prepare dinner, the group’s third-year beginning quarterback, as questionable on its Wednesday availability report, which implies his participation is unsure for the second straight recreation. Prepare dinner is more likely to be questionable to play all the way in which up till kickoff Saturday night, as he was at Alabama.
With out their starter, the Tigers (6-2, 2-2 SEC) have struggled to take care of drives and keep away from giveaways. Backup Drew Pyne has led 13 drives from begin to end in his previous two aid appearances, with 5 possessions leading to turnovers and one drive — a area objective versus Auburn — ending in factors.
OU (5-4, 1-4) has only one win in convention play — which Auburn coughed up with late turnovers again in September — as offensive struggles have hit the Sooners of their first yr as an SEC member. OU, after dealing with Mizzou in Columbia for the primary time in 13 years, should face Alabama at house and LSU on the highway to shut the season.
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However Mizzou could possibly be up towards it if availability stays a difficulty at quarterback.
Prepare dinner or no Prepare dinner, listed here are three different areas which might be necessary to success heading into the Tigers’ recreation towards the Sooners:
Will RB Nate Noel return, restore selection to Missouri soccer run recreation?
Alabama schemed it up completely. With Prepare dinner out of the sport, no passing assault to talk of and Missouri’s high operating again (and most versatile rusher) not on the sector, the Crimson Tide loaded the field and minimize off the Tigers’ solely remaining choice: Run it up the intestine.
Nate Noel is once more questionable to play in lacking MU’s subsequent recreation, as he was listed as questionable on Mizzou’s Wednesday availability report. If he can’t return, Missouri is in actual hazard of turning into one-dimensional, a la its displaying in Alabama.
The Sooners will eat that up. Danny Stutsman is among the many higher linebackers within the league. Defensive deal with Damonic Williams, a TCU switch who Mizzou chased within the offseason, has been a heavy presence up entrance. OU’s main edge rushers Mason Thomas and Ethan Downs have mixed for 40 backfield pressures this season, per PFF.
Missouri wants Noel’s shiftiness to hit the off-tackle runs and zone reads that made MU’s run recreation so efficient. Marcus Carroll has been sporadically efficient, however has largely been what he was billed: MU’s downhill, bruiser again.
The Tigers want to determine the run for any shot of win Saturday. And so they will not get there by being predictable.
Convey the home — after which some — in cross rush
No group has been worse this season than Oklahoma at retaining their quarterback upright.
The Sooners rank useless final within the FBS — by a margin of six — in sacks allowed this season, as they’ve given up 38 in 9 video games. That’s an astounding whole, checking in at greater than 4 sacks per outing.
Mizzou has appeared incrementally higher at producing stress on the quarterback because the season has gone on. Johnny Walker Jr. received to Jalen Milroe twice at Alabama within the first half to maintain MU within the recreation till the break. Zion Younger has been good for a stress or two per recreation from the sector finish spot.
The Tigers might have extra. And they need to get possibilities.
The Sooners will likely be with out no less than one beginning offensive lineman, per their availability report. The Tigers are a bit banged up at defensive finish and outdoors linebacker attributable to accidents, however with what they’ve obtainable, there’s good motive to attempt to carry some additional stress this week.
Mizzou has struggled to create turnovers this season, rating tied for 107th within the FBS with eight in eight video games. Saturday can be an excellent time to power the difficulty.
If it’s going to be a rock combat, throw your greatest rocks.
Push the Luther Burden button
Luther Burden III has two extra video games on Faurot Discipline.
Make ‘em depend.
It’s an more and more regarding pattern on the offense that Burden has solely eclipsed 100 receiving yards as soon as this season. If he performs all 5 of Missouri’s remaining video games, together with a bowl matchup, he’s on tempo for a 731-yard yr. That will be 400 fewer yards than his electrical 2023 marketing campaign.
Burden had a career-low 18 all-purpose yards towards Alabama, and was a deep-shot goal on two picks thrown by Pyne.
So, push the simple buttons.
At finest, it looks as if Prepare dinner will likely be banged up on Saturday. At worst, Prepare dinner doesn’t play in any respect.
In both case, getting the ball to your finest playmaker — to certainly one of faculty soccer’s finest playmakers — in easy-access conditions looks as if a sensible plan of action. Fast screens; jet sweeps; wildcat; pitches; … something to get the ball in Burden’s arms.
This text initially appeared on Columbia Day by day Tribune: How Missouri soccer can beat Oklahoma with or with out Brady Prepare dinner
