2023 Preview: Should Missouri fans prepare to be Miz-erable?
This is the first SEC Preview of the season, which will no doubt be edited thanks to the usual quarterbacking decisions, injuries and suspensions that proliferate schools.
Missouri gets everything going….
Last season: Missouri’s 6-7 season was pretty turgid, save for a Georgia game that they should have won, and a balls-to-the-wall victory against Arkansas that sent Eli Drinkwitz crazy with the joy of going to a bowl game (that they then lost to Wake Forest by 10).
The biggest news of the season was the Eli Drinkwitz somehow managed to get himself a contract extension, despite doing a dreadful job as an offensive coach, and leading the team to a 17-19 record and pretty abysmal 11-15 conference record.
Who’s gone: The Tigers lost Dominic Lovett to Georgia, who offers him more in his future (and probably more NIL money?) than Missouri can. Also going elsewhere is DE Trajan Jeffcoat to Arkansas, who was one of their better players on the other side of the ball. We expect starting LB Chad Bailey to be gone after he was booked for drink-driving and suspended indefinitely.
Who’s arrived: Missouri’s brought in Jake Garcia, a sophomore from Miami. Will he be the third starter battle it out with awful incumbent Brady Cook or we-think-he’ll-be-off-by-the-fall-if-he-doesn’t-start-because-it’s-obvious-Drinkwitz-hates-him Sam Horn. They’ve also brought in linebacker Nyles Gaddy from Jackson State. We’ll see if he can make the step up – the same goes for wide receiver Theo Wease, who comes in from Oklahoma.
THE OFFENSE
We don’t know if Eli Drinkwitz was TOLD to find an offensive coordinator or he suddenly realized that the team hadn’t recovered since Josh Heupel left, but he got one in Kirby Moore, who’s come from perennial Mountain West contender Fresno State.
The first thing that Moore is going to have to work out is the quarterback situation. If he starts Cook, he’s not only blind but he’s also managed to piss off Columbia, and well as this writer. But he probably will, because his shoulder’s improved and he was soooo much better before his injury #sarcasm.
Wide receiver Luther Burden will be required put the offense on his back now Lovett’s gone, even if Wease and Mookie Cooper bring along some excitement.
Oh, and the running game has GOT TO IMPROVE. The offensive line was dreadful last year, giving up nearly 9 yards run for a loss a game. Let’s hope that they can give Cory Schrader enough to give the offense something that’s not pass-only.
DEFENSE
Last year Missouri’s defense was elite, and should be fantastic in the middle. But on the ends, they were fine. Darius Robinson is damned good. The arrivals of Arizona State’s Joe Moore is meant to be exciting….but Arizona State’s defense was AWFUL last year.
We can also expect the linebacking duo of Ty’Ron Hopper and Chad Bailey to do some damage.
But all over the field, there’s a lot to love. Make sure you keep an eye on the secondary. Offensive coordinators will try and keep the ball away from DB Kris Abrams-Draine, who had 14 pass break-ups last year. They are fine at safety, too.
But in all of this, it comes down to the offense. If they are 3-and-out all the time, then it’s an obvious statement to say that the D is going to need all the energy they can muster.
THE SCHEDULE
Sept 2 South Dakota – W
Sept 9 Middle Tennessee – W
Sept 16 Kansas State – W
Sept 23 Memphis (in St. Louis) – W
Sept 30 at Vanderbilt – W
Oct 7 LSU – L
Oct 14 at Kentucky – L
Oct 21 South Carolina – W
Oct 28 OPEN DATE
Nov 4 at Georgia – L
Nov 11 Tennessee – L
Nov 18 Florida – L
Nov 25 at Arkansas – L
OUR PREDICTION
Missouri will get some mouths moving by going 5-0. Kansas State isn’t going to be the force as it was this year as it was last – and it’s early, so they’ll be ironing out the creases. But then it’s logical that it all goes to the crapper after that, with the Tigers realistically losing every other game – particularly with the offense. We’ll give them a win v South
So….. 6-6, with Eli Drinkwitz out by the end of the year because of the 1-5 slide to end the year.