Missouri Handicapping Positives Prior to start of 2014 Season: Honestly, the only positive I noted prior to the start of the 2014 season was the coach. Gary Pinkel is one of the outstanding coaches in all of the FBS. Did I think that would be enough to make the Tigers successful in 2014? No.
Missouri Handicapping Negatives Prior to start of 2014 Season: Where do I start? The Tigers lost loads on both sides of the ball. On offense they lost a 1200-yard rusher and the top 3 receivers. They did have a returning starter back at the quarterback position, but Mauk threw for only a 51% completion rate.
On defense, they lost 22 sacks at the DE position, lost the #1 tackler at the LB corps, and lost both starting CBs, including a 2nd team AA!
EdgySam's 2014 Expectations for Missouri: I absolutely thought Missouri would suffer through a let-down year after their enormous 2013 successes. New and inexperienced at almost all the key positions on both offense and defense, I believed the Tigers were a team you had to look for spots to go against them.
EdgySam Summary of Missouri's 2014 Season: With the scarcity of returning starters back from '13, HC Pinkel once again proved why he is one of FBS' outstanding coaches. With a mediocre year from starting QB Matt Mauk, and inexperience almost everywhere else, Pinkel amazingly figured out a way to get his Tigers back to the SEC Championship game by going 7-1 in regular season, SEC play. I studied the stats and I still find it hard to believe he got it done. Missouri's rushing attack and pass defense were above average ( nothing spectacular ), but, his team's rushing defense was just okay, and his passing attack was below average. Coach of the Year contender status should have been given to Missou's Gary Pinkel.
EdgySam's Brief Outlook for Missouri's 2015 season: QB Mauk goes into his 3rd year as a starter; 3 starters back on the OL and experience at the RB position; only 6 starters back on defense, but, among them will be both returning CBs. Yo: coach Pinkel returned to the SEC Championship game with only 9.5 starters back in 2013. In 2015, Pinkel will have at least 12.5 starters back, including 3-yr. starter Mauk at QB. He'll probably do wonders with that nucleus of starters.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
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