Photo by Jeff Roberson (AP Photo)
Written by Brendan Moore (Brendan Moore (@bmoorecfb) / Twitter)
Missouri was the next team to wrap up spring practice with their spring scrimmage in Columbia. Coach Drinkwitz had a great 2022 recruiting class as he is heading into his 3rd season at Mizzou. Some of that talent that he helped recruit balled out on Saturday in their black and gold game.
Offense
Former 5-star recruit Luther Burden (wide receiver) made a big first impression. While official stats aren’t recorded, Burden had well over 100 receiving yards on the day. Burden is super talented. He might’ve been the quickest guy on the field, and he is incredible in open space. Wide receiver Dominic Lovett also stood out. He had one receiving touchdown and a 62-yard reception where he reversed field and dodged several tacklers. Chance Luper and Barrett Banister both had one receiving touchdown as well.
Tyler Badie carried a heavy load in the backfield last season for Missouri. This season, the Tigers will likely take a running back by committee approach as multiple backs bring different skills to the table. Stanford transfer Nathaniel Peat was the best all-around back on Saturday. Elijah Young, Michael Cox and the bruiser Cody Schrader provide a nice mix for Mizzou. Quarterback is a big question mark for the Tigers. Tyler Macon and Brady Cook started for their respective teams. Both threw picks early on but settled in as the game progressed. There is no clear-cut leader between the two. Freshman Sam Horn could also enter the fray in the summer and fall. No matter who plays quarterback, the Mizzou offense will be explosive.
The Missouri quarterback battle is one of the more wide-open battles in the SEC. That leaves the door wide open for a transfer to come in. Speaking of transfers, JT Daniels was in CoMo on Saturday. That would be a nice land for Coach Drinkwitz. Daniels is not expected to make a decision until after he completes his spring semester at Georgia.
Defense
The defense was not all that impressive during the spring game. While it’s hard to determine how good they will be, the final score was 35 to 34. Tackling was subpar. The secondary is definitely the best unit on the Missouri defense. Drayden Norwood had a key pass breakup that saved a touchdown. Clemson transfer Joseph Charleston had a pick in the end zone as well. Daylan Carnell was the most impressive player on defense as he had two interceptions. Isaiah McGuire and Darius Robinson were the top two defensive lineman. Robinson was in the backfield on numerous plays.
Missouri will surely have a solid offense this season, especially with Luther Burden joining the party. The Tigers offense will give SEC foes problems. The big question mark for coach Drinkwitz is on the defensive side of the football.
コメント