[Quack Attack]

Can Missouri do it again?

by Pete Fiutak


Updated: July 22, 2008, 1:35 PM EST


Missouri had what it took to get into the VIP lounge, but does it have what it takes to stay? For years this was the program on the verge. Head coach Gary Pinkel put together strong team after strong team, but there was always a collapse here and an underwhelming performance there that kept the Tigers from turning into a player. That all changed last year.

Helped by a slew of JUCO transfers on defense, the full maturation of several talented players on offense, a Heisman-finalist season from QB Chase Daniel, and a bolt of lightning from freshman receiver and kick returner Jeremy Maclin, Mizzou put together one of the best seasons in school history with a No. 1 ranking and a shot to play for the national title before Oklahoma ended those dreams in the Big 12 Championship.


While there are some big concerns in the linebacking corps, and despite losing its leading rusher (Tony Temple), leading receiver (TE Martin Rucker), and its two best offensive lineman (Tyler Luellen and Adam Spieker), there's no reason to believe the program is ready to do anything less than contend for the Big 12 title. However, this is Missouri.
It's right to be skeptical. After all, this isn't exactly a place that oozes with football tradition. Whether or not last year was a fluke will be the big question in the Big 12. The league, from top to bottom, has improved, and it's not like the Tigers are going to be able to just show up and waltz through the North like it did for most of last season.

Pinkel isn't going to let anyone get comfortable. The positive side of losing the Big 12 title game, and being screwed by the BCS system, is that the team and program from the top down appears to understand that nothing was actually accomplished last year outside of having a lot of fun and coming up with a big record. Having a core of excellent veterans returning will keep the rest of the team from being satisfied. Does Mizzou have staying power? That remains to be seen, but it still belongs in the discussion of the elite teams for this season.

What to look for on offense: More from the running backs ... sometimes. It's not like the ground game was ignored last season with Tony Temple tearing off 1,039 yards and 12 touchdowns, but the Tiger attack was based around Daniel and the aerial show. While Daniel has a vast array of weapons to work with, and the passing game will still be the first option, there are several good backs ready to carry more of the workload. Daniel can run the ball, but the less he has to take a hit, the better.


Jeremy Maclin will play a big role for Missouri.

What to expect on defense: A concern in the linebacker corps. The Tigers were supposed to be loaded here, but two promising backups are now off the team, the star of the show, Sean Weatherspoon, has a banged-up shoulder, and Van Alexander has a torn ACL. There's little developed depth, so a rash of injuries early in the season could mean the difference between a Big 12 title and also-ran status.

This team will be a lot better if... there's a steadier pass rush. It wasn't bad last season, but it could be better. Stryker Sulak is an All-Big 12 pass rushing force, and there's good quickness across the line; now there needs to be more production. The corners are experienced, but average. They could use a little more help from the front four, especially if the linebacker corps is an issue.

The Schedule: Last year at this time, starting the season off against Illinois didn't seem like that big a deal. Now it's like a BCS game. Nevada is a good team, but it has to come to Columbia along with SE Missouri State and Buffalo before an off week. Outside of a trip to Texas, the Big 12 slate isn't all that bad getting Baylor and Oklahoma State from the South and hosting Colorado and an improved Kansas State. Iowa State is better, but that's not a horrible road trip. There's a week off before the regular season ender against Kansas in Kansas City.

Best Offensive Player: Senior QB Chase Daniel. Technically, Maclin is the team's best all-around weapon, and possibly its best pro prospect, but Daniel is the signature star who makes the machine go. His emergence as a steadier all-around passer, and his ability to use his weapons more took the offense from good to unreal. He makes everyone around him better.

Best Defensive Player: Senior FS William Moore. With 6-foot-1, 230-pound size, cornerback speed, and an uncanny nose for the ball in both the running and passing games, Moore is a tremendous pro prospect who'll be one of the Big 12's signature defensive stars. He's a do-it-all playmaker who has to be accounted for on every play.

Key player to a successful season: Senior CB Castine Bridges. Or sophomore CB Carl Gettis. Two corners with good starting experience are back, but one has to emerge as a true shutdown defender. Bridges is the bigger and more experienced of the two having seen time in the JUCO ranks, but Gettis has the bigger upside. The two combined for two interceptions last season, the total amount of picks by all the corners. That has to change.

The season will be a success if ... Missouri wins the Big 12 North title. After last season, anything less will be seen as a major disappointment. The schedule works out well, the team is talented enough to pull it off, and the expectations are set at a reasonably high level. The national title might be a bit out of reach, but if the Tigers can win the Big 12 championship, there's a chance everything else will fall into place.
OFFENSE


If everyone plays as well as expected, this will once again be one of the five most productive offenses in the nation. It all starts with Daniel, an ultra-efficient passer who knows the offense backwards and forwards. Now in his third year as the starter and with 37 games under his belt, he'll make his dizzying array of weapons shine. The receiving corps is loaded with Maclin and tight end Chase Coffman, who'll be healthy again to start the year, unlike last season, while Danario Alexander and Tommy Saunders are strong targets to work with. The running backs will be fine with a good combination of players to rotate around, and the line should be fantastic if the starting five can stay healthy.

Quarterbacks: Daniel will once again be in the hunt for the Heisman. With the knowledge of the offense and all his experience, he's a special college player coming off a 4,306-yard, 33-touchdown season. Chase Patton is a decent No. 2 option to count on in a pinch, while Dominic Grooms has the athleticism and X-factor skills to make defensive coordinators worry if he gets thrown into the mix for a few plays here and there.

Running Backs: While many will lament the loss of Tony Temple, who ran for 1,039 yards and 12 touchdowns, the team didn't really need him as much as it might have appeared. He's replaceable. Jimmy Jackson isn't a special back by any stretch, but he can run for 10 carries a game and be an effective power option. De'Vion Moore and Derrick Washington have the upside to make the running game more than just an accessory for the passing attack.

Receivers: If Maclin does what he did last year and Coffman is 100 percent healthy again, this will be an unstoppable group with too many weapons for most defenses to deal with. The coaching staff will have its choice of formations with so many options and so many decent targets to get involved. Alexander and Jared Perry are excellent deep threats, while Saunders is one of the Big 12's better possession receivers.

Offensive Line: Three good starters, led by the G Kurtis Gregory and T Colin Brown on the right side, return and two excellent new prospects are ready to step in and fill the holes at center and left tackle. The Tiger line was fantastic last season as it kept Chase Daniel clean and powered over everyone in the running game.
DEFENSE



William Moore will be in the middle of things again for the Mizzou defense.

The defense took a backseat to the offense last season, but it had a tremendous year and could be even better if everyone is healthy. That'll be huge considering star FS William Moore was out this spring with a shoulder injury, as was top-tackling LB Sean Weatherspoon, while LB Van Alexander suffered a torn ACL. The linebacker corps, overall, needs depth to quickly develop after losing two top backup prospects to go along with the injuries. Moore should be back at 100 percent to combine with Justin Garrett to form one of the Big 12's best safety tandems. The corners aren't great, but they're experienced. Stryker Sulak is a fantastic pass rusher, but there isn't enough consistent plays in the backfield from the front seven. Ziggy Hood is an all-star tackle for the run defense to work around.

Defensive Line: With a slew of problems in the linebacking corps, the line will have to be even better than it was last season when it was a rock against the run. Generating more sacks would be nice, but this group provides plenty of pressure. Stryker Sulak and Tommy Chavis will be all-star performers on the outside, while Ziggy Hood is a man at tackle. The depth is questionable at best.

Linebackers: This was when it was all supposed to come together. Weatherspoon, Brock Christopher and Alexander were supposed to be over all of last year's growing pains and were ready to form an All-Big 12 unit of killer run stuffers and all-around playmakers. It still could happen, but the injuries dampened the enthusiasm. The depth goes from a potential strength to a major question mark after the loss of Connell Davis (quit) and Marquis Booker (booted).

Secondary: When Moore, a near-certain All-American, is back healthy from his shoulder problem, the Tigers will be rock-solid up the middle and questionable outside. The corners are experienced, but they're beatable. The developed depth is good at safety but non-existent at corner. Overall, the stats won't be as good as the secondary. Mizzou will get up so quickly against several teams that opposing offense will have to bomb away.

Special Teams: Mizzou will have the nation's best special teams if there's a little bit of punting production. Jeremy Maclin is an unstoppable return man, Jeff Wolfert is an automatic kicker, and after a bad 2006, the coverage teams improved and should be even better. Now the nation's 113th ranked punting game needs some pop from new starter Jake Harry.