Might as well cut to the chase…
“Well, how bad do Missouri fans feel right now realizing that if they’d won the Auburn game yesterday, they would have been playing in the national title game?” wonders comedy club owner-turned-sports scribe Craig Glazer. “I was watching some of the highlights of the game and when it comes right down to it, we all kind of knew better with Missouri. I mean, their offense played good, but it wasn’t good enough. And overall, you have to look at three things.
“First, Missouri was overrated, especially their defense, because Auburn moved the ball on them at will. Second, with all the accolades that were being thrown at Missouri coach Gary Pinkel‘s coaching staff, it didn’t seem like Missouri had a clue of what to do against Auburn’s offense. They were completely clueless. They weren’t prepared. And I’m sorry, Gary Pinkel, that falls at your footsteps. So do you blame the Missouri coach staff? I do.
“And third, Auburn was just more talented – they just had more talent. I’ve called this year’s Missouri football season the forgotten season. But let’s give Missouri some credit; I know they got run over, but their offense was pretty good. Missouri fans will remember this season, but nobody else will…unless Missouri comes back next year and plays at a high level, which they could.
“But while everybody here likes to pretend that KU, K-State and Missouri matter, none of their teams have ever mattered on the national stage. Nobody has ever looked at any of those three programs as national powerhouses. They’re just nice, little teams.”
Credit: KC Kingdom.com
The $64 million question:
Can MU build on this and build a nationally recognized, powerhouse program?
“That’s a great question and here’s the answer; the answer is yes. But here’s the reality. I didn’t like what I saw on the Missouri coaching staff yesterday and that’s a bad sign. I know all the MU fans love Pinkel now, but Gary still has to prove himself. You know, before this season his job was on the line, some people thought. People thought maybe he was a paper tiger.
“The question is, in the next two years is Missouri going to get to the dance? they’re going to have to win the SEC Championship, not just get in the title game. You know, Missouri’s football
Definitely outgunned and out coached. I saw no adjustments to try and counter Auburn’s running game.
Josey’s injury killed MU’s chances. I’ve seen players tossed for less violent hits than Josey took. Is that just a rule for pass receivers getting hit high?
It could have been worse as Josey had grabbed the defender’s face mask just before he went out.
Auburn only threw 11 passes. WOW.
“I was watching some of the highlights of the game ”
Glazer isn’t the best gossip blog sports opinionater for nothing.
pssssst…I did watch the entire game before the highlights old buddy…
How could you tell the Auburn highlights from the regular plays? they were almost all highlights.
Missouri got outschemed and out athleted at the point of attack. Missouri’s linebackers were frequently missing tackles. Darvin Ruise and Kentrell Brothers were God awful. Plus, Missouri’s young defensive tackles got ate up. And Shane Ray missed his assignments with regularity. Just a BAD overall performance on defense. Offensively, however, they were very good. So it’s off to the Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma State. Prime time game on Jan. 3 in a sold out Jerry’s World. I’ll take it. I expected this team to be 7-5, 8-4 at best before the season. I’ll take 11-2 and an SEC East Championship. For Missouri, this is an excellent season.
This was a fabulous season for the Tigers, Guy. I’m not a fan, but I’d give anything for the Jayhawks to just get back to 7 or 8 wins a year. So for Pete’s sake, enjoy the ride, MU. It’s going to be a 12-win season before it’s said and done. MU rolls Okie State at Jerry’s World.
Oh yeah, enjoyed the season quite a bit. I have nothing to complain about, big picture. This is Missouri for Pete’s sake. It’s not like they are reeling off 11 win seasons with regularity.
You know why you’ll take it? Because that’s all you’ve got.
the three man front was a dismal experiment that failed the entire game. when they went to a 4 man front they did much better, but they kept going back to that 3 man front as if expecting it suddenly start working. I think Missouri would have won this game in the first quarter if they’d have just scored touchdowns instead of kicking field goals. the defensive coordinator is really to blame for this loss though, he made zero adjustments after they ran for 300 yards in the first half.
Yeah, how the hell do you stick to a 3-4 when all they are doing is running it down your throats? C’mon coaches, you gotta change your look when you are not stopping the run.
MU ‘changing their look defensively’ might not have made any difference… we’ll never know.
I posted this elsewhere but it is worth repeating. Auburn looked unstoppable and they were, running through MU’s swiss-cheese defense like a hot knife through butter. The game reminded me of a similar one 1968 the AFL, Chiefs old wing-T formation used vs Oakland 45 years ago in KC.
Unlike Auburn, Chiefs had to resort to said due injuries their WR corps, variously. It worked to the tune some 300 yards rushing, averaging almost 5 yards per carry in a 24-10 win vs defending AFL Champion Raiders. QB Len Dawson threw but 3 passes the entire game, KC 310 yards total offense to OAK’s 222 (compare with Auburn’s 11 passes vs MU & 545 yards rushing, almost 7.5 per carry.)
Two weeks later the rematch in OAK, a different story: OAK led 38-7 on their way an 38-21 win, KC gaining less than 100 yards rushing & but 327 total yards offense to OAK’s 539, the latter vs the AFL’s top-ranked defense in ’68, KC’s, one that allowed just 12 points & 292 yards per contest.
Not unlike ’13 Chiefs & their over-hyped defense which came a cropper vs the only 3 decent teams they’ve played all year, one vs SD and vs DEN twice (0-3 a grim reminder that there be at least some teams NFL who are ‘not’ cupcakes, Chiefs opposition (their 10 wins having come vs losing teams, every.) MU is good, very good… but Auburn is the best in college football, my opine.
A rematch Auburn and Missouri? Same outcome likely – which is to ‘not’ to say turnabout as KC & OAK, but rather deja vu all over again, south-east Tigers of Auburn over the mid-central ones same, MU.
Great taste Auburn 59, but less (ful)filling for Mizzou, their 42. Fun game to watch though, least for those who not necessarily fans of Missouri.
Howard Richards (Mizzou radio color commentator, and former MU player) flat out hammered Dave Steckel and his defensive plan on STL radio. “I’ll be very frank, I was very confused by the defensive alignments we used.” “You have to start with AT LEAST four down lineman.” “I’m really befuddled by the whole situation.” “I feel bad for the players, because they were out of alignment and not put in the proper positions”
Went to the game Pinkel is a great recruiter but horrible game coach. The Auburn and Sec fans were a lot classier than the Big 12 fans.
Sounds like Nick Saban Jr.