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Alabama Crimson Tide: Know Your Foe – Mizzou Edition

This past Saturday, the Alabama Crimson Tide faced off against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Alabama has dominated all five previous opponents in 2018 and Saturday was no different. The Tide jumped out to a 41-14 lead in the first half, and the offense kept rolling through the second half. Arkansas was able to score more points against the Bama defense than anyone else has. Unfortunately for the Razorbacks, Alabama scored more points than they have this season and rolled to a 65-31 victory.

Tua Tagovailoa had another amazing outing completing 10-of-13 for 334 yards and four touchdowns. It is also important to note that Tua has not thrown an interception yet this season. As for the running game, Damien Harris finally got involved and rushed 15 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns. The Tide defense held the Hogs to 17 points until the final quarter with less than nine minutes left when they scored 14 more. Arkansas was held to 405 yards of total offense and turned the ball over three times to Alabama.

Alabama Crimson Tide: Know Your Foe – Mizzou Edition

This week Bama meets the first of two SEC East teams that they will face this season. The Missouri Tigers travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to face the Tide on Saturday at 6:00 pm. Mizzou is coming off a heartbreaking loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium. It was a game that saw everything from a monsoon-like rainfall to lightning delay to five leads changes down the stretch. In the end, South Carolina was able to drive down the field and kick a field goal for the 34-32 win over the Tigers. Without further ado, it’s time to Know Your Foe.

Mizzou Offense

With first-year offensive coordinator Derek Dooley on the staff, the Tiger offense has new life. So far this season, the Tigers have put up 51 points against the University of Tennessee – Martin Skyhawks, 40 against the Wyoming Cowboys and the Purdue Boilermakers. All three of these games were wins, but Mizzou then lost to the second-ranked Georgia Bulldogs 43-29.

The Mizzou offense has been averaging 543 yards per game and it has come from a pass-heavy offense. Mizzou is averaging 347 yards passing per game but are not completely dependent on the pass. The Tigers are also rushing for 193 yards per game. Here are the key contributors to the Tigers success:

Quarterback

Drew Lock –The 6’4”, 225-pound Senior has thrown for 1487 yards, 11 touchdown, and four interceptions.

Running Backs

Larry Roundtree – A 5’10”, 210-pound Sophomore that has rushed 55 times for 293 yards and two touchdowns.
Damarea Crockett – A 5’11”, 225-pound Junior who has rushed 50 times for 199 yards and two touchdowns.

Wide Receivers

Emanuel Hall – The 6’3”, 95-pound Senior has 18 receptions for 430 yards and three touchdowns.
Johnathon Johnson – The 5’10”, 180-pound Redshirt Junior has 18 receptions for 200 yards and three touchdowns.

Tight End

Albert Okwuegbunam – The 6’5”, 255-pound Redshirt Sophomore has 23 receptions for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

Tigers Defense

The 2018 Mizzou Tigers defense has been decent holding their first two opponents to 14 points (UT-Martin) and 13 points (Wyoming). Since then, however, they have been exposed by offenses. Purdue scored 37 points, Georgia scored 43 points and South Carolina scored 37 points on a once stingy defense. This is a trend that is going to have to come to an end if Mizzou wants a chance to slow down the potent offense of Alabama.

Here are the top defenders for the Mizzou Tigers:

Cale Garrett – Junior Linebacker – 6’3”, 230-pounds – 24 tackles, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries
Adam Sparks – Sophomore Defensive Back – 6’, 180-pounds 22 tackles, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hurry
Terez Hall – Senior Linebacker – 6’2”, 230-pounds – 18 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, two quarterback hurries and one forced fumble
Cam Hilton – Senior Safety – 6’, 190-pounds -15 tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception and one fumble recovery
Nate Anderson – Senior Defensive Lineman – 6’4”, 255-pounds – 13 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack

Mizzou Tigers Coaching Staff

Barry Odom is in his third season at Mizzou and has an overall record of 14-16 since taking over in 2015. Odom has spent most of hire career with the Mizzou football program serving as a Graduate Assistant in 2003, Safeties Coach from 2009-2011 and Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach in 2015. From 2012-2014 he was the Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach for the Memphis Tigers. From 2004-2008 Odom was the Director of Recruiting and Football Operations for Mizzou.

This past offseason Odom hired Dallas Cowboys Wide Receivers Coach and former Tennessee Volunteers Head Coach, Derek Dooley as Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach. After his failed attempt as Head Coach for Tennessee, many wondered if Derek Dooley would ever be back in college football. Thinking that he would be back in the SEC was something that never crossed anyone’s mind, but here he is and is having some success with the Mizzou offense in his first season.

Wrap Up and Prediction

The Missouri Tigers started the season off 3-0 but have dropped their last two games to SEC East opponents. Unless they can get back on track within a week, Alabama will have no issue rolling through this game like they have so far this season. The Tide has amassed 335 points through six games. The record for the most points scored in a single season is held by the 2013 Florida State Seminoles with 723. Alabama is nearly half way to that at the halfway point of the regular season. If Bama continues to blast through opponents the way that they are, that record will have a new team name beside of it by the end of the 2018 season. Prediction: Tide rolls 52-27.

Main Photo Credit:

File Photo: ATLANTA, GA – DECEMBER 06: DeAndrew White #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide tries to avoid the tackle of Aarion Penton #11 of the Missouri Tigers. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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