The UPS and Downs of Missouri’s Week One Win Over South Dakota
It’s hard to complain when starting off the season with a 35-10 victory over South Dakota. Yet Missouri’s win still left a little to be desired. The Tigers started off great and led 28-3 at halftime. Only posting seven points in the second half, though, has left some fans uncertain of what to expect moving forward. Overreactions and mixed emotions are typical after week one. So the best thing to do is ignore the chit-chat on social media and focus on what happened on the field. Everything from the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The Good
The Missouri defense looks as good as many expected in the season opener, holding FCS South Dakota to just 10 points. Johnny Walker played a solid game and freshman Marvin Burks introduced himself to the Mizzou faithful with an electric sack on fourth down. Ty’Ron Hopper reminded everyone that he is pretty good at football. Missouri’s cornerback duo of Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw did their jobs (except Rakestraw should have an interception. But he opted for a flashier one-handed catch unsuccessfully).
Tre’Vez Johnson was a pleasant surprise, as the Florida transfer made a few solid tackles in the open field. Overall the defense was solid. The dropped interception and missed fumble recovery show room for improvement. But overall the unit did its job and Missouri fans should be satisfied with their effort. Shout out to the special teams unit for its blocked punt as well.
The Bad
The play-calling may have been the most disappointing aspect of the game for Missouri fans. After a season of dink-and-dunk passes and check downs to running backs, Missouri fans were hoping for a new, exciting offense in 2023. A new offensive coordinator in Kirby Moore, a new offensive line coach in Brandon Jones, and transfers like Cam’Ron Johnson, Theo Wease, and Jake Garcia brought a fresh feel to Mizzou football. However, when the Missouri offense took the field, every viewer on TV and in the stadium began to wonder if any of those changes were real or just a dream. Mizzou’s opening drive featured a few screen passes and stretch run plays before a punt.
The offense eventually got going and put up 28 first-half points. Brady Cook delivered a laser beam pass to Mekhi Miller to open the scoring, and Nathaniel Peat and Cody Schrader both had good games. There was still a lack of aggression and downfield shot plays, and the offensive line was penalized a few times. Many will hope it was just week one jitters, but overall there were higher expectations for the Tigers’ offense to open the season.
The Ugly
What happened to Harrison Mevis? The “thicker kicker” was a fan favorite during his freshman season when he only missed one field goal and made huge kicks against Boston College and Arkansas. His sophomore season started rough, as he missed a chip shot to beat Auburn at the buzzer. He managed to make up for it with a huge 5/5 performance against Georgia, but now fans are upset once more.
Mevis started off his junior season by missing both of his field goal attempts, one being just a 30-yarder. The former Lou Groza Award finalist seems to be regressing once more. Two years ago, Mizzou fans didn’t even need to watch any field goal attempts to know three points were being put on the scoreboard. Now, their hands get sweaty watching an extra point attempt. A consistent kicker can be the difference between a good team and a great team. Missouri clearly doesn’t have the offense to blow out their opponents, and coming off of a season where they lost four games by one possession, they need a trustworthy kicker. If Mevis doesn’t turn it around, fans will be chanting for Blake Craig to get a shot.
The Silver Lining
It was just week one! Missouri won! 1-0! After every win (or loss) there will always be room for improvement. Just remember nobody can be perfect. The Tigers have a matchup with Middle Tennessee State next week to iron out any more wrinkles before their first big-time matchup of the season with Kansas State. After week three, the fanbase will know what this team is really capable of. Until then, enjoy watching Luther Burden make defenders look silly.
Photo courtesy: Abigail Landwehr/Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK
