Missouri transfers and defense shine in Murray State shutout
Missouri football faced Murray State in their season opener on Thursday night. The Tigers came into the game ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll following a historic season. However, key departures in the 2023 off-season created uncertainty regarding how Missouri would fare in 2024.
Undeterred by the chatter, the Tigers routed the Racers 51-0. Here’s what we learned from Missouri’s domination.
Offensive Inconsistency
The Tiger offense exploded early, scoring 28 points in the opening quarter.
Quarterback Brady Cook and receiver Luther Burden III played great together last season, connecting on nine touchdown passes. The two Tigers rediscovered their rhythm immediately, with Burden catching a 16-yard pass to score the first points for Missouri after less than three minutes of playing time.
This was one of four touchdowns that Missouri racked up in the first quarter, the other three coming from a pair of rushing touchdowns and a pick six.
After an electric first quarter, the offense stalled significantly. Less than a minute into the second quarter, the Tigers failed a jet sweep that resulted in Burden fumbling for their first turnover of the game. The two subsequent Missouri drives both ended in punts.
The only score of the slow second quarter derived from Cook’s three-yard quarterback scramble with one second remaining in the half. While this gave the Tigers a nice 35-0 lead, the quarter was stagnant.
The Tigers never regained their fiery first-quarter momentum, as they only scored 16 more points the remainder of the game. Nine of those 16 points came from field goals, with freshman Blake Craig going three for three.
Transfers make an impact
The Tigers lost several crucial playmakers to the 2024 NFL Draft. Notably, First-Team All-American running back Cody Schrader, First-Team All-SEC defensive lineman Darius Robinson and defensive back Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
Multiple transfers were added to the Tiger’s roster to help fill the gaps left by the NFL bound players. The transfer portal gifted Missouri 15 players, five of which are 4-stars, according to On3 Composite rankings.
One of the four stars is Clemson cornerback transfer Toriano Pride Jr. Pride came up big in the first quarter when he picked off Murray State quarterback Jayden Johannsen and ran 25 yards to the end zone, putting the Tigers up 21-0.
A pair of transfer running backs also made their marks in their first appearance with Missouri, with Nate Noel from Appalachian State and Marcus Carroll from Georgia State running in for a touchdown each. Noel scored from nine yards out, while Carroll rushed to the right side of the field for a one-yard touchdown.
Noel also led the team in rushing yards, picking up 48 yards on 11 carries. In addition, he racked up 20 receiving yards on four receptions.
Defense Shines
One of the biggest concerns surrounding this 2024 Missouri team was their defense. Losing several talented starters to the NFL was a setback, but the Tigers were adamant to prove this would not be a hindrance.
The Missouri defense looked solid against Murray State, forcing two turnovers and shutting the Racers down.
Aside from Pride’s pick six, defensive tackle Chris McClellan sacked Murray State’s Johannsen and forced a fumble, which was recovered by defensive end Joe Moore. This fumble recovery put the Tigers on the 10-yard line and set them up for a touchdown, extending their lead to 45-0.
Linebackers Corey Flagg Jr. and Triston Newson looked strong, leading the team in tackles. Each defender logged five, with three solo stops and one tackle for loss.
Missouri will evaluate their strengths and weaknesses as they prepare for Buffalo this Saturday at 6 p.m. The defense will hope to continue their domination as the offense aims to replicate some of the magic they found in the first quarter.
Edited by Michael Stamps | mstamps@themaneater.com
Copyedited by Natalie Kientzy
Copyedited by Hannah Taylor | htaylor@themaneater.com
Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com