Welcome to “Triple Option,” a weekly series in which The Maneater’s three Missouri Tigers football beat reporters give their thoughts on what went well in the previous game and aspects that could be improved for the next.
Missouri Tigers football suffered their first loss of the season Oct. 11, where they were defeated 27-24 by the Alabama Crimson Tide. Now, they sit at 5-1 and No. 16 in the AP Top 25 Poll, meaning hopes of a playoff berth are still alive and well.
Despite this singular loss, the game showed that the Tigers could hang with a top team in the nation. Their next game is at Auburn on Oct. 18. Here are a few highs and lows heading into the matchup.
The Good
Donovan Olugbode, Future Star – Tanner Coerr
Three catches for 55 yards may not seem deserving of an entire section of praise, but true freshman wide receiver Donovan Olugbode was one of the reasons Missouri remained competitive in the game until the very end. Olugbode’s story this season, especially following the game against Alabama, may well be one of underutilization — he did not catch his first pass until late in the fourth quarter — but he made great use of his limited playing time.
Olugbode’s first catch came with 1:48 left in the game. It was a 27-yard reception that turned a second-and-10 into a first-and-goal. He caught a touchdown on the very next play. On the Tigers’ ultimate drive, he picked up 25 yards with a tough fourth-and-six catch to keep Missouri’s hopes alive.
While the numbers don’t jump out of the box score, Olugbode’s proficiency in high-pressure situations is something you can’t teach. He did it against Kansas with a dazzling one-handed catch on fourth-and-10 and again on several occasions against the Crimson Tide. Depending on how long he stays in the Missouri black and gold, those types of catches could become second nature.
Fearsome front seven – Colin Simmons
When looking at Alabama redshirt junior quarterback Ty Simpson’s game at a glance, 200 passing yards and three touchdowns looks dominant, but the front seven did their job for the Tigers.
The defense totaled four sacks, seven tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. Junior defensive end Damon Wilson ll led all pass rushers with two sacks and recovered a fumble forced by senior defensive end Zion Young at the beginning of the third quarter. The takeaway gave Missouri the ball on the Crimson Tide’s 19-yard line put them in position to tie the game at 17-17.
Five different players had two quarterback hurries, putting effective pressure on Simpson, the Southeastern Conference’s third-best passer in terms of yards.
With Missouri’s first road tests coming, it needs pass rushers and run stoppers to be effective.
Beau Pribula displays offensive versatility – Cameron Brown
While it is true that graduate quarterback Beau Pribula had his weakest passing game so far this year, it was not all doom and gloom for the Tiger quarterback. Missouri struggled to find traction rushing the ball, however much of the success it did find came from Pribula, who led the Tigers with 61 rushing yards.
Pribula’s strong day running the ball included a shifty five-yard rushing touchdown where he dodged a defender before gliding into the endzone. This was Pribula’s fourth rushing touchdown of the year, and an impressive example of his arsenal on full display.
As Missouri continues to face tough SEC defenses, having another option when plays break down will prove to be a valuable part of the Tigers’ offense.
The Bad
Confusing play calling – Tanner Coerr
Star running back Ahmad Hardy had only 12 carries for loss — a workload that did not sufficiently utilize his abilities. As a team, the Tigers carried only 28 times, by far their lowest total of the season. Pribula has shown that his performance is tied to the efficacy of the run game, and offensive coordinator Kirby Moore’s pass-heavy gameplan left too much reliance on Pribula’s passing ability in the early stages of his career as a starter.
Defensively, there were also play calling qualms. One play stands out above the rest –– where defensive coordinator Corey Batoon chose to send the defense deep on third-and-24, allowing Alabama’s Kevin Riley to pick up 16 yards with a simple underneath route. Had the Tigers elected to forgo the prevent defense and bring pressure,or even sit in a standard zone, they would likely have forced the Crimson Tide to punt or try a very long field goal, rather than allowing the eventual score.
If the Tigers’ coordinators continue to call plays in a way that goes against their unit’s identity, Missouri fans may be in for more heartbreak.
Run game fails expectations – Colin Simmons
For the standard the Tigers’ offense has set this season, 163 yards on the ground is a disappointment. Missouri’s rushing attack has combined for over 200 yards in every game besides the Alabama matchup. More surprisingly, Hardy, a Heisman Trophy candidate, was having an impressive sophomore campaign, but got shut down to 52 yards on 12 carries.
The Tigers didn’t have time on their side against the Crimson Tide, losing the possession battle by 17 minutes. Combine that with playing from behind, and it was difficult to get their starting runningback an adequate amount of carries.
It starts with the defense helping to shrink the time of possession margin by getting opposing offenses off the field quicker, so Missouri can establish its run game. There were still chunk plays on the ground, but the offense didn’t have the luxury to hand the ball off as much as it usually does.
Long defensive drives and short offensive counterparts – Cameron Brown
A simple key to winning in college football is to possess the ball longer than your opponent. Prior to their matchup with the Crimson Tide, the Tigers had been dominant in controlling the pace of the game. Missouri had won the possession battle in every game so far this season, and in some cases, like the win against Kansas, the margin was wide.
Whether it be their lack of a rushing attack, or their issues with third downs, the Tigers were shut down when facing Alabama. The Crimson Tide had the ball for over 38 minutes in this game, leading to 19 more plays run on offense compared to Missouri.
As the Tigers continue SEC play, it will be vital to find more success at putting together longer offensive drives and being able to get opponents off the field on defense.
