Fresh off a much-needed victory and one of the better defensive performances of the season, Missouri’s youthful secondary knows it doesn’t have time to relax.
The Tigers are in for one heck of a workout Saturday when No. 4 Oklahoma State and its nationally ranked passing attack come to Columbia.
“Any time they’re going to pass the ball 50 times a game or have receivers like Justin Blackmon, it’s always fun,” sophomore cornerback E.J. Gaines said. “The competition is always fun.”
“Fun” is just one of many ways to describe the prolific Oklahoma State offense. The Cowboys are second in the nation in total offense, averaging 49.2 points per game. The key to their success lies with the combo of senior quarterback Brandon Weeden and junior receiver Justin Blackmon.
To say that Blackmon continues to be a problem for opposing defenses is an understatement. He has 27 receiving touchdowns and 155 receptions over his last 18 games and has scored at least once in all but one game this season.
The consensus among the Missouri secondary is that Blackmon is already worthy of playing in the NFL. The 6-foot 1-inch, 215-pound receiver’s “swagger and confidence” reminded senior cornerback Kip Edwards of San Francisco 49ers wideout Michael Crabtree, and Gaines compared him to a former Missouri star.
“I would say he’s kind of like a (Jeremy Maclin),” Gaines said. “He’s quick, he’s fast and he runs pretty well. He’s really (an) NFL receiver more than a college football player. Having said that, we also have a pretty good defense. So, we have to come out and stop him.”
So far, that’s been easier said than done for OSU’s opponents.
Part of the problem is that the player throwing him the ball is just as dangerous. Weeden is sixth nationally in passing yards per game (349.7). The 28-year-old brings a wealth of experience and refined skill to his position.
“(His quick release) is something I’ve noticed, but he also has great timing with his receivers,” Edwards said. “It’s going to be a major deal for us to be in and out of our breaks this week. (His maturity) is a huge asset for him at the position. He is older than most guys playing quarterback in the NFL right now.”
Missouri’s secondary is coming off a high after limiting Iowa State to just 186 passing yards and forcing an interception. But the Tigers will have to be even more aggressive this weekend, since Oklahoma State leads the Big 12 Conference in turnover margin at plus-12. Weeden is third nationally with 31.5 completions per game and hasn’t thrown an interception in three weeks.
“That’s a big asset to their offense, and really as a team,” Gaines said of Weeden’s efficiency. “Their defense gets a lot of turnovers and they don’t turn over the ball, so if you have a gameplan like that and have a team like that, you’ll be good and that’s why their record is the way it is.”
For Missouri, Oklahoma State is just the beginning of a tough stretch in the schedule. With road tests at Texas A&M and Baylor ahead, Missouri coach Gary Pinkel knows the Cowboys are just a taste of the conference’s offensive firepower.
“We’ve seen some offenses in this league over the years that have been very explosive,” Pinkel said. “We have four or five offenses in this league right now that are really explosive so this is one of many we are going to see. This is just a glimpse.”