Missouri coach Gary Pinkel seems like he would have significant reason to worry about his team’s secondary.
Sophomore cornerback [Aarion Penton was arrested at 1:40 a.m. Friday](https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2014/11/7/aarion-penton-suspended-indefinitely-following-arr/) on suspicion of marijuana possession. He was subsequently suspended indefinitely from the football program.
The Mizzou defense was already depleted. After being ejected for targeting in Mizzou’s victory over Kentucky two weeks ago, senior safety Braylon Webb was already suspended for the first half of the game against Texas A&M. Webb is the most experienced safety in the Southeastern Conference with 39 starts.
However, even with the Tigers preparing to face one of the nation’s most high-powered offenses in the Aggies, Pinkel supported the players’ replacements, junior safety Cortland Browning and sophomore cornerback John Gibson.
“There’s no choice,” Pinkel said. “You’ve got to expect your players to go out and play well. People around (Browning and Gibson) playing really well can help those guys play well.”
Webb is banned from the sideline until the start of the second half, so he cannot act as a mentor to players starting in place of him.
“Bottom line is there’s no excuses,” Pinkel said. “We’ve got to go out and perform at a high level.”
Defensive coordinator Dave Steckel spoke highly of the two replacements. He said the defense will do “absolutely nothing different.”
Browning said he will treat his first start — in his home state of Texas — like any other game.
“It’s just football and that’s all it is,” Browning said.
Junior starting safety Ian Simon said he will embrace a leadership role in the secondary with Webb sidelined for the first half.
“This is what it’s going to be like next year,” Simon said. “I’m not going to have (Webb) to hold my hand. I don’t see any drop-off.”
Simon also spoke to the depth and experience that Mizzou has in the secondary.
“It’s business as usual,” Simon said. “We’ve got guys that can play across the board. Just because you’re the starter doesn’t mean the guy behind you isn’t just as capable.”
Regardless of who is lining up at safety or corner for the Tigers, they will face a significant challenge against either of the Aggies’ quarterbacks, Kyle Allen or Kenny Hill. With Hill returning from a two-game suspension, Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin has not named a starting quarterback for this week’s game.
Hill, a sophomore, had been behind center for the Aggies’ first eight games this season before he was suspended for violating team rules. Despite missing the past two games, Hill leads the conference in passing touchdowns, passing yards, and total offense. He is eligible to return for the game against Mizzou, however, after Texas A&M’s upset of then-No. 3 Auburn, the Aggies might stick with true freshman Kyle Allen, who threw for 277 yards and four touchdowns against Auburn. He was also named the Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week for his effort.
“Both (Hill and Allen), I think, are very talented players,” Pinkel said. “What we try to do as a defensive staff is try and find out if they do certain things with one that they don’t do with the other. Then, you adjust your calls by whoever is in the game.”
Coming off a bye week following three consecutive victories, Pinkel said his team is up for the challenge in spite of its depleted secondary.
“It was good to get away,” Pinkel said. “Now, let’s lock in and let’s get going.”