Tanking it vs. Texas no way for Tigers to gain fans’ trust
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This column’s preconceived game plan was this: Despite a loss to Texas, the real defining stretch for a young Missouri football team is straight ahead against its Big 12 North peers.
But the game plan had to change, because when a team tanks it as bad as Missouri tanked it in a 41-7 loss to Texas last night, it doesn’t get off the hook that easily. The Tigers were physically overmatched, yes, but also ill-prepared and mentally elsewhere.
By the third quarter, most of the sold-out crowd was physically elsewhere. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Memorial Stadium as empty during a game as it was in the fourth quarter.
Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel sounded like he wanted to join them. Unlike the last two losses against Nebraska and Oklahoma State, when Pinkel was upbeat in his postgame press conference, this time he was way down. He wasn’t angry, just genuinely disappointed.
“We had remarkable fans — that stadium was just awesome — and everything we’ve asked them to do, they do. And I have my team play the way it does,” he said, shaking his head with disgust. “Not very good.”
Third-ranked Texas is very good and most likely will wind up in the BCS National Championship Game. Quarterback Colt McCoy is a born winner. The defense is the best Missouri will face this year. But there’s no need to genuflect at the sight of burnt orange, as the Tigers have done the last two years.
From the first play from scrimmage, Missouri’s defense seemed unaware that this No. 8 fellow — wide receiver Jordan Shipley, a sixth-year senior and an All-America candidate — deserved any special attention. Even after it became obvious that cornerback Carl Gettis couldn’t cover Shipley, Gettis continued to cover Shipley. Gettis, who also got scorched by John Chiles for a 34-yard touchdown, was finally yanked at halftime, but the damage was long since done.
It was almost like watching the 2008 Tigers play pass defense, with 11 guys running 11 separate schemes. The difference was, it wasn’t like watching the 2008 Tigers play offense.
On Missouri’s first play from scrimmage, the Tigers were barely in their stances when guard Austin Wuebbels false-started. And so it went.
The end of the first half was a series of unfortunate decisions for Missouri. After Shipley beat Gettis for a touchdown, Kendial Lawrence caught the kickoff while drifting backward into the end zone. He tried to return it but was smothered at the 10-yard line. After two negative-yardage running plays and an incompletion, Jake Harry’s attempt at a rugby punt looked more like a roundhouse kick to the stomach of Texas’ onrushing Curtis Brown. UT’s Malcolm Williams recovered the blocked kick for a touchdown, making the halftime score 35-7.
About half the crowd was gone by the time MU quarterback Blaine Gabbert left the game midway through the third quarter. Texas defensive end Eddie Jones twisted Gabbert’s cranky ankle on a sack. Pinkel said Gabbert could have returned, but what was the point?
Jimmy Costello struggled in relief, throwing two interceptions, so there isn’t a traditional quarterback controversy. The debate is whether Missouri would be better served to sit Gabbert out until the ankle heals. I know a lot of people disagree, but I don’t think Pinkel has that luxury. If Gabbert is healthy enough to give Missouri a better chance to win than Costello, he should play.
At 4-3 overall and 0-3 in the Big 12, time isn’t on the Tigers’ side. Five games remain against teams with comparable talent. Hard as it is to believe, Missouri isn’t even out of the Big 12 North race.
That was the original point of this column. But that’s a topic for another day. Optimism doesn’t come that cheap.
Reach Joe Walljasper at (573) 815-1782
or jwalljasper@columbiatribune.com.
Reach Joe Walljasper at 573-815-1783 or e-mail jwalljasper@columbiatribune.com.
10 reader comments
The opinions expressed below are those of the readers who submitted them and not those of the Tribune's reporters or editors. Readers are solely responsible for the content of their comments.
OrlandoKeith says...
Well for those of you wanting to see MU in a BCS bowl or the championship game that was it last night. That's what it would be like. We may have played the eventual BCS champion last night. Tough to spin any positives out of this but I will try. Really like our defensive ends and linebackers. Spoon, Ebner, and Gachkar show they can play with anybody. Same with Smiths and Coulter. We need some D tackles like a Sheldon Richardson in the near future.
It's painfully obvious that our secondary is.......well pathetic really. It's easy too see how teams game plan for us by the pass. We do pretty well against the rush but just have our spirits broken with the pass coverage. Sorry to bag on Gettis but that guy should not be on the field as a starting D-back. Make sure you get a degree Carl and a decent paying office job because pro football is not in your future my friend. Unless it's the arena league where it's tougher for receivers to get behind you on that 50 yard field. Just for the record none of the others are good either. I like Jasper Simmons and Kenji Jackson but they are still learning. We need some serious recruits for these positions.
Offensively really like KL and his potential. Wouldn't upset me, nor others I'm guessing, if D-Wash was knocked down to the #2 back. It's clear KL is quicker and better at reading the holes. Beginning to wonder why GP made the statement this spring that he thinks this is the best offensive line he's ever had? They are average.
So it's time to suck up and play for pride. These next 5 games will be a litmus test as to how good or bad this team really is.
October 25, 2009 at 12:53 p.m. ( link | suggest removal )
rocks_off says...
When is this newspaper is going to write something tough and critical on Pinkel
October 25, 2009 at 3:15 p.m. ( link | suggest removal )
charlesthegreat says...
Mr. Walljasper - very good article. My only slight disagreement is that I believe Mizzou IS out of the Big 12 North race. This has become a dis-spirited group, failed by its coaching staff. Kansas will walk all over us; Iowa State (which just won with a third-string QB) and Kansas State are no longer walk-overs; leaving Colorado (capable of beating us) and Baylor (are they still a Div I team). So it is entirely possible that we will end the season at 5 - 7; thank goodness those 4 walk-over opponents were scheduled to start the season.
October 25, 2009 at 3:50 p.m. ( link | suggest removal )
SethDaniel says...
I thought I put a nice comment on here this morning, but somehow it was removed. What did I say wrong other that the defense is awful and Gettis should be gone from the team, as well as Hardy Ricks and that whole crop of inept d-backs. We do need good recruiting at that position, but unfortunately we haven't done that at all. No good d-backs coming in so far in 2010 or 2011. Same old crop of what looks to be good athletes who have no ability to cover B12 pass receivers. This will be our achilles heel for some time to come. Yuck. ZO PU!
October 25, 2009 at 4:56 p.m. ( link | suggest removal )
BPA_rep says...
Unfortunately, I have to agree with all that was said. This team is past re-loading as they tried to use a PR spin on the fact that it is rebuilding. But it is tough and almost impossible to rebuild when you cannot get the quality talent that Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and even Nebraska seems capable of recruiting. We have to do whatever it is that we did to get Chase Daniel, Chase Patton, Tony Temple, Chase Coffman, Martin Rucker and Jeremy Maclin type of players. Denario is an incredible talent. But without the rest of the cast, the Tigers are toothless. It seems that D-Wash is yet to mentally get over the injury that he suffered last season. Odd but it seems that he played better injured. As for Gabbert, he's listed as a 5 star recruit? I mean I realize that this is his first year starting but Chase Daniel did some incredible things in his first year. So did Brad Smith. And I am tired of people saying things like "freshman mistakes." The kids in Michigan, USC and Miami (FL) are Freshmen and playing some phenomenal football. So don't give me that crap!
October 25, 2009 at 6:53 p.m. ( link | suggest removal )
sjf says...
I thinking it comes down to the coaching pinkle needs to start calling the offensive plays. and we to start hiring coaches outside then promoting from within
October 25, 2009 at 9:14 p.m. ( link | suggest removal )
gocatgo says...
This game reminds me of the Kansas game last year - especially on defense. They just looked like they lacked any kind of hustle. When Gettis was getting burnt for the nth time right before halftime by Shipley, he didn't jump, stretch out his hand or anything. It was like he was accepting of the fact that he was beaten and very much OK with it.
Thank goodness for Spoon and his performance. Maybe he needs to start sharing whatever it is he's on with the rest of the team.
October 25, 2009 at 10:04 p.m. ( link | suggest removal )
CharlesReese says...
BPA_rep,
You need to understand something. If you are a freshman quarterback and you have a plethora of talent around you, your job as a quarterback is going to be much easier. Blaine doesn't have the talent around him like say Matt Barkley from USC. Texas and Oklahoma can recruit 5 star and 4 star talent because of their prestigious programs. Coach Pinkel and his coaches are to blame for not being mentally prepared. These guys have got to get back to coaching. The last I checked, I believe that's what they're getting paid to do.
October 26, 2009 at 8:49 a.m. ( link | suggest removal )
SwampeastTiger says...
chuckreese,
i believe he does have the talent in the receiving core, Gabbert just doesn't have good football instincts. By his senior year sure he probably will be awesome, if he wins the job from James Franklin who is tearing it up down in Texas this year.
Gabbert was a Five Star recruit because of his size and mechanics, (he looks the part) however the kid really hasn't done anything phenomenal during High School or since. (Bloggers don't get on here and mention lllinois or any other game against the St. Agnes School of the Blind)
I believe James Franklin will be the future at this position. Check out PowerMizzou.com
October 26, 2009 at 12:53 p.m. ( link | suggest removal )
CharlesReese says...
SwampeastTiger don't call me chuck!
Blaine doesn't have the talent around him at the receiving position like Matt Barkley. Say what you may, but from what I've seen the receiving group isn't all that good.
October 26, 2009 at 1:03 p.m. ( link | suggest removal )
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