I’m not here to criticize offensive coordinator Dave Yost for play calling following Missouri’s 24-17 loss at Kansas State on Saturday, but once he looks at the Iowa State-Baylor game from this weekend, his game plan should be pretty clear…get the ball to Henry Josey more.
Baylor QB Robert Griffin ran for a season-high 107 yards, and Terrance Ganaway rushed for a career-high 200 yards and three scores as the #25 Bears beat Iowa State 49-26 on Saturday night. Baylor had 391 rushing yards, bouncing back from their 36-35 loss where they blew a nine point lead in the fourth at K-State.
Through the first five games, Josey is averaging 10.7 yards per carry and 117 yards per game. Now, K-State held those numbers down as Josey finished with just 55 yards on 12 carries. I’m not sure how much of that was K-State or just Missouri not giving a solid effort, but I think some credit needs to be given to the Wildcats, they did play well.
Last Monday, Gary Pinkel talked about getting Josey involved against K-State and how important that was. “From a standpoint of offensive touches, how many times you want [Josey] touching the football or carrying the football, getting it in his hands as many times as we can, that’s probably wise to do,” said Pinkel.
I’m not sure a dozen carries were enough?
Josey didn’t get a running call until the second quarter when he pounded out runs of 22, 7 and 7 which helped lead Missouri to an eventual field goal and a 10-3 deficit. After that Josey had nine carries for 19 yards, but the kid is just so elusive in the open field, I’d like to see Yost utilize him a little more on designed screen passes. Franklin threw to him just once. It was on the second possession, 3rd and 19 and Josey dropped the ball and they never went back to him.
Iowa State let Griffin complete his first 11 passes, but Baylor fumbled twice keeping them out of the end zone and the Cyclone defense which is respectable managed to sack Griffin three times, so I would imagine if Missouri focuses on Franklin keeping the ball, Iowa State will contain him. Franklin is good, but he’s not Griffin. All the more reason to find more ways to use Josey.
