Mizzou’s top two quarterback’s, starter James Franklin and backup Maty Mauk combined to go just 11 of 22 for 93 yards and a touchdown…for the most part, the Tigers offense looked anemic against the defense in the final scrimmage of the fall.
To me, it looked like they were just going through the motions…a lack of concentration. Penalties, dropped passed, balls thrown off the mark. I asked offensive coordinator Josh Henson if perhaps the offensive players just saw the light at the end of the tunnel with the season opener a week from Saturday. He wasn’t sure, but said if that was the case that was a lack of maturity.
A couple of more injuries the Tigers need to deal with, but Head Coach Gary Pinkel wasn’t too concerned. He expects CB E.J. Gaines back by the start of the season. DT Matt Hoch has a triceps injury that won’t force him to miss much more time. Center Evan Boehm had a sore foot and was held out the scrimmage for precautionary reasons. He’ll be back at practice on Saturday. Then, at the end of practice during PAT attempts, defensive end Michael Sam hobbled off the field with a lower leg injury. It looked serious at the time, but Sam was walking better by the end of the practice. Pinkel wasn’t concerned, he said Sam was “a little bit Hollywood.”
