Description

Led by seventh-year coach Gary Pinkel, the Missouri Tigers returns 15 starters from last year’s team that finished with an 8-5 record, including 4-4 in the North. Among the returning starters is junior quarterback Chase Daniel, who last season established school records for touchdown passes (28), passing yards (3,527) and total offense (3,906). Daniel is a former Texas High School star from Southlake Carroll high school. Besides Daniel, the Tigers return 7 other starters on offense including 1,000-yard rusher Tony Temple and wide receiver Will Franklin, who is considered the most underrated player on the team. Franklin missed the final 3 games of last season and still had more than 800 yards receiving, averaging over 17 yard per catch.

As every good football fan knows, offensive sell tickets, and Missouri has offensive coming out of it’s ears, but it is defense that wins championships and the Tigers are very vulnerable in this area. They only return 5 starters from a unit that gave up 29 points per game in their 5 losses in 2006. Although the Tigers ranked 3rd in the Big 12 in total defense, they got progressively worse as the season wore on. The Tigers gave up 10 points per game in the first 5 games of the season, but then allowed more than 25 point the remaining season. Missouri was the most vulnerable on their defensive line and more specifically against the run. Oklahoma, Texas A & M and Nebraska ran the ball at least 47 times in wins against the Tigers. If the Tigers are going to content for the Big 12 championship they have to step it up in this area.

Overall I see the Tigers going an impressive 9-2 this season and 6-2 in the Big 12, losing only to the Oklahoma Sooners and Nebraska Cornhuskers, finishing second to the Huskers for the Big 12 North title.