'Overrated' Missouri offense exposed

[Igetbored216]

Published Wednesday December 31, 2008

Jason Whitlock: 'Overrated' Missouri offense exposed

BY JASON WHITLOCK

THE KANSAS CITY STAR

 

SAN ANTONIO — It's all under review now — the Chase Daniel-Dave Christensen-spread offense era at Missouri.

 

Once hailed as the revolutionary force that turned the Tigers into national-title contenders, Daniel, the starting quarterback; Christensen, the offensive coordinator who is leaving for Wyoming; and the spread exited the Alamodome looking like frauds.

 

How you remember Daniel, Christensen and Missouri's pass-happy offense is likely to hinge on what type of bet you placed on Monday night's Alamo Bowl that pitted the Tigers against the Northwestern Wildcats.

 

If you made a friendly wager that involved only a modest amount of embarrassment or didn't include the point spread, you'll do your best to remember the good times and ignore the unexplainable collapses.

 

If you're slightly unethical, called a bookie and tried to rehabilitate your 401(k), it may be several years before you speak Daniel and Christensen's names fondly.

 

The Tigers, 12-point favorites Monday, slipped by the Wildcats 30-23 in overtime, thanks largely to embarrassingly conservative late-game strategy and offensive play-calling by the Northwestern coaching staff.

 

Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel owes Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald a long thank-you note.

 

Northwestern simply refused to score points in the fourth quarter. Fitzgerald stood on his sideline, dropped to his knees and prayed that the clock would expire during the final quarter. Rather than throw deep against Missouri's vulnerable cornerbacks and safeties, Fitzgerald had his quarterback throw slants, screens and occasional dumps over the middle of the field.

 

With a chance to drive for the game-winning field goal at the end of regulation, Fitzgerald ran the ball once, threw sideways twice and punted. The Kansas City Chiefs coach Herm Edwards must be Fitzgerald's coaching role model.

 

Whatever, the Wildcats are always irrelevant when it comes to big-time football. Northwestern traveled to San Antonio to reveal things about the Tigers.

 

The questions that were raised about the Tigers in season-ending losses to Kansas and Oklahoma were all answered Monday night.

 

The answers were unpleasant and unflattering. The Tigers never belonged in the 2007 or 2008 national-title race. They were overrated. Daniel has been a bit overrated, too. His inclusion in the 2007 Heisman Trophy hunt was a stretch. He's as much a system quarterback as the kids who play for Texas Tech coach Mike Leach every year.

 

And Christensen's spread?

 

Well, that's the biggest fraud of them all. I'll explain why in a few paragraphs, but first I want to deal with Missouri's wild postgame celebration, which included Pinkel shrieking, "How 'bout dem Tigers!?!?" into a live microphone.

 

When Northwestern's final overtime pass fell incomplete, preserving the Tigers' narrow victory, the Missouri players danced across the field as if they had just beaten Kansas in the Border War or Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship.

 

The Tigers had every right to be happy. They won an exciting, close game. But this wasn't some sort of a groundbreaking victory. This was an escape from embarrassment. This was John Gotti beating racketeering charges after killing two witnesses and a jury member.

 

There was reason to be happy, but there was no reason for the Tigers to act as if they earned it.

 

The celebration told the truth about the Tigers. They realize they have been overrated, and they were elated to get lucky and avoid being completely exposed.

 

This is a team that started the year fantasizing about a national-title run and finished it celebrating wildly in a half-empty Alamodome. That's quite a fall.

 

Christensen had better be glad he landed on his feet at Wyoming before anybody saw this game. His spread is a joke. He spends too much time throwing to receivers not named Chase Coffman and Jeremy Maclin.

 

I like the spread, especially when a team has equal playmakers across the field. The Tigers don't have equality in their receiving corps.

 

I spent all night Monday begging Daniel and Christensen to throw the ball to Coffman. He finished with seven receptions for 67 yards. Maclin grabbed seven for 39. They both needed twice as many touches, particularly Coffman.

 

He caught everything in his area code. He's the best receiver (hands only) who has ever played at Mizzou. Had the Tigers fed Coffman all night, they would have won by two or three touchdowns, and Daniel wouldn't have tossed three interceptions.

 

The picks eroded Daniel's confidence. He became more inaccurate as the night progressed. For the game, he finished 27 of 44 for 200 yards. That's 7.4 yards per completion, and 4.5 yards per pass attempt.

 

It was a bad night for Daniel, Christensen and the Tigers. There was reason to exhale, but little reason to celebrate.

[holvy83]

that overrated O still put 52 on us!

[tattooedhusker]

two totally different teams, wish we had a shot at em' later in the season

[fro daddy]

whitlock is a tool. known more for bashing things who knows nothing about then actually writting anything worth reading.

 

Other notables from him include, the "Tatoo" story about the NBA, writting about the Royals yet never attending a game nor press conference, weekly articles about Carl Peterson and why the Chiefs need to sign Jeff George. Oh and my alltime fav that had nothing to do with sports. he wrote a piece that argued no black man should be sent to jail because of crimes he commits because whites put him in such a position with underfunded schools, poor living conditions and a glass ceiling that makes it impossible for most people of color to make it.

 

Now that Peterson is gone his whole gig is up in the air. He doest know what to do because I am sure the 'star' limits his race rants to a few a year.

[HSKRNOKC]

Everyone talks about C Daniel and the offense co leaving .People are overlooking a huge potential lose if Maclin decides to go pro.

 

He is absolutely explosive and can take over a game. 1st round money is hard to pass up and if money isnt an issue, the goal of everyone who plays competitive football is to make it to the pros.

[fro daddy]

Everyone talks about C Daniel and the offense co leaving .People are overlooking a huge potential lose if Maclin decides to go pro.

 

He is absolutely explosive and can take over a game. 1st round money is hard to pass up and if money isnt an issue, the goal of everyone who plays competitive football is to make it to the pros.

 

OKC you are right on. The OC gameplans with all the Offensive coaches and Pinkel and Yost (his replacement) sits next to him and they acctually call plays together. So I doubt much changes there. As for Daniel, really could it get any worse then what he did the last 8 games. So I believe very little drop off if any from his late season performance. Maclin though, as much for his special teams threats, will be missed. MU has good WR's. But no one, atleast right now, that has the potential to do what he does.

[shyndy]

anyone else feel like Daniel just kind of gave up this year after his name started dropping off the Heisman list? The difference between him now and at the beginning of the season is almost unbelievable

[zE bOp]

I think the article was overly harsh. Yea, Mizzou has not been the national contender some fantasized about, but they've been a very good team.

 

Their D has been their biggest achilles heel, but the type of running attack designed into that spread is pretty anemic, even though they've had/have some good backs.

 

It has yet to be proven that the TX Tech/Mizzou style spread can compete on the highest level of CFB, i.e., national championships. I don't think you can get there without a strong running attack and stout defense, so in that regard, yes, Mizzou's team has been 'soft' around the edges.

 

This year, Coffman and the O'line were Mizzou's strengths. Mac is obviously a big threat, but Coffman has about the best hands of any rcvr I've ever seen.

 

Daniel was a dink and dunk type QB who couldn't deal with pressure, hence his O'line deserved most of the credit for his success, IMO.

 

I think if Mizzou, like TT, can get a big time D going and get a stout running game they can be a perenially competitive team and maybe make some noise on the NC seen. Will take some revising though, as suggested in the article. Gabbert should be able to stretch the field far better than Chase ever could.

 

Then you have Pinkel, and quite frankly, I'm not a big believer in that guy. I think Christiansen has been the motor running this team's success.

[Cali Sker (in Boston)]

When I lived in KC I always hated Whitlock. Fro Daddy is right on about his race rants, etc. But he's right about one thing - Coffman is hands down the best player on Mizzou's team. No doubt about it. Sorry, Maclin, you're explosive and exciting but Coffman is about as good as you can get at TE. I don't know about Christensen being overrated, though, as that offense was pretty potent, even with Daniel at the helm. Quite possibly the most overrated QB in the country. Guy has no arm strength and no mobility. He hasn't taken a snap under center in his life; he's even farther back when he gets the snap than your typical shotgun. So give Christensen credit for knowing what to do with a fat, immobile QB with no arm strength. At least he's not having him run the option or throw the ball down field.

[redout22]

You should have seen the beginning of the College Football season. The star was loving Mizzou. The star had them winning the National Championship and they thought Maclin would be the player of the year. By the way I think Whitlock is fine, he is the best writer for the KC star so I don't think his job would be up in the air??

[Glendower]

The team that played the first half of the game was not the same team that I saw earlier in the season-- Chase couldn't complete a pass and the defense was making elementary mistakes. They lined up off sides more than once! Who does that?? I think that missouri felt that they were above that game and, rightfully, disappointed with their lot.

[jayhawk]

Everyone talks about C Daniel and the offense co leaving .People are overlooking a huge potential lose if Maclin decides to go pro.

 

He is absolutely explosive and can take over a game. 1st round money is hard to pass up and if money isnt an issue, the goal of everyone who plays competitive football is to make it to the pros.

 

OKC you are right on. The OC gameplans with all the Offensive coaches and Pinkel and Yost (his replacement) sits next to him and they acctually call plays together. So I doubt much changes there. As for Daniel, really could it get any worse then what he did the last 8 games. So I believe very little drop off if any from his late season performance. Maclin though, as much for his special teams threats, will be missed. MU has good WR's. But no one, atleast right now, that has the potential to do what he does.

 

To be fair, almost no one in the country can hold that kid's jock.