Huskers Vs. Mizzou

[NamelessHusker]

 

Dizzying display

Tigers spin out of funk without wobbly leader.

By the Tribune¡¯s staff

Published Sunday, October 16, 2005

 

 

It seems as if it's every week Missouri quarterback Brad Smith sets another record, whether it be school, conference or national

 

But the Tigers all-time leading passer and rusher played the worst statistical game of his career in yesterdays 27-24 overtime victory over Iowa State. He accounted for 84 yards of total offense before getting knocked out of the game after sustaining a head injury early in the fourth quarter.

Chase Daniel took Smith¡s place after Iowa State linebacker Tim Dobbins drove Smith to the turf on a pass play with 8:51 remaining in regulation.

 

Daniel, a true freshman, led the Tigers on three scoring drives in the final quarter plus overtime - something Smith wasn¡¯t able to do once during his time under center.

 

Smith, who came into the game as the Big 12's leading rusher, found few running lanes against the Cyclones defense. That was especially true when it came to scrambling, his forte.

 

"It was the smallest game plan we've had I know all this year and probably the last couple years," Iowa State Coach Dan McCarney said. "We just felt like we couldn't do a lot, but let's be good at what we do. Let's be sound. Let's try and keep him in the pocket, not let him break contain and get outside. And you've got to really, really hang with your coverage. "

 

Smith picked up 39 yards on 11 carries, with no run covering more than nine yards. His 3.5-yards-per-carry average was 2.5 yards less than his season average of 6.0 coming into the game.

 

The senior from Youngstown, Ohio, had similar difficulty moving the ball through the air. He completed 8 of 12 passes for 45 yards, but no completion went more than nine yards. He also was picked off once, his fourth interception of the season.

 

Smiths previous career-low for total offense came as a sophomore when he accounted for 95 yards in a 35-14 loss to Kansas in 2003.

 

Despite Smiths ineffectiveness and Daniel's success yesterday, there is no question who remains the Tigers top quarterback.

 

"Brad Smith is still our starting quarterback, so let' not overreact," MU Coach Gary Pinkel said. "But I would suggest we have a pretty good backup."

 

OFFICIAL PARDON: While rushing in to spot the ball after Missouri defensive end Brian Smith sacked Iowa State quarterback Bret Meyer in the second quarter, referee Clair Gausman was knocked to the ground during the Tiger's celebration.

 

Gausman was face down on the turf for an extended period and received medical attention from trainers before he resumed duty.

 

"He wasn't even aware of what hit him," Smith said. "He was on the ground. I didn;t know if it was me, but I apologized and told him it wasn't intentional."

 

Gausman accidentally left his microphone on moments later, and the stadium heard him describe himself as "a little dizzy."

 

RUNNING GAME WORKING: Iowa State came to Columbia ranked last in the Big 12 in rushing offense, averaging 99.8 yards per game on the ground. But the Cyclones chewed up 157 yards against the Tigers, a figure bettered only by their 169-yard output against Iowa.

 

"We were running today as well a we have all year," Iowa State right tackle Aaron Brant said.

 

Starting tailback Greg Coleman did the bulk of the damage with a career-high 104 yards on 25 carries. Coleman, a 6-foot, 225-pound sophomore, was filling in for junior Stevie Hicks, who has carried only once in the last three weeks because of injury.

 

Fullback Ryan Kock also was effective. He carried 13 times for 36 yards but scored all three Iowa State touchdowns.

 

On their second possession of the second half, the Cyclones went with 14 straight running plays as they gained 62 yards and ticked off more than seven minutes. But faced with second-and-goal from the 6-yard line, Iowa State opted to put the ball in the air.

 

Meyer completed a pass to Kock, but cornerback A.J. Kincade knocked the ball out of his hands, and Missouri recovered in the end zone for a touchback.

 

FUMBLE!!: The Cyclones thought they'd recovered a pair of fourth-quarter fumbles only to learn the plays were blown dead before the ball came loose.

 

Facing third-and-7 from the MU 25 with 8:51 remaining, Daniel, who'd just taken over for the injured Brad Smith, completed a pass to wide receiver Brad Ekwerekwu for a 13-yard pickup, but the ball came free. Iowa State safety Steve Paris picked it up and sprinted down the sideline for what he thought was a touchdown, but the officials ruled that Ekwerekwu was already down by contact when he lost the ball.

 

Another near fumble occurred four plays later when Daniel hit freshman tight end Chase Coffman for a 25-yard gain on fourth-and-7. Coffman was still on his feet when the ball came lose. Iowa State again jumped on it, but the officials ruled the play had been blown dead because his forward progress had stopped.

 

"There were a couple calls that I want to see the film on, just to be able to see it and accurately evaluate it," McCarney said.

 

¡Ü EXTRA POINTS: Brian Smith picked up his third sack in the last two weeks when he dropped Meyer on a blitz in the second quarter. That forced Iowa State to settle for a field goal in the final minute of the first half. Smith, a junior, now has 5 1/2 sacks this season and 20 1/2 for his career. He is second on MU's all-time list behind Justin Smith, who had 22 1/2. Redshirt freshman Stryker Sulak started opposite Smith at defensive end. It was his first career start, and he sacked Meyer for an 8-yard loss on the game¡¯s first play from scrimmage. ¡¦ MU starting tailback Marcus Woods left the game in the fourth quarter and was seen icing his right foot on the sidelines. Sophomore Tony Temple, playing his first game in nearly a month, replaced Woods for the rest of the game. Woods finished with six carries for 23 yards. Temple carried six times for 10 yards.

 

 

 

 

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[skersfan]

I went to the Troy/Missouri game and Chase played. He looked pretty good, seems to be a better passer than Smith. They have a tricky little running back, number 20. He is quick outside. I expect to see them use him on swing passes and the such.

 

Missouri will be in good hands after Smith leaves though. This freshman looked good on the day I saw them play.