Igetbored216
All-Conference
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.
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.
