Gabbert has been under heavy pressure but has used his legs to cut himself some time and uses his arm to find # 81. So when we get a rush on the QB we need to make sure they do not drop coverage on #81.
Also the talent is still good when the backs get some room to run but the blocks have not been there. Pinkel has said he wants to get the rushing game going. This may not be the game to try that.
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/...i-running-game/
"Washington is averaging about 4 yards per carry this season, but a few long runs have helped his numbers. The reality is, that on a play-by-play basis, the Missouri running game has struggled, and concern has replaced Pinkel's air of confidence.
"We've got to run the ball better, period," Pinkel said Monday during the Big 12 coaches teleconference.
The latest stall in the ground game came in Missouri's 31-21 victory over Nevada on Friday night. The box score shows that the Tigers' running backs had 3.7 yards per carry, a figure that, while underwhelming, doesn't induce panic. Take out Washington's 42-yard run late in the game and that number shrinks to exactly 2 yards per rush.
Missouri's first victory against Illinois provided a similar performance. Overall, the top three Tigers backs ran 26 times for 80 yards at 3.07 yards per carry. Without a 32-yard carry by Washington? Less than 2.
The numbers from both of Missouri's home wins are an improvement. In the late victory over Bowling Green, Washington and Lawrence combined for 169 yards on 30 carries, and Lawrence averaged 7.7 yards on 10 rushes against Furman.
But even with those numbers, the running game has not produced in the way Pinkel envisioned, and there are several possible explanations.
Moore suffered a high ankle sprain against Illinois and has had one carry since. The offensive line, another presumed strength, might not be as strong as supposed, and Missouri's bigger commitment to the run might have opposing defenses making a bigger commitment to stopping it.
In the past, that would be a problem Pinkel could easily resolve, but this season, the plans for his offense make the decision more difficult.
"(When) we had Chase Daniel, and if they overloaded on the run, we just wouldn't run it," Pinkel said. "We'd throw it 15 times in a row until they backed out. We want to run the ball a little bit more, so there's a bit of a conflict there from a strategy standpoint. A spread offense is designed to open up running lanes, but how much do you want to throw your young quarterback? All those issues are the dynamics we're dealing with."
Whatever the cause, once the Tigers enter their conference schedule, the defenses will be faster, the pass rushes more relentless and the need for balance even more important. And Pinkel knows it.
"We're going to work to try to make it better," Pinkel said. "But I would agree that we haven't been running the ball as well as I would've liked.""
"
From what I have seen the running backs should rip MU. I hope they get some fresh legs with Rex B.
I think we can throw deep on this MU squad!
All the Tiger fans are basing the optimistic outlook they share on the recent past and the recent hypothesis that we are weak defensively. And also,Bo is no good and Lee is no Gabbert!
I am a huge Zac Lee fan and for those who think he had a bad game at VT, he had a very good but not great game. The stats were not super but he got us in position to score 5 times.
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/...onference-play/
The biggest intangible is probably the weather not Gabbert's emmotional level! Zac has more experience under fire and he also is one cool kat!
"COLUMBIA — With four wins in his first four games, Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert has made his coach happy.
But it's not so much Gabbert's 66.4 percent completion rate, or his 1,161 passing yards, or even his 11 touchdown passes that pleases Missouri coach Gary Pinkel.
No, Pinkel is excited about something intangible.
Speaking at his weekly press conference Sunday, Pinkel said he is particularly impressed with Gabbert’s ability to control his emotions on the field.
“Whether you get sacked, knocked out, or throw the greatest touchdown pass you've ever thrown, you come right back into this area right here, said Pinkel, as he moved his hands close together to indicate the small range of emotion. “
I've been coaching quarterbacks for a long time, and he’is doing a good job of staying in that area.”
Gabbert's poise is apparent in his lack of turnovers. In four games he has yet to throw an interception. He is not particularly worried about maintaining the streak.
“I"m not focusing on that at all,” Gabbert said. “Our goal is, as a team, take care of the football. We just execute our plays, that's really all we’are kind of keying on right now.”"
Also the talent is still good when the backs get some room to run but the blocks have not been there. Pinkel has said he wants to get the rushing game going. This may not be the game to try that.
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/...i-running-game/
"Washington is averaging about 4 yards per carry this season, but a few long runs have helped his numbers. The reality is, that on a play-by-play basis, the Missouri running game has struggled, and concern has replaced Pinkel's air of confidence.
"We've got to run the ball better, period," Pinkel said Monday during the Big 12 coaches teleconference.
The latest stall in the ground game came in Missouri's 31-21 victory over Nevada on Friday night. The box score shows that the Tigers' running backs had 3.7 yards per carry, a figure that, while underwhelming, doesn't induce panic. Take out Washington's 42-yard run late in the game and that number shrinks to exactly 2 yards per rush.
Missouri's first victory against Illinois provided a similar performance. Overall, the top three Tigers backs ran 26 times for 80 yards at 3.07 yards per carry. Without a 32-yard carry by Washington? Less than 2.
The numbers from both of Missouri's home wins are an improvement. In the late victory over Bowling Green, Washington and Lawrence combined for 169 yards on 30 carries, and Lawrence averaged 7.7 yards on 10 rushes against Furman.
But even with those numbers, the running game has not produced in the way Pinkel envisioned, and there are several possible explanations.
Moore suffered a high ankle sprain against Illinois and has had one carry since. The offensive line, another presumed strength, might not be as strong as supposed, and Missouri's bigger commitment to the run might have opposing defenses making a bigger commitment to stopping it.
In the past, that would be a problem Pinkel could easily resolve, but this season, the plans for his offense make the decision more difficult.
"(When) we had Chase Daniel, and if they overloaded on the run, we just wouldn't run it," Pinkel said. "We'd throw it 15 times in a row until they backed out. We want to run the ball a little bit more, so there's a bit of a conflict there from a strategy standpoint. A spread offense is designed to open up running lanes, but how much do you want to throw your young quarterback? All those issues are the dynamics we're dealing with."
Whatever the cause, once the Tigers enter their conference schedule, the defenses will be faster, the pass rushes more relentless and the need for balance even more important. And Pinkel knows it.
"We're going to work to try to make it better," Pinkel said. "But I would agree that we haven't been running the ball as well as I would've liked.""
"
From what I have seen the running backs should rip MU. I hope they get some fresh legs with Rex B.
I think we can throw deep on this MU squad!
All the Tiger fans are basing the optimistic outlook they share on the recent past and the recent hypothesis that we are weak defensively. And also,Bo is no good and Lee is no Gabbert!
I am a huge Zac Lee fan and for those who think he had a bad game at VT, he had a very good but not great game. The stats were not super but he got us in position to score 5 times.
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/...onference-play/
The biggest intangible is probably the weather not Gabbert's emmotional level! Zac has more experience under fire and he also is one cool kat!
"COLUMBIA — With four wins in his first four games, Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert has made his coach happy.
But it's not so much Gabbert's 66.4 percent completion rate, or his 1,161 passing yards, or even his 11 touchdown passes that pleases Missouri coach Gary Pinkel.
No, Pinkel is excited about something intangible.
Speaking at his weekly press conference Sunday, Pinkel said he is particularly impressed with Gabbert’s ability to control his emotions on the field.
“Whether you get sacked, knocked out, or throw the greatest touchdown pass you've ever thrown, you come right back into this area right here, said Pinkel, as he moved his hands close together to indicate the small range of emotion. “
I've been coaching quarterbacks for a long time, and he’is doing a good job of staying in that area.”
Gabbert's poise is apparent in his lack of turnovers. In four games he has yet to throw an interception. He is not particularly worried about maintaining the streak.
“I"m not focusing on that at all,” Gabbert said. “Our goal is, as a team, take care of the football. We just execute our plays, that's really all we’are kind of keying on right now.”"
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