Missouri talent level

[BearBryant]

Oregon never has stellar recruiting class but they win with that fast paced offense

Who they play also helps. No defense Pac12!!!! Remember a mediocre Auburn team stopped Oregon cold a couple of years ago.

 

[joevol33]

Yep...Not sure why we keep rehashing the talent level of our players while they were being recruited IN HIGH SCHOOL (not yelling). Our players have not been developed since. There is also the issue of how many of the highly rated players are still on campus and/or contributing. Then there is the issue of how well they fit into the schemes. Finally, The difference in speed from high school to D1 football is 5 yards in the skill positions. The game just moves so fast and the players are ALL big, strong and incredibly skilled. There is never a guarantee that players can make that leap.

To boil it down, Rankings matter only to the extent that players are developed and are capable of making the jump to this level of play. It doesn't really make a compelling argument to compare recruiting classes. What matters is what's on the field. Missouri's most dominant player (Michael Sam) was a 2* on Rivals. Just sayin'

eace2:

I watched the replay of them vs sc last night. He's good.

 

[everytrueson]

I understand that anything can happen when two teams put on pads and start hitting but, understanding that Missouri's success has mostly had to do with their schemes and QB play (which can be prepared for), it seems like many Vol fans are still afraid of this game. Sure, they've beaten some good teams, but all you need to do to realize they put on their pants the same way we do is take a gander at their recruiting the last 4 years...

Missouri recruiting (2010 - 2013)

10 4* players (most of these were in their - for them - monster 2010 recruiting class, which does explain some of their success)
1 5* player

The rest, especially the last 3 years, are a mixture of 3* and 2* players. Even under Dooley, we recruited as much talent in 1 year as they have in 4. Obviously, this isn't an overly accurate predictor, but talent still corresponds to some degree to success, which is one reason why Alabama beat us so badly last week.

I completely understand the loss with Dooley at the helm last year, especially given the horrific defensive schemes (guy standing in the end zone corner twiddling his thumbs waiting for the game-tying TD, etc.), but I see no reason why we shouldn't compete and possibly win this game under Butch.

I think you should go check out how many first round draft picks Mizzou has had over the past few years:

2013 1-13 Sheldon Richardson Jets DL

2011 1-7 Aldon Smith 49ers DE

2011 1-10 Blaine Gabbert Jaguars QB

2010 1-19 Sean Weatherspoon Falcons LB

2009 1-19 Jeremy Maclin Eagles WR

2009 1-32 Ziggy Hood Steelers DL

 

[Orange_Crush]

At some point we can't use talent as an excuse as to why we keep losing. Bama wouldn't have beat us like they did if we didn't play scared, and our coaches didn't get the "oh my it's Bama" disease in their heads. Teams like Bama remind me of Tiger Woods in his prime. Every time he started to make a push everyone would fold and he'd end up winning every time. Once people realized the guy is just a man he lost that mental edge on people, and now he has to play perfect to win tournaments. Bama and other great teams are just a team, and CBJ tried to send that message home calling Bama the red team. Unfortunately, Jancek didn't receive the message and our defense played so passive we got killed over and over again early on.

We have beaten everyone were expected to beat, beat one we were not, and took one into overtime, when we were expected to lose to them by a lot.


What's the issue?

The issue is we should never find it acceptable to lose to Bama and Oregon like we have. TN should never be in a position where we lose by 30+ points. Our defense folds when we aren't in Neyland, and a lot of that has to do with the change in play calling on the road. We have nothing to lose right now, so why wouldn't we go all out on away games. I'm talking fake punts, onside kicks, blitzing in uniques ways, and running trick plays. We have nothing to lose, yet our defensive play calling last Saturday made it seamed we were just trying to stop Bama from making big plays. Jancek needs to stay true to form and not alter his game plan just because we are playing a great team. Our defense is a risk taking defense that wants to generate turnovers by applying pressure to the QB and disguising cover schemes in zone and man coverages. I just want to see us bring the pressure on road games from now on, just as we did against SC and GA at home.

I will ask for your pardon, but... You seem to be contradicting yourself. You said that "at some point we can't use talent as an excuse for why we keep losing." Then, you followed that up with a post that said:

We had nothing to lose against Bama. (Please explain. What did you mean by, "nothing to lose"?)

Bama is a "great team". (Again, please explain. Those two statements, put together indicate that UT was playing a more talented team. i.e. "Playing a more talented team, we had nothing to lose by going all-out." and "Janzek shouldn't have changed his tactics just because we were playing a better team.")


Your post as a whole indicate that your problem with the staff is that they changed the way they called the game because they were playing a more talented team. So, with that argument to explain your statement, how can it be that we can't explain the loss based on talent?

It seems to me (and again, pardon my inference), you admit we have a disparity in talent and are venting an ego that was damaged by the scoreboard, as opposed to expressing a level-headed analysis of the game.

For the record, I don't want a staff that will not change their game plan, depending on who they are facing. IMHO, that would be irresponsible, and lose us many more games than otherwise gameplanning for opponents each week.

:hi:

 

[Orange_Crush]

Good lord Man!!! LOL- you talk about taking risks etc... so that we don't get beat so badly, the risks you're talking about typically have low percentage success set against tremendous exposure when they fail. Believe it or not, play calling and managing a game is very methodical and typically based upon percentages of success and/or creating the most advantageous field position (not factoring in match ups of course, If you have high level players your success rates increase, We do not yet). That gunslinger approach against Oregon and Alabama would have gotten us beat much worse. There's a reason you don't hear about Hal Mummy any more. eace2:

Bingo! We could have called a very aggressive game, and still lost by 35. People would have been on here complaining that the playcalling lost by such a large margin.

 

[Orange_Crush]

I'm not saying to throw 30 yard passes every time, but I'm talking about using normality to your advantage. Do the unexpected. If your down by 17 and have to kickoff after half then kick an onside kick. Do something to shift the momentum of the game in your favor. We have nothing to lose anyways. I hate James Franklin with a passion, but he is a very good at finding ways to shift momentum in his team's favor. He's a risk taker, and when you are the under dog you have to be somewhat a risk taker and take chances to win games. It might not be an onside kick, but it might be throwing a few unorthodox blitzes at your opponent in unexpected times to generate sacks or turnovers.

The same James Franklin that lost several 4th down attempts and an onside kick a couple of weeks ago? That James Franklin? The only reason that didn't cost him more was because his opponent was too flaccid to take advantage. Bama is not flaccid.

 

[BanditVol]

With the exception of Auburn we should have the edge in talent in the next 4 games.
Depth is still a problem in our secondary. We want no injuries there.
The 12th man will neutralize the talent gap against Aub.
4-0 baby.

Secondary injuries killed us vs bammer

 

[BanditVol]

Who they play also helps. No defense Pac12!!!! Remember a mediocre Auburn team stopped Oregon cold a couple of years ago.

"mediocre"? LOL, they won the MNC. And they struggled to stop Oregon. Oregon is more talented now than they were.

My hope is that bammer loses twice this season and never sniffs another MNC. But if they do, and they play Oregon, I will be rooting for Oregon all the way.

 

[IluvdoubleD's]

It's about depth people… depth. Mizzou is DEEEEEEP.

 

[H2O Vol]

Depth, recruiting to fit a system, and execution. Over the past 4 yrs ('09-'12) Mizzou, aside from '10 (#21) has not had a Top 30 class.

 

[efeezell]

All you need to know is look at the 2 starting Wr's 6-4 and 6-5 and fast.

 

[RiseToTheTop]

Is Henry josey out for Saturday? Heard he suffered a concussion late in the game vs Carolina.

 

[kyoon2]

Stars are similar to GPA's. high school GPA is a good predictor of your college success, but we shouldn't forget there are other factors.

I also don't trust the intelligence and methods of these "analysts."