Know Thy Enemy: The Missouri Tigers

On November 14^th, rather than play the Plainsmen, Georgia will make a trip to Missouri to face the Tigers.

The Tiger File

Location: Columbia, Missouri

Stadium: Faurot Field, capacity 62,621

Notable Alumni: Brad Pitt, Sam Walton, Jon Hamm, Sheryl Crow, Stan Kroenke, and a looooooong list of prominent journalists.

Head Coach: Eli Drinkwitz (1^st season at Missouri, 12-1 career head coaching record)

2019 Season: 6-6 (3-5 in SEC) The Tigers did not participate in a bowl game due to a postseason ban for academic misconduct and providing extra benefits.

Offense

Missouri’s offense was pretty pedestrian in 2019, hence why Eli Drinkwitz is now the head coach and former TCU co-offensive coordinator Curtis Luper is the offensive coordinator. The Tigers will be breaking in a new quarterback, as Kelly Bryant has exhausted his eligibility. Our friends at Rock M Nation believe that TCU transfer Shawn Robinson will be the man behind center. Robinson saw game action twelve times while with the Horned Frogs.

Elsewhere on offense, Missouri put three members of their offensive line in the NFL, so plugging these holes is paramount for getting Robinson comfortable in the pocket. Additionally, Missouri’s top three pass catchers are gone, including tight end Albert Okwuegbunam. Virginia Tech transfer wide receiver Damon Hazelton is likely to be Robinson’s primary target in 2020.

The Tigers do return a strong back field, led by Larry Rountree III. Rountree III rushed for 1,216 yards in 2018, and Tyler Baddie provides a good passing outlet out of the backfield.

Overall, the Tigers will be relying on several fresh faces and new set of coaches to turn around their offense.

Defense

The defense was the strength of the team in 2019 and will be again in 2020. 13 of the top 16 tacklers on defense return, and the Tiger run defense should be one of the SEC’s best again in 2020. However, the Tigers were last in the conference in sacks in 2019, so this will be an area they will look to improve.

At linebacker, Nick Bolton had a great year in 2019, recording 107 tackles. He will be looked upon to be the leader on defense this season.

The secondary that led the nation in completion percentage will be looking to plug in two new cornerbacks. However, senior safeties Tyree Gillespie and Joshuah Bledsoe are back and will be one of the best duos in the SEC.

Special Teams

Do-it-all kicker Tucker McCann is gone, and the Tigers will look to Kentucky graduate transfer Grant McKinniss to take over either the kicking or punting duties, or maybe even both. Punt returner Richaud Floyd also leaves a hole on special teams, with Badie the likely replacement.

Prediction

While the Tiger defense may give Georgia some problems, the Dawgs will once again show Missouri what playing grown man football is all about.

Georgia 31 Missouri 10