SB Nation • 8 min read

Pourover: Plodding and Methodic

I don’t know about you but I like the blowouts. Sure I want Mizzou to play in fun games, but really I just want them to win games. I don’t always enjoy watching the “fun” ones.

Coming into this matchup there had to be nerves. I thought, in watching both teams play so far this year, that Missouri was the better of the two teams. They were more consistent, had a better defense, and were just better a lot of the little things that help you win games.

But South Carolina has LaNorris Sellers.

Few things

are more frustrating than when you’re pretty sure you have the better team, but the other team has the best player on the field, and that player is the Quarterback.

A great QB is the biggest equalizer in football, and especially in college football. And a great QB can mask a lot of issues on your football team.

Sellers was everything South Carolina could want in this game. SC’s deep passing game was electric. They had 8 passing plays of 15 or more yards, and four that went for more than 30 yards. The Gamecocks scored on 4 of their 11 drives, and on each of those drives had a passing play of 30 yards or more. If Sellers wasn’t connecting on deep gashing pass plays, the offense was otherwise going nowhere.

Mizzou’s defense did more than eliminate the run game. Carolina actually had a net negative for rushing yards thanks to 8 tackles for loss to the tune of -49 yards.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Hardy and the makeshift Mizzou offensive line ran roughshod over the Carolina defense. The score barely tells the full story here but Mizzou ran the ball 48 times and gained 285 yards. I don’t know who else needs to hear this but Ahmad Hardy is incredible. Jamal Roberts is great, and Beau Pribula used his legs more than he has so far this season. But Hardy is just out there running over a very good Gamecocks defense like they’re in the Sun Belt. If there was any question whether Hardy was the real deal or not, I think that matter has been resolved. The secret is out.

Missouri did what they’ve done all year. They take their time. They march. They worked time of possession into their favor. They ran the ball with efficiency. They vastly outgunned their opponent.

They also had breakdowns in the secondary, and gave up big plays.

Drinkwitz has always fashioned his teams as a little risk averse. Play sound football, don’t make many mistakes, run the ball, etc, etc. It’s methodical football.

When you have Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts, that offense becomes plodding. It’s not exactly three yards and a cloud of dust like Iowa, but it’s low and impactful, and it wears you down.

While South Carolina was using big passing plays to find ways to score, the Tigers were just steadily moving the fall down the field. Mizzou’s first touchdown drive went 9 plays for 99 yards. Their second went 11 for 60 yards. A third went 11 for 71 yards. They had a 10 for 75, and a 10 for 57 as well. They ran 75 plays on offense and their shortest scoring drive was 57 yards. They only started one drive inside their own 35 yard line, and that ended with one play and their only turnover on the day. It’s almost like a short field turns them off, or something.

Give them the ball with a full field to goal and you’ll get a good five minutes of game clock and a trip to the red zone. It’s methodical precision.

There’s a lot of football to play. There are actual road games ahead. But this team plays a style that should travel.