September - Kansas City Sports & Fitness Magazine

M
Missouri had awful August before first kickoff
By ALAN ESKEW, Editor
issouri was given the only chance to knock off
defending Big 12 North champion Nebraska in the
preseason pools.
While the Cornhuskers were a near unanimous choice to
win the North in their final year in the conference before
defecting for the Big 12, Missouri was the consensus pick
to finish second in the division.
Those preseason polls, however,
came out before the Tigers
had a horrible, horrible August.
One may ask how could one
have a putrid August before one
game is played?
Here’s a bad Missouri August:
● Senior tailback and captain
Derrick Washington, who led the
Tigers in rushing the past two
years, was suspended indefinitely
and has been charged with deviate sexual assault, a Class C
felony, according to a Boone County prosecutor.
Washington, who went to Raymore-Peculiar High,
rushed for 865 yards in a junior injury-riddled season after
rushing for 1,078 yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore.
If he remains on the suspended list, sophomore
Kendial Lawrence is second on the depth chart. Another
possible replacement is De’Vion Moore has been setback
by a foot injury. Replacing Washington won’t be easy.
● Just days before Washington’s suspension by Missouri
coach Gary Pinkel, junior linebacker Will Ebner was arrested
in Columbia for on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.
An arrest report said Ebner had incoherent speech and
bloodshot eyes. He was released after posting a $500 bond.
He was Missouri’s third-leading tackler in 2009.
Before the arrest, Ebner had been bothered by a hamstring
injury. Deep snapper Beau Brinkley was also
charged with a DWI.
● In early August, Missouri co-offensive line coach
Bruce Walker was arrested while sitting in his parked truck
with the engine running outside the team facility. He was
issued a field sobriety test. According to Missouri’s DWI
laws, a vehicle does not have to be in motion, only that that
the drivers turns on the vehicle.
● Outside linebacker Donovan Bonner suffered a seasonending
knee injury.
● Wide receiver Jerrell Jackson, the leading receiver
returning, broke a wrist on Aug. 11 and had to have surgery
to insert a screw into the scaphoid bone. Jackson, however,
returned to practice and was No. 1 on the depth chart to
begin the season.
“Honestly, one thing I have never, ever done is get
caught up in injuries,” Pinkel said. “I just don’t do it.
Nobody cares. Bottom line, they’re not going to asterisk a
game or season.”
The good news is quarterback Blaine Gabbert returns
after throwing for 3,593 yards and 24 touchdowns last year,
his first season starting after replacing Chase Daniel.
The bad news is he no longer has All-American receiver
Danario Alexander to catch his passes. Alexander set team
records with 113 catches and 1,781 yards last year, which
composed of 41 and 48 percent of the Tigers’ totals. He
hauled in 14 of Gabberth’s 24 touchdowns throws.
More bad news, Gabbert by one publication was considered
the most overrated player in the Big 12 because he
played poorly against better teams, putting up most of his
big numbers against sad-sack teams. Gabbert averaged
208.5 yards and completed only 46.3 percent of his passes
against Navy, Oklahoma State, Nebraska and Texas. And
Gabbert could not engineer a victory against Baylor, which
was playing with its third-team quarterback, at Columbia.
After back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2007-08 and two
Big 12 North titles, the Tigers dropped to 8-5 last season.
They started 4-0 and then went 4-5.
“Our team definitely had its highs and lows,” Gabbert
said.
The Tigers will have preseason All-Big 12 center Tim
Barnes snapping to Gabbert, who will come out throwing
even sans Alexander.
“I want the team on my shoulders,” Gabbert said.
“I want to win games. I’m not here to hand the ball off 40
times and try not to lose a game. I’m here to throw the ball
and put up points and try to win games.”
Pinkel believes in Gabbert.
“I expect him to have a really good year,” Pinkel said.
“He has a chance to be a great player and we’re excited
about him getting going.”
The defense must find a replacement for linebacker Sean
Weatherspoon, a first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons.
Sophomore defensive end Aldon Smith was named the
Big 12 newcomer of the year in 2009 after logging a
school-record 11.5 sacks.
The Tigers have made it to bowls the past five years
under Pinkel and should make it six. But last year’s ending
– a 35-13 loss to Navy in the Texas Bowl – left a sour taste.
If the Tigers are to play in more than a minor bowl game,
Gabbert must play better against better competition and the
defense must improve.
KANSAS CITY SPORTS & FITNESS SEPTEMBER 2010 13