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Missouri Football: Is this Barry Odom’s last season with the Tigers?

By Justin Dottavio

COLUMBIA, MO - SEPTEMBER 23: Head coach Barry Odom of the Missouri Tigers leads players onto the field prior to the game against the Auburn Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, MO - SEPTEMBER 23: Head coach Barry Odom of the Missouri Tigers leads players onto the field prior to the game against the Auburn Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on September 23, 2017 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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Offense

After years of being a more defensive minded program under Pinkel, the Tigers offense guided them along their six-game winning streak in 2017. Missouri’s offense finished the year ranked 13th by the S&P+ and 16th overall in points per play. This success was made possible by the hurry-up no huddle approach of Coach Heupel but also quarterback Drew Lock. Lock, a Heisman Trophy hopeful in 2018, will be the clear star of the Tigers offense.

In 2017, Lock threw for 3,964 yards and 44 touchdowns with only 13 interceptions thrown. Lock averaged 9.5 yards per attempt and completed 57.8 percent of his passes. The offense will go through Lock and his ability to work with new offensive coordinator Derek Dooley. Dooley, a former Nick Saban protegé and head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers hasn’t been known for his dominating offenses.

Supporting Cast

Ish Witter ran for 1,049 yards and six touchdowns in 2017- but he has since graduated. The two backs that will try to replace Witter are Larry Rountree III who ran for 703 yards and six scores and Damarea Crockett who ran for six yards per carry last year. Crockett is a former starter but was injured and Rountree can take the pounding required of a running back in the SEC East.

The wide receivers are the key when Drew Lock is the quarterback. J’Mon Moore was Lock’s go-to guy in ’17 but he is now a member of the Green Bay Packers. Moore had uncanny production averaging 16.6 yards per catch, scoring 10 touchdowns and hauling in balls for over 1,000 yards. Emanuel Hall is back and he caught 33 balls for 817 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 24.8 yards per catch.

The guys around Hall will be Jonathan Johnson and Nate Brown. Johnson averaged 17.7 yards per catch and scored six touchdowns. Brown is a 6-foot-3receiver that’s expected to produce more in 2018 after only catching 11 passes last season. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam caught 29 balls for 415 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago.

The offensive line is gigantic as the starters average size is 6-foot-5, 328 pounds. There are two seniors, two juniors and a sophomore center expected to win the starting roles as the season progresses.

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