Missouri Football: Tigers are in for rough SEC-only 2020 season
Missouri must regain key attributes of productivity on defense
Missouri’s defense continues to be one of the strongest aspects of the team year after year. That’s why when Eli Drinkwitz took over as head coach, he had defensive coordinator Ryan Walters remain with the program.
Walters is entering his sixth season with the program and his third as the sole defensive coordinator after serving as co-defensive coordinator in the previous two seasons. He is becoming one of the most productive assistants in college football. If he continues this high-caliber production on defense, it will not be long until he receives legitimate offers to become a head coach.
Last season, the Tigers were ranked 16th in the nation (fifth in the SEC) in points allowed (19.4). They were also ranked sixth (second in the SEC behind Kentucky) in passing yards allowed (179.3) and 14th (third in the SEC) in total yards allowed per game (312). This is a defense that strives on creating complete efficiency in all position groups so one doesn’t overlap the other. Missouri returns seven players that started and made a huge impact this past season.
Defensive line has been one of the most productive units on this side of the ball since joining the SEC. This past season, however, the Tigers did not account for the productivity that it did in the five previous seasons. The Tigers were only able to account for 19 sacks in 2019.
Missouri will return three of their four starting defensive linemen. The loss of first-team All-SEC defensive tackle Jordan Elliott to the NFL will be significant. They do return their other star defensive tackle in Kobie Whiteside, who accounted for 28 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 7.5 sacks.
They will need more impact from the defensive ends in the pass rush game from senior defensive ends Tre Williams and Chris Turner. The Tigers will be facing against more stout offensive lines especially at the tackles.
Defending against the run was not Missouri’s strongest key from the previous but they did have some great performances. Last year, the Tigers’ defense was ranked 31st (sixth in the SEC) in rushing yards allowed (132.8). They will return their top tackler from this past season in first-team All-SEC outside linebacker Nick Bolton. In 2019, he accounted for 103 total tackles, a team-high 8.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions and seven pass deflections.
There is expected to be some competition for the starting middle linebacker position between Devin Nicholson and Cameron Wilkens.
The secondary is the pride and joy of Walters. Since his arrival, the secondary has been one of the most efficient units on the defensive side of the ball. Last season, the Tigers only allowed a completion percentage of 50. This season, the Tigers will need to reload their secondary with two new full-time starters. There is some concern about star player value in this unit.
For a secondary that was ranked within the top 10 last season in the nation, only safety Tyree Gillespie (preseason second-team) is a preseason All-SEC member. Last year, Gillespie accounted for 50 total tackles (second on team), four tackles for loss and seven pass deflections.
The Tigers do return safety Joshuah Bledsoe, who accounted for 49 total tackles and 10 pass deflections (team-high). As a defense, the Tigers accounted for only eight interceptions with none of them coming from the secondary.