Missouri Tigers fans might have got a laugh after the season opening loss for the Kansas Jayhawks to Football Championship Subdivision school North Dakota. However, the Missouri Tigers players aren't laughing.
Mizzou opens its home portion of the 2010 season Saturday at Faurot Field against McNeese State University Cowboys. The Tigers are not overlooking its lone FSC school on its schedule.
"This is college football and anybody can beat anybody,"
said Tigers sophomore defensive end Aldon Smith. "We keep that in mind every time we practice and when we will prepare for McNeese this weekend."
Missouri opened the season with a 23-13 win over rival Illinois in the final Arch Rivalry game in St. Louis. Quarterback Blaine Gabbert led a second-half comeback by throwing two touchdowns. The Heisman hopeful finished 34 of 48 for 281 and those two touchdown strikes.
"He's just got the ability, like an Elway-type guy, arm wise,"
said head coach Gary Pinkel. "The thing right now is he's just so much more accurate than he was when he first got here and that's because of his footwork and balance work with Coach Yost."
Gabbert's main target was T.J. Moe. The converted quarterback caught a team-high 13 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. The Fort Zumwalt High School product finally had a breakthrough performance.
"As a quarterback you look at the whole game straight in the face and as a receiver you have to see it from different angles,"
said Moe. "So it takes time to get used to it."
The Tigers passing attack should be ready for a big weekend. Last week, the McNeese State defense gave up 426 yards through the air to a Lamar University program playing its first game after a 21-year hiatus. The FCS-ranked Cowboys pulled out a 30-27 win. McNeese State last played a BCS school in 2008, losing to North Carolina 35-27.
The Missouri Tigers defense is headlining the talk leading up to the home opener. Mizzou shutout the Illini in the second half. Aldon Smith led the Tigers with ten tackles, including three sacks. His play in the trenches earned him the Walter Camp Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week award. The secondary fed off the defensive front's play, forcing three interceptions.
"We want to get that recognition but we know with that recognition comes responsibility and you have to earn that,"
said senior cornerback Carl Gettis. "So we are just going to keep working each week and just try to perform on Saturdays."
This week the defense will be without three starters. Free safety Jasper Simmons is expected to miss time after surgery to repair a meniscus tear. Middle linebacker Luke Lambert is recovering from a hamstring pull. Donovan Bonner is out for the season with a torn ACL. Add the suspension of Will Ebner and it leaves the Tigers without three of the top six linebackers. Freshmen Andrew Wilson and Darvin Ruise will step forward on the depth chart.
"Preparing Darvin now for the possibility of playing is significant, so we're going to do that and see how it goes as we do with a lot of young players,"
said Pinkel.
The game will be broadcasted on Pay-Per-View only. Kickoff is at 6:00PM Saturday. Fans are encouraged to wear gold in support of the Tigers.
"We're looking forward to playing in the ZOU and looking forward to playing in front of our fans,"
said Pinkel. "We're trying to become a better football team."
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