The Missouri Tigers head into the 2010 season with 16 starters back, eight on each side of the ball, and have to be thinking they have a great shot at taking down Nebraska for the Big 12 North title. The Tigers finished the season 8-5 in 2009, but were just 4-4 in conference play. The Tigers have racked up five straight winning seasons under head coach Gary Pinkel, and I see no reason why that streak doesn't get pushed to six in 2010. Here is a quick preview of what the Tigers will look like this season, plus my prediction on where they finish the season in the Big 12 North.
Offense:
The Tigers continue to produce top notch players at the quarterback position, and they have to love what they got in junior to be Blaine Gabbert, who stepped in and threw for 3,593 yards with 24 touchdowns to just 9 interceptions in his first full season as a starter. Gabbert is already considered one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12, and I think we could see some huge numbers put up by this kid in 2010.
Gabbert will have to go to work without his two top threats in the passing game, as the Tigers lose Danario Alexander and Jared Perry, who combined for 2,477 yards and 20 touchdowns. The Tigers do bring back starting wide out Wes Kemp and one of the top tight ends in the Big 12 in Andrew Jones, but for this unit to produce big again in 2010, the Tigers will need junior Jerrell Jackson and sophomore TJ Moe to step in and make a big impact as starters this season.
The Tigers welcome back senior running back Derrick Washington, who had a team best 865 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2009. Washington ran for 1,036 yards in 2008, and I think we are going to see him break the 1,000 yard mark again this season.
One reason Washington figures to get back on track in 2010, is the offensive line comes in very experienced with four starters returning. The only change will come at right guard, where junior Jayson Palmgren looks to make his way into the starting lineup. The Tigers have two of the top tackles in the conference in Dan Hoch and Elvis Fisher, but the leader of this group is the highly talented senior center Tim Barnes.
Defense:
The Tigers had just four starters back on defense last season, but still managed to improve against both the pass and the run. This year with eight starters back, the Tigers are hoping for an even bigger improvement on this side of the ball.
One reason the defense improved was the outstanding play of red-shirt freshman defensive end Aldon Smith, who earned Big 12
Defensive Freshman of the Year after finishing the season with 64 tackles and a team best 11.5 sacks. The Tigers also bring back junior defensive tackle Dominique Hamilton, who will welcome fellow junior Terrell Resonno into the starting lineup at the other defensive tackle spot this season. Junior Jacquies Smith looks to earn the other starting job at the open defensive end slot. Smith had 39 tackles and 1.5 sacks in his sophomore season as a backup.
At linebacker the Tigers bring back two starters in senior weak-side linebacker Andrew Gachkar and junior middle linebacker Will Ebner, but the big question is how will this team make up for the loss of strong-side linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who was a first round pick in this year's NFL draft. Heading into the fall it looks like sophomore Zaviar Gooden will get the first crack to replace Weatherspoon.
All four starters return in the secondary, led by one of the top corners in all of the Big 12 in senior Carl Gettis, but for this unit to really make an impact this season they have to start creating more turnovers, as the Tigers had just seven interceptions last year.
Prediction - 2nd Big 12 North: The Tigers are a scary team heading into the 2010 season, and figure to give Nebraska all it can handle in the North. The only reason I have the Tigers finishing second in the North this season, is they have to play Nebraska on the road, but a win in Lincoln and the North should belong to the Tigers once again.
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