Those that cowl school soccer at a nationwide stage see a little bit of each. ESPN’s Invoice Connelly, who graduated from MU in 2003, watches extra Tigers soccer than most of his friends at ESPN. As Missouri prepares to kick off the second half of its season towards Vanderbilt on Saturday, Connelly talked with the Missourian in regards to the crew’s quarterback state of affairs, assessed coach Eli Drinkwitz’s tenure in Columbia to date, and put the Tigers’ season right into a nationwide context.

This interview has been edited for size and readability.

How is Missouri checked out from extra of a nationwide perspective?

Nationally, what folks see proper now could be Luther Burden III, good current recruiting, and that’s about it, in all probability. The protection has improved massively this 12 months. I feel nationally, persons are ready for Missouri to do one thing to face out once more. The recruiting lined it for a short while, however they’ll have to see outcomes, too.

Missouri is in a bizarre spot proper now, as a result of clearly there’s enchancment of late. They’ve overachieved towards the unfold and my projections within the final three weeks — and 4 out of six total, however it’s important to win shut video games. I don’t assume they did something flawed towards Georgia, it was extra of Georgia realizing they needed to be excellent within the final 10-12 minutes of the sport — it did that and received the sport. Nonetheless, it was a possibility that was nearly there, and (the Tigers) couldn’t fairly capitalize on it. Now, except for Tennessee, they don’t actually have any marquee video games left that may steal anybody’s consideration.

Missouri’s teaching workers has talked rather a lot about ending video games just lately. What have you ever taken away from the Tigers of their current shut losses?

There have been extra gradual begins this 12 months on the highway, which is a story of kinds, but it surely has been completely different each time. … You’ll be able to’t say (Missouri) is taking part in poorly, as a result of there was a special motive for it every time.

I’ve a measure known as “success fee” that I at all times comply with, which is how steadily are you getting 50% of your yards on first down, 70% on second, 100% on third or fourth. (The Tigers) are a hundred and tenth offensively in success fee and (are) delayed continuously. They’ve executed a greater job of creating explosive performs of late, however they’re nonetheless falling behind, and in the event that they get into the purple zone, they’re 94th in purple zone landing fee. Missouri isn’t creating sufficient alternatives, and it’s not changing sufficient of the alternatives it has created. The protection has been nice. It’s fifteenth in success fee on protection and twentieth in purple zone landing fee. It’s doing its job wholeheartedly, it’s simply not getting sufficient from the offense.

What has been essentially the most telling statistic for you once you have a look at Missouri?

All of it comes all the way down to doing all your quarterback favors and him doing himself favors, too. The third-down protection is actually good. The third-down offense is horrible, and a whole lot of that has to do with the distances concerned. (The Tigers’) common third down on offense is 8.1 (yards to go), which is within the backside 20, however on protection, they’re creating comparable third-and-longs.

From a big-play perspective, they’re doing their half. They’re creating field-position benefits most of the time as a result of the particular groups unit continues to be fairly good. They simply can not keep forward of the chains offensively. With Nate Peat taking cost, it looks like Missouri is on course from a dashing standpoint, but it surely looks as if it has to commit additional assets to working the ball, blocking and all the pieces else. Nonetheless, that’s probably not doing the passing sport any (favors).

What’s your learn on Missouri’s quarterback state of affairs, and what’s the path ahead?

Heading into the 12 months, I’d say the 2 important objectives for Missouri (had been) determining your defensive coordinator lineage — Blake is the third defensive coordinator in three years; are you able to get on monitor in that regard? — and the opposite one was, you’re an offensive coach and also you’re in your third beginning quarterback to begin the season in three years, and also you haven’t discovered your reply there but. Simply lay out a future from a quarterback perspective. Making a bowl is essential, however for those who do these issues, you’ll in all probability be capable of squeeze out one other bowl bid, sit up for 2023 and begin to piece collectively some optimism.

The defensive a part of that the Tigers have completely executed; it has nearly been a worst-case state of affairs with Brady Cook dinner as a result of he hasn’t been horrible. He’s clearly not completely the man, however he has additionally proven simply sufficient flashes. It has put issues in a limbo, and I don’t know one of the simplest ways ahead. Clearly, everybody goes to yell for Sam Horn as a result of he’s the four-star backup, however the way you deal with that state of affairs, the one approach Cook dinner goes to turn into the man is for those who give him additional time, however you don’t have a ton of additional time to provide him. I don’t assume there’s a transparent path ahead, however I feel will probably be fascinating to see what Drinkwitz chooses to do.

With that being the case, do you see Missouri attending to 6-6 and bowl eligibility this 12 months?

From a numbers standpoint with my SP+ rankings, there’s a one-in-three likelihood the Tigers are attending to 6-6 and a 39% likelihood at ending 5-7. Apart from Tennessee, there’s completely not an unbeatable crew in these final six video games. (Missouri followers) are going to have the ability to persuade themselves in 5 of the final six video games that the Tigers have a shot. Kentucky’s protection would possibly render that moot, you’re going to should create some turnovers and get a few bounces to beat them, however the different 4 groups are extraordinarily beatable.

Vanderbilt and New Mexico State should be wins, clearly. Missouri, with all its points, nonetheless (has) to have the ability to transfer the ball towards Vanderbilt and get sufficient factors, which they in all probability will. After that, Missouri is roughly landing underdogs towards each South Carolina and Kentucky. With Arkansas struggling, that sport appears rather a lot nearer now. It’s important to win two out of these three. In the event that they pulled out the Auburn sport, they’re trying wonderful proper now, however now it’s important to get one again.

How would you assess Drinkwitz’s total tenure at Missouri after his first 2½ seasons?

It’s arduous, as a result of a lot of it comes down as to whether you might have your quarterback, particularly as a result of (Drinkwitz) was employed on what he did offensively. He wasn’t certain whether or not he had his quarterback, as a result of he went after JT Daniels and different transfers final 12 months. He knew that place wanted reinforcement and he’s making an attempt to make the perfect of what he has.

The Tigers are struggling in shut video games proper now, however they had been nice in shut video games his first 12 months. They’re struggling offensively proper now, however they had been good offensively final 12 months — for essentially the most half. Defensively, they had been horrible final 12 months however they’re good this 12 months. You’ve seen all the pieces you could see, however Missouri hasn’t been in a position to put all the pieces collectively constantly but. If Drinkwitz retains the roster collectively after which figures out tips on how to enhance on the quarterback place subsequent 12 months, issues will go from there. Their schedule is rather a lot simpler, and you’ve got an opportunity at a quick begin, however the quarterback place is a very powerful, and he hasn’t nailed that place but.

After all of the hype within the preseason, how would you assess Burden’s time in Columbia to date?

I don’t need to put all of it on (Brady) Cook dinner for Burden’s struggles. Burden has a lot to be taught from a route-running perspective and all the pieces else. As soon as the ball is in his palms, it’s actually enjoyable to observe, however he has growth to do as nicely. What we now have seen from Dominic Lovett this 12 months, if we see the identical growth from Burden subsequent 12 months, instantly your quarterback has much more margin for error if he’s acquired two Lovetts on the market working routes. Burden’s agility and playmaking is clearly spectacular, however as a receiver he nonetheless has loads of room to develop as nicely.

How would you grade Missouri on the midway level of the season? How might it rise or fall within the remaining weeks?

I might give Missouri a C+ — an A on protection and a D on offense in the meanwhile. I’m certain Drinkwitz would give an identical grade. Win the 2 extraordinarily winnable video games and win another. If you happen to end 5-7 however you might have clearly improved offensively down the stretch, it’s nonetheless not sufficient, however you’re getting there.

This whole season was about portray an image that’s optimistic for 2023. A bowl makes that simpler, however making a bowl final 12 months and shedding to Military didn’t do a complete lot for this system. I’d prefer to say you possibly can construct optimism, even for those who end 5-7, but it surely all depends upon offense, which implies all of it depends upon the quarterback.