He lastly took off the purple hat.
With the Tigers up 42-7 within the early fourth quarter, Missouri followers received a glimpse at their future when freshman quarterback Sam Horn entered the sport. He picked up a primary down on a QB draw and fired a seed to Barrett Banister for 29 yards, however the latter was referred to as again resulting from an ineligible man downfield penalty on Mitchell Walters. The drive led to a 43-yard Harrison Mevis discipline purpose.
After that, he put the purple hat — which denotes a participant with a headset on to relay indicators and listen to what the coaches are saying — again on. Seventh-year senior Jack Abraham completed the sport.
“I simply instructed him, ‘Hey, like, be sure you catch the snap first and do your factor,’” beginning quarterback Brady Prepare dinner mentioned. “‘Simply go on the market and ball out, similar to you at all times do.’ And, yeah, he made some nice throws, and I used to be tremendous pumped to see him get in.”
Defensive tackles Marquis Gracial and Jalen Marshall, in addition to four-star security Isaac Thompson, additionally made their collegiate debuts.
The Tigers emptied the bench on each side of the ball, however Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz mentioned he wasn’t proud of everybody who received an opportunity to play.
“I believed a few of these guys dealt with it very well, and I believed a few of them didn’t, to be sincere,” Drinkwitz mentioned. “I believe there’s some guys on the market that in all probability didn’t benefit from the chance the way in which that they wanted to.”
Drinkwitz mentioned he favored what he noticed from Jalani Williams, who got here down with an interception late within the recreation, in addition to Marshall, who had a deal with. However for a number of gamers, Drinkwitz mentioned they’ll have a look at the tape and remorse how they carried out.
“Perhaps they had been huddling again subsequent to the warmers an excessive amount of as a substitute of placing their minds on the sport,” Drinkwitz mentioned. “That’s a maturity challenge that we gotta proceed to appropriate. … I wasn’t happy with the way in which a few of these guys who had their alternative responded.”
Medical tent regularly visited
4 key Missouri defenders appeared to get harm throughout Saturday’s recreation. Two — Isaiah McGuire and Joseph Charleston — went to the locker room, whereas two extra — Ty’Ron Hopper and Kris Abrams-Draine — stayed on the sideline however didn’t re-enter the sport.
One offensive participant additionally entered the medical tent. Banister, after reaching his career-high in receiving yards, was hit laborious on a “hospital ball” from Horn and gave the impression to be in some ache.
Drinkwitz didn’t provide an replace on any injured participant after the sport.
“I knew they weren’t gonna be capable to come again, however (there’s) nothing to report,” Drinkwitz mentioned.
Any of those gamers lacking subsequent week’s recreation towards Arkansas could be troubling for Missouri.
Drinkwitz referred to as McGuire the Tigers’ most constant defensive participant earlier this week, and the numbers and tape again it up. McGuire and DJ Coleman have fashioned one of many fiercest pass-rush duos within the SEC, combining for 10.5 sacks to this point and getting extra formidable every recreation.
Hopper and Charleston have been helpful playmakers on the second and third ranges of Missouri’s protection after getting into this system as transfers from Florida and Clemson, respectively. Abrams-Draine has been each bit the lockdown cornerback the Tigers thought that they had after his breakout sophomore season in 2021.
Prepare dinner mentioned the chemistry between he and Banister has been working wonders, significantly prior to now few video games.
Hoerstkamp scores on first catch, goal
Prepare dinner had a number of choices on a play within the second quarter, however his choice supplied a spotlight for tight finish Ryan Horstkamp that ought to give Missouri some optimism for subsequent season.
Prepare dinner had Kibet Chepyator streaking down the seam for what would have been a straightforward pitch-and-catch and a landing. He had Tauskie Dove on a nook route that might have been a completion and will have been a rating with some luck, too.
He additionally had Hoerstkamp, the redshirt freshman from Washington, Missouri, beneath. Hoerstkamp caught it, received a block, noticed inexperienced grass down the sideline and saved working. It was Hoerstkamp’s first catch, goal and landing in his second profession begin; the primary was in Missouri’s loss to Military within the Armed Forces Bowl.
When Hoerstkamp caught the ball, he didn’t assume there could be sufficient area to go all the way in which, however there was.
“I heard somebody say, ‘Go rating!’” Hoerstkamp mentioned. “‘I used to be like, ‘Say much less, I’ll go forward and do this.’”
Hoerstkamp claimed the No. 2 tight finish position from Kibet Chepyator earlier than the South Carolina recreation, and he began instead of the injured Tyler Stephens.
Hoerstkamp is one in all three tight ends Missouri has recruited in its final two courses, the opposite two being redshirt freshman Gavin McKay and true freshman Max Whisner. If he proves over the subsequent few video games he can deal with the beginning job, it might fill a substantial gap for subsequent season.
“After the South Carolina recreation, I received much more confidence,” Hoerstkamp mentioned. “Coming into the yr, I wasn’t positive what my position was gonna be. And I wasn’t actually positive all year long; I simply tried to purchase into no matter position I had. … After which once I had a job, one thing I actually thought I might do, that constructed much more confidence.”
Fast hits
• Daylan Carnell supplied the sport’s greatest spotlight, a pick-six within the early fourth quarter. It was Carnell’s second interception of the season and of his younger profession, and he nearly had one other one earlier within the recreation.
• Missouri’s corners gave New Mexico State’s receivers an unusually great amount of cushion on a number of snaps early within the recreation. Abrams-Draine seemed like he was in a deep zone set on the Aggies’ first snap of the sport, which resulted in a 15-yard completion. Drinkwitz mentioned he didn’t assume the Tigers’ zone protection did properly.
• The off protection would have been extra of an annoyance for defensivee coordinator Blake Baker and his unit if New Mexico State didn’t drop three passes on third and fourth down on its first two possessions.
• DJ Coleman began his second straight recreation at defensive finish. He briefly exited the sport with what gave the impression to be a groin harm, however he returned and picked up a sack within the third quarter.
• It was Coleman’s sixth straight recreation with at the least half a sack.
• Drinkwitz has harped on his working backs needing to get higher at catching the ball this season. Cody Schrader made some progress in that regard Saturday, catching 4 passes for 47 yards.
• Truman the Tiger has a motorcycle now. Do with this data what you’ll.
• Arkansas will come into Columbia subsequent week with bowl eligibility secured after a 42-27 house win over Ole Miss. It will likely be the 6-5 Razorbacks towards the 5-6 Tigers on Black Friday as Missouri fights to go bowling.