Earlier than fumbling on the purpose line Saturday, Nathaniel Peat carried the ball 20 instances for 110 yards. He ran onerous, he broke tackles and he, by most accounts, was Missouri’s finest offensive participant at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The latter will affect Peat’s utilization this week in opposition to Georgia far more than the previous.
“We’re gonna give him the ball once more,” Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz mentioned Tuesday. “We’re gonna give him the ball once more. That’s what we’re gonna do. Actually no extra to say about it. He made a mistake. All of us study from it, all of us develop from it and we transfer on. To err is human.”
In opposition to Auburn, for the primary time this season, Peat was Missouri’s main rusher in each carries and yards. He out-carried Cody Schrader, who took the majority of the carries Week 1, 20 to 7. That development is probably going at the very least partially as a result of Peat was nonetheless recovering from a smooth tissue harm, however he seems to be totally wholesome now and able to deal with Missouri’s working again workload.
Drinkwitz has full confidence in Peat to bounce again this week, simply as he has in Harrison Mevis.
“I’ve stood over many a three-foot putt and yanked it,” Drinkwitz mentioned. “I’ve 100% confidence in Harrison Mevis. That younger man hit a game-winner, 37-yard area purpose versus Arkansas in 2020. He had a 54-yarder versus Boston Faculty to tie it up and ship it to time beyond regulation. He’s received the profession document for 50-yard area objectives, and one play is rarely gonna outline anybody particular person.”
Mevis doesn’t imagine he wants to vary a lot in his routine after beginning his third season 5 for 8. He mentioned he simply didn’t hit a clear ball on the would-be game-winner and pushed it.
It stays to be seen what number of probabilities Missouri must kick in opposition to Georgia’s protection, however a pair makes from Mevis would go a good distance towards easing Missouri followers’ nerves. He doesn’t share these nerves, although.
“You don’t wanna transfer a lot as a kicker,” Mevis mentioned. “Some guys do this they usually get in hassle with one factor, and (they develop) unhealthy habits, and stuff like that.”
Stopping LeBron and Travis Kelce
Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker in contrast one of many Bulldogs’ tight ends, Darnell Washington, to LeBron James. Sounds terrifying for the Tigers, nevertheless it’s not as unhealthy because it sounds.
It’s really worse, as a result of Washington is the second-best tight finish on Georgia’s roster.
Brock Bowers is Georgia’s main receiver as a sophomore, following up a first-team All-SEC marketing campaign as a freshman. He’s additionally acquired three handoffs this season and wound up in the long run zone all 3 times, clocking in at 27.3 yards per carry. At 6-foot-4, 230 kilos, ridiculously bodily and ridiculously quick for his dimension, Bowers, who Baker in comparison with Chiefs famous person Travis Kelce, is proving almost unattainable to cease.
“The best way they make the most of (Bowers), cut up him out at receiver and play conventional tight finish, the place he’s very bodily on the level of assault,” Baker mentioned. “And clearly, they provide him the ball on the sweeps. They make the most of each these guys in loads of alternative ways.”
A lot of the accountability in coping with Washington and Bowers will fall on Missouri’s linebackers, Dameon Wilson and Ty’Ron Hopper, and Star positions, Martez Manuel and Daylan Carnell.
All 4 may have two large obligations: The primary is utilizing their dimension and pace to deal with the 2 monsters in man-to-man protection; the second is crashing towards the road of scrimmage, onerous, once they see a jet sweep for Bowers — or any variety of the Bulldogs’ different gifted backs and receivers — begin to occur.
“I believe the Star place actually simply fits all the things about me,” Carnell mentioned. “With the ability to cowl and with the ability to be within the field. Like I mentioned, making it easy so I can play quick and be bodily.”
Burden manages expectations
As Drinkwitz mentioned he can be, Luther Burden III is listed as questionable for Saturday’s sport. Many have referred to as for Missouri to get Burden the ball extra and understand the begin to his profession as disappointing.
Nevertheless, as PowerMizzou’s Gabe DeArmond identified, it wasn’t as gradual a begin as individuals suppose. Burden is second within the nation amongst true freshmen in touches, fourth in all-purpose (receiving, dashing, returning) yards and tied for first in touchdowns.
“Let’s not put undue expectations on individuals,” Drinkwitz mentioned. “Let’s let individuals develop. Eighteen-year-old individuals nonetheless have maturing to do and progress to do and studying. Let’s simply have a good time what they’re doing that’s actually good.”
Even when Burden performs this week, it’s essential for Missouri followers to maintain a couple of issues in thoughts. One, he’s almost certainly restricted by a lower-body harm. Two, Georgia’s cornerbacks (and all the things else) are actually good. Three, he’s a real freshman and there’s a studying curve concerned with getting open and making performs downfield in opposition to Energy 5 competitors.
“I assumed there was a extremely good article about (Alabama defensive finish Will Anderson),” Drinkwitz mentioned. Anderson was a Heisman Trophy candidate final season. “Working via his strain to carry out and get as many sacks as he did final yr. … We’re attempting to alleviate strain, alleviate efficiency nervousness. And I believe the best way you do that’s to permit individuals to play free and assured.”