2018 Missouri football preview

Offensively, Missouri will be hard-pressed to top last season’s campaign, at least in terms of putting up gaudy numbers.

The Tigers racked up 40 more yards per game than any other SEC team, but offensive coordinator Josh Heupel left to coach Central Florida. In his place is former Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley, who has installed a more pro-style offense.

“There were things I wanted to move to offensively that gave us a chance in either third downs or red zone or second-and-short, the different situations you get in football,” coach Barry Odom said at SEC Media Days this summer.

Fans might not be treated to a statistical encore, given the shift in style and the losses of the Tigers’ leading rusher (Ish Witter) and receiver (J’Mon Moore). However, Dooley’s offense could elevate the offense’s efficiency in important situations, as well as quarterback Drew Lock’s draft stock. Lock returned for his senior year after a record-setting 2017 season in hopes of increasing knowledge of NFL terminology.

The offense will go as far as Lock takes it, and he has two reliable running backs in Damarea Crockett and Larry Rountree to help. But the defense’s ability to replace five starters from a unit that ranked 12th in the SEC last year will determine if this is a barely-above-.500 team or one that can challenge for an SEC East title.

2018 schedule
Sept. 1 – UT-Martin
Sept. 8 – Wyoming
Sept. 15 – at Purdue
Sept. 22 – Georgia
Oct. 6 – at South Carolina
Oct. 13 – at Alabama
Oct. 20 – Memphis
Oct. 27 – Kentucky
Nov. 3 – at Florida
Nov. 10 – Vanderbilt
Nov. 17 – at Tennessee
Nov. 23 – Arkansas

2017 record: 7-6 (4-4 conf./T-3rd in SEC East)
All-time SEC championships: 0
All-time bowl appearances: 32 (15-17)

2017 results
Sept. 2 – Missouri State – W 72-43
Sept. 9 – South Carolina – L 31-13
Sept. 16 – Purdue – L 35-3
Sept. 23 – Auburn – L 51-14
Oct. 7 – at Kentucky – L 40-34
Oct. 14 – at Georgia – L 53-28
Oct. 21 – Idaho – W 68-21
Oct. 28 – at UConn – W 52-12
Nov. 4 – Florida – W 45-16
Nov. 11 – Tennessee – W 50-17
Nov. 18 – at Vanderbilt – W 45-17
Nov. 24 – at Arkansas – W 48-45
Dec. 27 – Texas* – L 33-16
*Texas Bowl

Returning statistical leaders

Rushing – Att – Yards – Avg – TD
Larry Rountree – 126 – 703 – 5.6 – 6
Passing – Comp-Att – INT – TD – Yards
Drew Lock – 242-419 – 13 – 44 – 3964
Receiving – Rec – Yards – Avg – TD
Johnathon Johnson – 41 – 724 – 17.7 – 6
Tackles – Total – INT – Sacks – TFL
Cale Garrett – 105 – 2 – 3 – 10

Starters returning: 17
Offense: 9
Defense: 6
Specialty: 2

Starters lost: 7
Offense: 2
Defense: 5
Specialty: 0

Returning offensive starters: Paul Adams (OL, Sr.), Trystan Colon-Castillo (OL, R-So.), Johnathon Johnson (WR, Jr.), Drew Lock (QB, Sr.), Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms (OL, Jr.), Kevin Pendleton (OL, Sr.), Yasir Durant (OL, Jr.), Emanuel Hall (WR, Sr.), Albert Okwuegbunam (TE, R-So.)

Returning defensive starters: DeMarkus Acy (DB, Jr.), Terry Beckner Jr. (DL, Sr.), Cale Garrett (LB, Jr.), Terez Hall (LB, Sr.), Brandon Lee (LB, R-Sr.), Adam Sparks (DB, So.)