What's going on at Missouri?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by alanm

Considering most of their problems on offense last year were due to the oline starters playing hurt every week and the rest redshirting and the QB playing hurt after the VT game they scaled back the offense to the basics. This year with the exception of Mike Smith who is out for the year with a broken leg and who was slated for back up duty we're still in great shape depth wise. Helu is healthy. He played with a separated shoulder for most of the season, Burkhead is healthy. He broke his foot and missed 5 games. The whole offense was walking wounded last year. Still they had to play thru it and it showed. This season I think you'll be shocked at how good their going to be on offense.

Keith Williams is out for the season as well, not sure if you saw that. Smith was an important depth guy and insurance in case the JUCO LT didn't work out.

And, sorry, don't completely buy all of that about the offense. Whether Lee was hurt or not (and even if he was, they decided to keep playing him AND keep having him run the ball as much as he did/take as many hits as he did?). The offensive line was just average-good, returns most of the same guys (minus the best guy, Williams) and they're all upper-classmen (so their best growth likely is behind them). The fact that you had to move a TE (even a good one like McNeil) to WR doesn't bode well for that unit either.

And sorry, just don't buy that the defense will be as dominant/great without Suh. It still will be good, still be a top 15-20 unit, but you don't lose a player that outstanding and just collectively replace him.