COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — When things went wrong for Missouri last year, the defense was usually to blame.
It was that side of the ball that got the Tigers going in Thursday night’s opener against Louisiana Tech.
With their offense off to a slow start, new-look coordinator Blake Baker came up with a trio of touchdowns in the first half, including Joseph Charleston’s return for a score. That was all the spark needed for Missouri’s offense, which came behind heralded recruit Luther Barden III in a 52-24 victory over the Bulldogs.
“We struggled early to find a rhythm. “We were out of sync,” Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said, “but we were able to use the momentum the defense created.”
Brady Cook, who won the starting job in fall camp, threw for 196 yards with an interception and a touchdown. And the backfield trio of Cody Schrader, Nathaniel Peet and BJ Harris each reached the end zone.
However, it was the burden of the five-star prospect in St. Louis that led to the announcement. He caught a swing pass from Cook before eluding one defender, splitting two for his first score, then took a direct snap and ran for another.
Burden’s only real gaffe came on a sharp throw that took his hands off for an interception.
“To be honest with you, I see him every day,” Drinkwitz said of the freshman star. “I didn’t want to build too much.”
Louisiana Tech’s Matthew Downing threw for 184 yards and three interceptions in new coach Sonny Cumbie’s version of the Air Raid offense. Downing didn’t get much help from the Bulldogs’ ground game, however, rushing 22 times for 11 yards against one of the worst rushing defenses in the Football Bowl Subdivision last season.
“This has to be better,” Cumbie said. I need to be more patient in the run.
Of course, most of the focus around Missouri has been on its defense, which has been rebuilt around new Division I transfers for new coordinator Baker. And they got right into the action: Florida’s Tyrone Hopper and Charleston, a freshman from Clemson, had two of the Tigers’ first-half interceptions.
It was the first time Missouri caught three passes in the first half since Sept. 4, 1982 against Colorado State.
“When you turn the football over three times on the road against a good team and your margin of error is very small and you give them seven points, the momentum builds against you,” he said.
Schrader, who had two of Charleston’s pick-six early in the second quarter, led Truman State in rushing last season and got into the end zone after kickoff to give Missouri a 7-3 lead.
It was by no means a perfect performance for the Tigers, who led 24-10 at halftime.
Tyler Stephenson fumbled the ball inside the Louisiana Tech 10 after a Charleston punt. The Tigers also covered Griffin Herbert on a simple punt that turned into a 75-yard TD reception and the Tigers twice in the half. They were stuffed on fourth-and-short conversions.
Burden’s short TD run and Cook’s 20-yard scoring run late in the third quarter put the game away.
“The good thing for me is that the mistakes are all correctable, they are all correctable – the lack of execution, the changes, the penalties,” Drinkwitz said. There is a bright future ahead of us, but we must get out of our own way.
Win for LUPER
WR Chance Luper, who was expected to start for Missouri, went to the hospital on Thursday with what Drinkwitz called “soreness” that will keep him at least six weeks. Luper is the son of Tigers running backs coach Curtis Luper.
The take
Louisiana Tech kept throwing the ball, even when the game was out of reach, and backup QB Parker McNeil was rewarded with a late touchdown. An offense designed around the passage was a positive sign for the future.
Missouri will need much better offensive line play starting next week’s trip to Kansas State. Along with not being able to push the pile on fourth and short, the Tigers’ front struggled to protect Cook and committed too many penalties.
Next
Louisiana Tech will play its home opener on Sept. 10 against Stephen F. Austin.
Missouri visits former Big 12 rival Wildcats on the same day.
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