Question #1 for the Missouri Tigers this college football season is replacing departed QB Blaine Gabbert, a top ten NFL Draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With the possible exception of former White Sox hurler Lance Broadway, Blaine Gabbert may be the most alternative lifestyle sounding name in the history of sports. “Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaine, Gabberrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt, cue the “jazz hands.” I would love it if I had a personal shopper and fashion consultant named Blaine Gabbert.
But on to football. Tyler Gabbert, the younger bro had a shot at the new starting signal caller job, but it instead went to sophomore James Franklin.
2010 was: More proof that this program has indeed turned the corner and his here to stay. 3/4 seasons with double digit wins. 10-3, 6-2 in conference with an inexplicable bowl loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes. The defense was stellar, but they could have a little better stopping the run. Still, 6th in the nation in points allowed! Offense had great balance.
BMOCs: WR T.J. Moe (who put up a G in yards last year) and TE Michael Egnew are the leaders in a group that returns all 14 Tigers who caught a pass last fall. Ends Jacquies Smith and Brad Madison mean that Mizzou may have even more sacks than last year.
2011 will be fruitful if: the new QB settles in and makes the right reads. Both lines are experienced and deep. And every Tiger how recorded a carry is back this year for Missouri.
2011 will be awful if: Franklin isn’t the real deal. It’s all on the guy who takes the snaps. Everything else is settled. Well, the secondary is a little green too.
Bottom Line: 8-10 wins. The Big 12 doors have opened for them, with Nebraska now out of the conference. They’ve become a top notch program recently, now they need to keep the intensity and hard work up to stay there.
Mizzou Rankings: #25 Athlon, #23 Lindy’s, #28 Phil Steele
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site that generates millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
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