Turning Points: Missouri State
Each Monday morning, we will take a look back at three moments that changed the game the previous Saturday. They may be good or bad for Mizzou, but we'll pick the three plays that shaped the outcome and take a closer look at them.
In week one, even though it was closer than most expected, there was never truly a moment after halftime where the outcome was in much doubt. There was no incrediblt dramatic turning point. We take a look at three plays that led to the 72-43 win over Missouri State.
Drew Lock to Johnathon Johnson 65 yard TD pass, 14:44 1st quarter
How easy was it gonna be for the Tiger offense? They scored on their very first snap, just 16 seconds into the game.
Lock faked a handoff and threw a simple five-yard hitch pass that Johnson caught at the 40-yard line. Missouri State's defensive backs were giving both Johnson and Dimetrios Mason plenty of cushion, so the Missouri sophomore made the catch with four full yards between him and the Bears defender.
The key to the play is two-fold. First of all, Mason locks up the man defending him, cornerback Matt Rush, between the 41 and the 42-yard line. Seeing this, Johnson stops and immediately cuts right, behind Mason. Mason holds the block long enough for Johnson to get around him.
Safety Kam Carter had coverage on Johnson and comes up to make the hit, but Johnson has already turned right, putting Carter in bad position. From there, it's all the speed of the Missouri receiver. Johnson outruns the angle on linebacker Angelo Garbutt and safety Jared Beshore for a 65-yard touchdown.
Peyton Huslig to Malik Earl, 89 yard TD pass, 5:32 2nd quarter
The Tigers won this one going away, but the first half defensive lapses were a big part of the storyline. By this point, the Tigers had already given up a 75-yard touchdown run and a 64-yard pass to a tight end.
The offense had kept answering and the Tigers had Missouri State in third and 24 from its own 11 with a 34-28 lead. This seemed to be the point where Mizzou would get a stop and a score and start to run away. It wasn't.
Missouri comes out in a three man front with two linebackers. The linebackers don't blitz, but the do take a step forward and engage offensive linemen as Huslig fakes a handoff. The quarterback immediately rises up and fires right after the fake.
The throw is actually slightly behind Earl, who has to turn backward, losing momentum as he catches the ball at the 28-yard line, seven yards short of a first down. DeMarkus Acy is right next to Earl as he catches the ball, in position for an easy tackle. But Acy bounces off and as Earl turns up field, he is redirected just enough to force another missed tackle by Anthony Hines. Hines was in position to make the play, but Acy actually shoved Earl slightly, which propelled the receiver forward and Hines had to reach out to attempt an arm tackle that was unsuccessful.
From there, Earl had 60 yards of open field in front of him with a blocker and neither Cam Hilton nor Anthony Sherrils could chase him down. The Bears went up 35-34 and kept the shootout going.
Drew Lock to Emanuel Hall, 19 yards, 3:08 2nd quarter
Missouri had re-taken the lead, 41-35, and gotten a stop after Earl's touchdown. But on second and two, Drew Lock was sacked by Cody Isbell, putting the Tigers in third and eight. If Missouri State could get a stop, the Bears would get the ball back down six with less than three minutes left in the first half and then would also get the third quarter kickoff.
Missouri lined up with Damarea Crockett next to Lock in the backfield and two receivers to each side. Missouri State had four down linemen in front of five defenders evenly spaced six or seven yards off the line of scrimmage. There were two safeties deep.
Lock takes the snap. Four Missouri offensive linemen turn three Bear rushers to Lock's left, while Paul Adams handles his one-on-one matchup with Skyler Hulse to the right. Crockett has stayed in to block, but the line has opened up a perfect pocket and Crockett has no one to block at all.
Lock looks right, where Kendall Blanton has run a five-yard route out of the slot to draw one defender up. Hall is the outside receiver on Blanton's side and makes his cut toward the middle at the 35-yard line directly behind Blanton into the spot vacated by his defender. Lock throws a laser that hits Hall in stride at the 45 yard line. Hall picks up four more yards for a gain of 19 to move the chains.
It's a seemingly innocuous play, but it keeps the drive alive. Missouri goes on to score to take a 48-35 lead. Missouri State would never be closer than 15 points the rest of the day.
