Turning Points: South Carolina
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.
Rarely--maybe never again--will those three plays all occur in a row. But that's exactly what happened this weekend against South Carolina.
Deebo Samuel 97-yard kickoff return, 13:07 2nd quarter
Barry Odom said after watching Tucker McCann kick in warmups he thought the ball would be kicked into the end zone here. It wasn't. Deebo Samuel fielded it at his own three-yard line in the middle of the field. Odom said the location of the kick "was a little off." It was designed to be a bit more left of center.
Either way, Samuel takes the ball at the three with some momentum. On the coverage's left side of the play, Missouri's coverage man is blocked well. On the right side, Finis Stribling IV and Jerod Alton are the outside players and both run a bit too far upfield. By the time they turn in, Samuel is passing them at the 20-yard line. Kaleb Prewett is on the right side as well and can't get off his block before Samuel is behind him.
At the 25-yard line, Tiger defensive back Anthony Hines is unblocked and has a shot at Samuel. But his momentum carries him to Samuel's right as the Gamecock return man makes a sharp cut back left at the 24. Hines only brushes Samuel's thigh as he goes by.
At the 30, McCann has come a bit too far upfield, has to cut toward the sideline and dives at Samuel's ankles, but fails to make contact.
From there, the play is all about Samuel's speed. Linebackers Brandon Lee and Eric Beisel have no chance to catch him. The only Tiger with a shot is Thomas Wilson and Samuel simply outruns Wilson's angle down the sideline. No Tiger touches Samuel for the final 76 yards and South Carolina has crawled within 10-7.
Drew Lock intercepted by Jamyest Williams, 12:52 2nd quarter
Following a touchback after the Samuel kick return, Missouri took over at its own 25 yard line with a 10-7 lead.
Lock is in the shotgun with three receiver left and Emanuel Hall right. South Carolina has four down linemen and two linebackers on the play. Hall runs a short route to the right, but Lock looks left immediately upon taking the snap.
J'Mon Moore, the outside receiver to the left runs a go pattern down the sideline clearing out one defender. Tight end Kendall Blanton and slot receiver Johnathon Johnson both run out patterns. Each goes five yards and turns toward the sideline.
It's Johnson Lock is trying to go to along the Missouri sideline. Johnson is at the 30 when Lock throws the ball and eventually comes forward a couple of yards to the 28 where he is expecting to catch the ball. Williams started ten yards off the line of scrimmage, but came forward a couple of steps at the snap. As soon as Lock looks left and Johnson turns, Williams makes a break for the receiver. He steps in front of Johnson and intercepts the pass at the 27, stepping out of bounds at the 25.
It is not a terrible pass. The vast majority of the time it is complete or perhaps batted away. But Williams, a highly-touted true freshman, read the play perfectly and made a quick break on the ball. Johnson was Lock's first read and when he throws the ball, he's open. If Lock looks off Johnson, none of the other receivers in the pattern appear to be open either.
A quarterback is rarely blameless on an interception, but this was not that bad a throw or decision. Sometimes the other team makes plays too and Williams made a very good one.
Deebo Samuel 25-yard touchdown run, 12:37 2nd quarter
South Carolina's first snap after the interception comes at the Tiger 25. Jake Bentley is in a short shotgun, five yards behind the center with a running back to his left. Tight end Hayden Hurst is lined up behind the left tackle. There are two receivers right and one left.
Missouri is in a traditional 4-3 look. Just before the snap, Samuel motions left and back toward Bentley, away from the line of scrimmage. The linemen block down to the right, taking three Missouri defensive linemen away and out of the play. The left tackle leaves Marcell Frazier unblocked. Frazier goes inside toward Bentley as Samuel takes the handoff and heads left with Hurst and the running back leading the way.
Hurst takes out Kaleb Prewett and Rico Dowdle blocks cornerback Logan Cheadle as Samuel cuts behind both of them as he crosses the line of scrimmage.
Middle linebacker Cale Garrett has gotten out toward Samuel, but dives and can't get the runner by the ankles at the 21-yard line. Outside linebacker Terez Hall can't quite catch up to Samuel and Gamecocks receiver Bryan Edwards finishes the play off blocking Ronnell Perkins all the way from the 15-yard line into the end zone as Samuel jogs across the goal line.
The play makes it 14-10. Momentum is gone and Missouri will never be as close again.
