Here are the Mizzodcast's biggest Mizzou disappointments of the 2016 season.
1. Mizzou’s Defense
What the hell happened? Mizzou had one of the best defenses in SEC and the country and last year. A drop off from that dominance was to be expected. It’s hard to maintain playing at that level forever. However, going from one of the best (6th overall) to one of the worst in one year is crazy. And when we say one of the worst, we mean it! We were ranked 117 out of 128 in total defense at the end of the regular season – dead last in the SEC. The craziest part though is why. That is what no one can seem to figure out. (Although plenty point to Cross and Odom.) Sure we lost a few good players, but who knew losing Kentrell Brothers would be responsible for a 111 spot drop in the rankings? That’s right. Our defensive ranking went from number 6 to number 117 in one year. Disappointing is probably an understatement here.
2. Mizzou’s Wide Receivers
Their stats look good this year. More than 3,500 total receiving yards, 14 receivers averaging more than 10 yards a catch, and six different receivers had 100+ yard games. Moore had a 1,000 yard season and eight touchdowns. BUT… the stats not counted meant more: drops. Drops are not a stat that is kept by anyone. Probably because it is hard to determine in a clear manor, but that’s stupid. We’re just guessing, but we counted approximately 247 drops this season. If we had a dime for every time Moore dropped a pass in a big situation, we could buy the Rams and move them to Columbia. (Not that we would, because screw them.) Half of Moore’s touchdowns came against Delaware State. And what happened to Chris Black? He started the season with six catches, 102 yards and one touchdown. Then didn’t play in five of the remaining 11 games?
3. Kansas
This year was disappointing for Mizzou fans all around and I think I speak for all of us when I say I’m the most disappointed in Kansas winning two games. Even more disappointing was that they won a conference game. Beating Rhode Island I can let slide simply because I’m pretty sure Rhode Island doesn’t have a home field or practice facility. But beating Texas is painful. I prefer my Jayhawks depressed until December’s basketball season, not “Hey, did you see we beat a real team?” excited in November. To make matters worse, both their wins were at home and their fans were able to storm the field. Granted, it’s funny to watch Kansas fans storm the field after beating Rhode Island, but it isn’t as fun to watch them do the same thing against Texas. WTF Texas? Why do you have to do this to us?
4. Mizzou's Kickers
All of our kickers suck. I understand that it is difficult, and if you miss a couple of 30+ yarders I’ll look the other way. So let me just check how many over 30 we made this year… click, click, click. three. Wait, THREE?!? We made six field goals and missed 12. I’m not sure how I feel about the fact that we didn’t even attempt a field goal under 20 yards. Four teams made fewer field goals than we did this year. FOUR... In the entire country. At least we didn’t miss an extra point. Oh wait. We missed six! SIX!!!! Each of our three kickers missed an extra point. If you missed one, I could maybe, MAYBE, forgive you, assuming it was blocked. When you miss six in one season, that’s ridiculous. Why didn’t we let Fatony kick this year?
5. Corey Fatony
Speaking of Fatony. It PAINS me to put our boy Corey on this list, but I have to. Corey only had one game with 10 punts. Only one! There were two games where he touched the ball less than two times and in one game he only had 45 yards punting. 45! Just such a drop from last season. In 2015, Corey punted for 3,477 yards; in 2016 it was 2,894. In 2015, Corey averaged 26 yards rushing; in 2016 he averaged 0. Here at the Mizzodcast we do not reward mediocrity! Next year we expect you to do better, Corey. We will give credit where it is due. His passing rating jumped this year from 0.0 in 2015 to 192.4 in 2016. Clearly in the offseason he had been working out his arm and not his legs.
1. Mizzou’s Defense
What the hell happened? Mizzou had one of the best defenses in SEC and the country and last year. A drop off from that dominance was to be expected. It’s hard to maintain playing at that level forever. However, going from one of the best (6th overall) to one of the worst in one year is crazy. And when we say one of the worst, we mean it! We were ranked 117 out of 128 in total defense at the end of the regular season – dead last in the SEC. The craziest part though is why. That is what no one can seem to figure out. (Although plenty point to Cross and Odom.) Sure we lost a few good players, but who knew losing Kentrell Brothers would be responsible for a 111 spot drop in the rankings? That’s right. Our defensive ranking went from number 6 to number 117 in one year. Disappointing is probably an understatement here.
2. Mizzou’s Wide Receivers
Their stats look good this year. More than 3,500 total receiving yards, 14 receivers averaging more than 10 yards a catch, and six different receivers had 100+ yard games. Moore had a 1,000 yard season and eight touchdowns. BUT… the stats not counted meant more: drops. Drops are not a stat that is kept by anyone. Probably because it is hard to determine in a clear manor, but that’s stupid. We’re just guessing, but we counted approximately 247 drops this season. If we had a dime for every time Moore dropped a pass in a big situation, we could buy the Rams and move them to Columbia. (Not that we would, because screw them.) Half of Moore’s touchdowns came against Delaware State. And what happened to Chris Black? He started the season with six catches, 102 yards and one touchdown. Then didn’t play in five of the remaining 11 games?
3. Kansas
This year was disappointing for Mizzou fans all around and I think I speak for all of us when I say I’m the most disappointed in Kansas winning two games. Even more disappointing was that they won a conference game. Beating Rhode Island I can let slide simply because I’m pretty sure Rhode Island doesn’t have a home field or practice facility. But beating Texas is painful. I prefer my Jayhawks depressed until December’s basketball season, not “Hey, did you see we beat a real team?” excited in November. To make matters worse, both their wins were at home and their fans were able to storm the field. Granted, it’s funny to watch Kansas fans storm the field after beating Rhode Island, but it isn’t as fun to watch them do the same thing against Texas. WTF Texas? Why do you have to do this to us?
4. Mizzou's Kickers
All of our kickers suck. I understand that it is difficult, and if you miss a couple of 30+ yarders I’ll look the other way. So let me just check how many over 30 we made this year… click, click, click. three. Wait, THREE?!? We made six field goals and missed 12. I’m not sure how I feel about the fact that we didn’t even attempt a field goal under 20 yards. Four teams made fewer field goals than we did this year. FOUR... In the entire country. At least we didn’t miss an extra point. Oh wait. We missed six! SIX!!!! Each of our three kickers missed an extra point. If you missed one, I could maybe, MAYBE, forgive you, assuming it was blocked. When you miss six in one season, that’s ridiculous. Why didn’t we let Fatony kick this year?
5. Corey Fatony
Speaking of Fatony. It PAINS me to put our boy Corey on this list, but I have to. Corey only had one game with 10 punts. Only one! There were two games where he touched the ball less than two times and in one game he only had 45 yards punting. 45! Just such a drop from last season. In 2015, Corey punted for 3,477 yards; in 2016 it was 2,894. In 2015, Corey averaged 26 yards rushing; in 2016 he averaged 0. Here at the Mizzodcast we do not reward mediocrity! Next year we expect you to do better, Corey. We will give credit where it is due. His passing rating jumped this year from 0.0 in 2015 to 192.4 in 2016. Clearly in the offseason he had been working out his arm and not his legs.
