Mizzou Report Card: Grading Position Groups vs. Kansas in Week 2

After a 38-21 victory against Kansas the Tigers have improved to 2-0, but not every positional group is improving. While Simmons' has the quarterback and wide receiver room in good hands, the Tigers run game and special teams left a lot to be desired. Here's every position's grade from beat reporter Zach Knox-Doyle following the victory.

Quarterback: A

Austin Simmons commanded the offense Friday, making the pass game the Tigers' biggest strength. Between the Simmons-led 78 second drive with less than two minutes left in the first half that tied the game and the fourth down conversion to Brett Norfleet to ice the contest, the senior quarterback looked nearly flawless.

Simmons missed out on a perfect grade due to his lack of deep ball attempts and when he did air it out to Caleb Goodie Sr., he overthrew the ball. Simmons still finished with 292 passing yards and three touchdowns, earning the highest grade of any Tiger.

Wide receiver and tight end: B+

Donovan Olugbode and Cayden Lee combined for 241 of the 292 passing yards during Friday's contest. The two starters deserve higher grades, but due to the unit's predictability and Jordon Harris' 50.6 PFF grade and poor blocking, this group just misses an A.

Running back: C-

Without Ahmad Hardy through the first two weeks the Tigers' rushing attack has been insufficient. They accumulated 177 yards on 41 carries for two scores on Friday, but apart from Jamal Roberts' 64-yard explosion, Missouri averaged less than three yards per carry.

Xai'Shaun Edwards was a bright spot in the position, averaging 4.5 yards per carry, adding 45 total yards and his first score at Missouri. But for a team that led the SEC in rushing yards last season, Missouri has looked subpar in that department to start the year.

Offensive line: C

Grading pass blocking alone, the offensive line was excellent, leaving Simmons under pressure in just four of his 29 throws. But due to a much weaker run block that often resulted in Roberts getting touched before he passed the line of scrimmage, this group has a lot to work out.

Defensive line: B+

The pass rush was much improved from the season opener, keeping Isaiah Marshall on the run and tallying four fourth quarter sacks. The line kept Kansas' run game in check as well, holding the Jayhawks to 81 yards on 36 carries.

The quarterback pressure could have been stronger in the opening quarters, but this was one of the Tigers' best positions Friday. Daeden Hopkins led this group with eight pressures, 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Linebacker: A-

Nicholas Rodriguez and Jeremiah Beasley had relatively average performances, but due to Robert Woodyard's impact, this group earned the second-highest grade. He forced two of the Tigers' three takeaways with an interception and forced fumble and recovery, setting Missouri up for two of its easiest scores.

Defensive back: C+

On paper, this group held Isaiah Marshall to 168 yards and forced him 13-for-30 on passing attempts, but the reality is that Marshall was simply missing open receivers. Jahlil Florence did force a takeaway and Sione Laulea looked really strong, but the group will need to apply more pressure against higher level opponents.

Special teams: F

The Tigers posted a 32.3 special teams grade on PFF which just about says it all. Having two muffed field goals, one of which resulting in seven Kansas points, is unacceptable for a group that needs to make significant improvements from 2025.

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