Missouri Tigers DB Rakestraw Ready for SEC Competition After Win
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The Missouri Tigers got back into the win column on Saturday with a 34-17 win over (FCS) Abilene Christian. It may not have been the blowout that Tigers fans wanted, but a win is a win, and Mizzou's a lot happier at 2-1 than they are at 1-2.
While they did come out on top, the Tigers also faced their fair share of problems against the Wildcats. Missouri's offense stalled more than a couple of times, and the defense didn't look nearly as dominant as it should have against FCS competition. They gave up 308 yards to ACU on Saturday, and even though they won by 17, it looked closer than that on the field at times.
The Tigers' biggest advantage in this one was their sheer talent, as several key players were able to make standout individual contributions. One of those playmakers was sophomore defensive back Ennis Rakestraw Jr., who came up with a key interception in the second half.
Abilene Christian ran a screen play, and while Rakestraw was entangled with a blocker, he somehow managed to bat the ball up with one arm and then free himself to make a diving catch. The crowd erupted; not a bad way to get your first career pick.
"I didn't think I was going to catch the pick at first," said Rakestraw after the game. "I was trying to get off the block...then when the ball bounced off my arm, I got free, and I caught it."
Rakestraw wasn't done there, though. He helped linebacker Chad Bailey force a fumble which Bailey also recovered, adding to the Tigers' turnover total. He finished the day with three tackles, an interception, and a handful of key plays that won't show up in the box score (like springing Luther Burden III for a punt return touchdown with some expert blocking). It was a surreal experience for Rakestraw, who had his family in the crowd watching.
"My mom [and family] were actually here, they were in the stands," mentioned Rakestraw while grinning from ear to ear. "It was a lot going on. The first thing I thought about was my mom."
Rakestraw's about family first, and that's how he sees his Tiger teammates. In fact, he spent most of his post-game interview talking about them and his coaches. The West Dallas, Texas native, is the kind of guy you want on your squad, the kind that loves the game and plays for his teammates. He's the kind of player that Mizzou's going to need against a tough SEC schedule.
"We're very raw. We're finding out what we can do as we play. This week preparation's got to be big for us, you know. We're going to Auburn. That's a tough environment," admits Rakestraw. "But that's what we came to the SEC for...we're just going to keep getting better, take it day by day."
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