Missouri Offense Roaring With Bryant At Quarterback
When a college football team loses it's starting quarterback, especially one who was taken in the second round of the NFL Draft, one would expect that team to take a step back offensively, after all quarterback's with that kind of talent don't just grow on trees.
That was the situation for head coach Barry Odum and the Missouri Tigers when last years starter, Drew Lock was selected in the second round of last April's NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos.
Enter Kelly Byrant, the Clemson transfer who took the reigns of othe Tigers offense and hasn't looked back.
The season didn't get off to a great start for Bryant & company as the Tigers suffered an embarrassing opening game road loss to Wyoming. However, since tht time the Tigers have roared to a 5-1 overal record and a 2-0 mark in the SEC.
The two biggest reasons for the five game winning strreak? A stout defense and Bryant.
First the defense, where Missouri is allowing just 15.8 points per game after allowing 37 in the loss in Laramie. Ole Miss managed 27 in their loss to the Tigers last Saturday in Columbia, otherwise the Tigers have held their other four opponents at 14 or less.
Then there's Bryant who has the Tigers offense ahead of the pace set by Lock and his mates a season ago.
In 2018 the Tigers offense average 36.6 points per game. With Bryant that number has increased to 38.8 per game.
Rushing and passing totals per game are also ahead of last season, and six games into the season, the win total has improved from 3-3 to 5-1.
Granted the 2018 schedule had both Georgia and Alabama along with South Carolina in the first six games. All three were losses for the Tigers, where as this season only South Carolina of those three filled a place in the first six games.
Still this bunch of Tigers are winning the games- minus Wyoming- that are in front of them and look strong doing it.
Bryant and his Tiger teammates visit Vanderbilt this Saturday for a 3pm kickoff at Vanderbilt Stadium where the Commodores are in desperate need of a win.
Containing Bryant will be tough but a key for the Commodores if they hope to notch their fist conference win of the season.
The senior signal caller is averaging 274.8 yards per game passing with his favorite target, Jonathan Johnson collecting 25 of those passes for 275 yards, an average of 11 yards per reception.
Fellow wideout Jonathan Nance, with only 13 receptions is averaging 19.3 yards per catch with 3 touchdowns.
The Tigers biggest weapon in the passing game is their potential NFL first round pick in tigh end Albert Okwuegbunam. A redshirt junior, the 6'5" 255 monster is a physical mismatch. He leads the Tigers in touchdown receptions with 5 and is Bryant's go-to in the redzone.
Larry Roundtree leads the Tigers multifacited ground attack with 573 yards on 103 carries. An average of 5.4 yards per game.
Three other runners, including Bryant are all over 200 yards on the season as the Tigers average 199.5 yards rushing per game.
The Commodores will have their hands full Saturday as Bryant and the Tigers look to improve to 6-1 and qualify for a bowl game with the win.
