Columbia, Mo. ? Since Gary Pinkel’s arrival at Missouri seven years ago, the Tigers have made the transition from bad to competitive. As the Tigers gathered in sweltering heat for their first practice Saturday, they enter the 2007 season with something new: high expectations.
A media poll picked Missouri to win the Big 12 North title this season. Some preseason polls have the Tigers in the Top 25, or bubbling close enough to get in with an early win or two.
For Pinkel, 37-34 at Missouri, high expectations are OK.
“I think it’s the smartest I’ve ever seen the media in my life,” Pinkel joked of the media poll. “We want to play at a higher level.”
The quest for Missouri’s first-ever Big 12 North title began in muggy mid-90s weather on a grass practice field across from Faurot Field. The Tigers have less than a month before the Sept. 1 opener against Illinois at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.
Missouri coaches on Saturday wore black shirts with the phrase “It’s all about the ball!” in bold letters. Pinkel said that’s a not-so-subtle reminder for the offense to do a better job of protecting the ball this season – and for the defense to do a better job of taking it away.
“We’ve got to be a better turnover ratio football team,” he said. “I’m disappointed we haven’t gotten that done.”
Last season, Missouri was a relatively pedestrian plus-2 in turnovers. Missouri had two more interceptions than opponents (13-11) and an equal number of lost fumbles (15).
Good things are expected from the Tigers largely because most of the key offensive players are back from a team that was 8-5 last season and ranked eighth nationally in total offense.
Quarterback Chase Daniel shook off a little rust early in practice – throwing behind a few receivers – but looked sharp later on. He clearly embraced the role of leader, shouting encouragement, sometimes dancing between plays, patting teammates on the back, jokingly telling a defender who intercepted a pass he was “lucky.”
“Just go out and have fun,” Daniel said. “Be loose, relaxed. If people see me loose, they’ll be loose.”
Daniel said he is comfortable with the team’s high expectations.
“Our goal is ultimately to get to the Big 12 championship,” he said.
Daniel set a Missouri record with 28 touchdown passes and 3,527 passing yards in his first season after taking over for Brad Smith. Many of his favorite targets return, including perhaps the most prolific tight end duo in the nation, junior Chase Coffman and senior Martin Rucker.
Last season, Coffman led Big 12 receivers with 58 catches for 638 yards and nine touchdowns. Rucker wasn’t far behind – 53 catches for 511 yards and five scores.
The make-or-break for Missouri will likely be the defense. Pinkel is comfortable with the starters. The key, he said, is depth.
“What we’ve got to do is continue to develop depth,” he said. “That’s my concern for the whole football team.”
The schedule breaks down well for the Tigers. Missouri doesn’t play Big 12 South powerhouse Texas this season and plays home games against some of the expected tougher opponents, including Nebraska on Oct. 6, Texas Tech on Oct. 20 and Texas A&M on Nov. 10.
Perhaps the biggest test is Oct. 13 at Oklahoma.
