Tigers lack consistency

By Associated Press     Aug 19, 2007

? A two-hour scrimmage Saturday left Missouri coach Gary Pinkel searching for consistency from his top units on both sides of the ball.

During the scrimmage, Missouri’s second of three during fall camp, quarterback Chase Daniel again looked sharp and his backup, Chase Patton, took a significant amount of snaps.

“I just thought the consistency of play by both our one offense and one defense has got to upgrade,” Pinkel said. “We need every single day between now and the next 14 to prepare for Illinois.”

Daniel ran six series with the No. 1 offense, resulting in four scores. He finished the day 10-for-13 for 120 yards and three touchdowns. In the first scrimmage Aug. 13, he was 9-for-12 for 182 yards and two touchdowns.

“I thought we looked good out here today,” said Daniel, after the offense scored 10 touchdowns. “But if (Pinkel) says some stuff is wrong then we need to fix it. We need to go out there every single day and prove that we’re one of the best offenses in the nation.”

While Pinkel noted sloppy play from his top units, he praised the consistency of his backup quarterback. For the second straight scrimmage, Patton took most of the snaps with the No. 2 offense and also ran one series with the top offense.

The junior completed 14-of-22 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. The one drive he engineered with the No. 1 offense ended after six plays, 70 yards and an Earl Goldsmith touchdown from one yard out.

“To get out there and feel the speed of the one offense and the timing,” Patton said, “obviously they make some great routes and you have some time to throw.”

On a third down play, Patton hit a leaping Will Franklin with a 47-yard pass. He doubted he would have completed the pass last year.

“Honestly, I think what would have happened is I wouldn’t have gotten my eyes down the field,” he said. “I wouldn’t have been patient with it and probably just ran and gotten out of bounds.”

Pinkel and many of the players have been praising Patton almost the entire camp. As a highly touted recruit out of Columbia’s Rock Bridge High School, Patton thought he would have a more significant role earlier in his career. But Pinkel has stressed to him the importance of the backup quarterback.

“I’m just feeling comfortable right now. Now, it’s just what can I do to make myself more sound fundamentally,” Patton said. “When you can focus on that, rather than the other stuff, I think you can make bigger strides.”

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