Spring scrimmages held at Dan Devine Pavilion
Published April 10, 2007
With eight starters from the 2006 season returning, Missouri's offense should be in good shape. So it was pleasant, if not surprising, for coach Gary Pinkel to see the Tigers' stars perform well during Saturday's scrimmage at Dan Devine Pavilion.
Junior quarterback Chase Daniel was 11-for-14 for 176 yards and two touchdowns, including a 50-yard pass down the sideline to senior wide receiver Jason Ray. Afterward, Daniel said the entire offense looked strong.
"We executed today," he said. "We looked very solid."
Daniel said the roster's consistency from last year is a huge boost, and it reminded him of his high school days in Dallas.
"Having everyone back reminds me of my senior year," he said. "And we scored 50 points a game and won a state championship."
Senior tight end Martin Rucker said consistency is important, and familiarity will be helpful as the team gears up for the season.
"Playing together for so long, you know people's styles as a whole," he said. "Stability helps."
What had been stable the past few years was Pinkel's spread offense — no matter where on the field. But he has been putting Daniel under center in goal-line situations, though he said that is mostly for his defense.
"We do that to prepare the D," he said.
Pinkel said the Tigers might go under center during games next year.
"There are points in the field where we might use that offense," he said, but declined to elaborate beyond that.
One of the more intriguing plots heading into the scrimmage was the battle for the right to back up Daniel as quarterback. Junior Chase Patton began spring practice in the slot, but Pinkel said the job was open for redshirt freshmen J.P. Tillman and Dominic Grooms to take. But Patton looked sharp on Saturday, throwing 11-for-19 for 125 yards and a score, earning praise from Pinkel.
"Patton was a little more poised today," he said. "He did a good job. You could see his experience out there today."
Patton said though he would like to challenge Daniel for the starting job, he's not worried about what string he plays with.
"If I start to worry about depth-chart status, I'll get thrown off," he said.
The three backup quarterbacks wore orange jerseys, meaning they could be hit short of a full tackle. Pinkel said he wanted the quarterbacks to feel a little pressure.
"They haven't been hit nearly enough," he said.
Patton said the threat of being hit was good practice for him.
"I got dinged a little with that orange jersey," he said. "But it's definitely good experience."
While Patton, Tillman and Grooms were getting hit, the only injury of any note on Saturday was on junior tight end Chase Coffman, who suffered a hip pointer following a hit in the backfield.
"He'll be all right," Pinkel said of Coffman. "If that's the worst it gets, then we're lucky."
One player returning from injury is senior wide receiver William Franklin, who tore ligaments in his knee last season against Iowa State. He said the time off helped him learn about the offense from a different point of view.
"I was able to observe things I couldn't see when I was on the field," he said. "Now it's time to bounce back and build on what we have."
Franklin said because Daniel is familiar with his receivers, it should be a good time on the field.
"It makes it real easy on Chase knowing he has the same targets," he said. "It's fun as hell."