As far as weeks go, Mizzou's was better than most.
The Tigers are 2-0 and back in the top 25. Their quarterback , left guard and tight end have each picked up national honors for their performances Saturday against Kansas. It'd be hard to find a happier band of fans than the MU faithful after a win in a bitter Border War reunion.
But … did somebody forget to tell Eli Drinkwitz?
"They've gotten plenty of praise, at the end of the day," the Mizzou head coach said. "There's a lot of things we've got to get better at."
No, Drinkwitz was not much into singing praises during his Tuesday media availability, opting for constructive criticism of his squad over compliments in the wake of the Border War win. Mizzou will face Louisiana in Week 3, welcoming the Ragin' Cajuns to Faurot Field on Saturday, Sept. 13.
There was a lot to like about what Missouri did on Saturday against Kansas.
Mizzou (2-0) erased a 15-point, first-half deficit and finished strongest. The Tigers only let Kansas run four plays in the second quarter. Four! Drinkwitz called Beau Pribula "nails" postgame. He said his Tigers were "pretty good in man coverage."
The head coach just wasn't in a mood to channel his energy entirely toward the positives. Just about any time he got close, there was a caveat. For instance:
"I don't know that I've ever been a part of the game where we outrush somebody by 258 yards," Drinkwitz said, "and it was that close to the football game. But that was because, again, self-inflicted wounds. Not able to affect the quarterback in the pocket. Not able to cover in zone coverage. Not being able to finish in the fourth quarter. Not being able to finish at the start of the second half."
So, let's get to some of those, starting with the issues in zone coverage.
The Tigers were error-prone when they went into a zone defense, which is a recurring problem against mobile quarterbacks. Communication issues and ensuing coverage busts hurt last season. And Kansas' Jalon Daniels , an elite QB on his day, made MU pay for mistakes at times.
The Jayhawks jostle up front. Motions, shifts, read-options. They use 'em all and it's easy — easier — for a defense to get thrown off.
Take Kansas' first touchdown, for instance. MU defensive back Marvin Burks Jr. lined up as a single-high safety but appeared to bite as Kansas sent a player in motion. He shifted toward the line of scrimmage to defend the run.
As the ball was snapped and Daniels faked a handoff, corner Toriano Pride Jr. and safety Jalen Catalon dropped back deeper than their starting points. As that happened, Kansas tight end DeShawn Hanika broke free up the seam and found the soft spot in coverage where Burks was previously posted, and Daniels, who was hit as he threw, found him. That's a breakdown in coverage.
"When we got into our zone covers, we had communication issues and eye issues and discipline issues," Drinkwitz said. "And that stuff's got to get taken off the tape."
The other major area for improvement, per the head coach, is up front along the offensive line.
Improved from Week 1? Yes. There was not as much "clear-cut pressure" in Week 2.
Good enough? Not yet.
The head coach lamented the fact that running backs Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts each had to be their own blockers at times, especially in short-yardage, late-down situations. He's got a point. Hardy and Roberts rushed for 254 yards, with 159 — 62.5% of all their yards — of that coming after contact.
A third-down play near the start of the fourth quarter stuck out to the coach, and a rewatch of the tape doesn't do the O-line many favors. Left tackle Cayden Green was the only player who created any movement at the point of attack, and Hardy was stuffed and Mizzou punted.
"We're up four (points) with the ball at midfield and it's third-and-1 and we run a play a day-one play and can't get a yard? Like, that ain't good enough. That ain't good enough versus anybody," Drinkwitz said. "So, I'm not going to pretend and pat each other on the back and act like we've got all this stuff figured out. The name of the game is improvement, and those guys know it. They know I didn't feel good about it."
More: Evening kickoff window confirmed for Missouri football vs. South Carolina in Week 4
More: How should we assess Missouri football QB Beau Pribula so far? Maybe as nation's best passer
Drinkwitz is almost certainly trying to refocus his team ahead of a potential trap game, with Louisiana wedged between Kansas, a bitter rival, and South Carolina, a massive SEC-opener, on the schedule. The Ragin' Cajuns won 10 games last year and played for a Sun Belt title. If there's a dangerous slip-up spot anywhere on the calendar, this is the week.
But his critiques, looking at the tape, are justified too. Just because issues weren't fatal against KU doesn't mean they won't be down the line.
So, Drinkwitz sent his message. And in a slightly different fashion to Clemson coach Dabo Swinney.
"I don't want to be that coach that gives out grades, that got one coach in trouble," Drinkwitz said. "So, I'd just say that there's stuff that we've got to improve on before we get that final exam."
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Why Eli Drinkwitz keyed in on Missouri football flaws over flattery
