The struggling Missouri defense appears to have hit rock-bottom, giving up 458 rushing yards, with 275 of those coming in the first half alone, as the Tigers were blown out by the visiting Tennessee Volunteers, 62-24 from Faurot Field in Columbia on Saturday afternoon.
UT running back Tiyon Evans had 15 carries for 156 yards and three touchdowns, with quarterback Hendon Hooker competing 15 of 19 passes for 225 yards and three scores for the Volunteers, leading to a successful return to Columbia for head coach Josh Heupel, who served as Missouri offensive coordinator a few years ago.
Missouri, having come into the game at 2-2, had struggled defensively but showed good promise offensively in September, but with off-and-on rain showers falling during the first quarter, the Tigers found themselves down 28-3 to the Vols, with Tennessee never forced into a first down. Missouri’s defense looked equally poor on getting off blocks, and in the moments when they would get into position, making sound open-field tackles.
Kris Abrams-Draine had the top moment in the game for Mizzou, returning a kickoff for a 100 yard touchdown in the third quarter. Missouri (2-3, 0-2) will host North Texas for homecoming next Saturday afternoon at 3 o’clock.
The putrid defensive performance cost defensive line coach Jethro Franklin his job, as coach Eli Drinkwitz fired Franklin on Sunday morning. In a statement released by the university, Drinkwitz said “a change in direction was needed at the defensive line coach position”. Defensive analyst Al Davis will move into a full-time coaching role for the remainder of the 2021 season. New defensive coordinator Steve Wilks remains under fire, with the Tigers having highly noticeable struggles in stopping opponents from running the football, particularly in losses to Kentucky and Boston College prior to Saturday’s collapse against Tennessee.
Photo credit – Wikimedia Commons / Columbia, MO
