Somehow, I seriously doubt Mizzou Tigers’ football coach Gary Pinkel is a big fan of B.O.N.E. Thugs and Harmony. However, his team’s 2-2 start, some good ol’ controversy and questionable coaching decisions have put the Ohio native and his team at a crossroads.
Besides the Tigers’ expected walk-in-the-park win over Division II punching bag Southeastern Louisiana, Pinkel has seemingly found a way to end up in the news for all the wrong reasons since the season began. First, despite playing well through three quarters against a highly ranked Georgia team in its SEC opener, the Tigers ultimately imploded after an embarrassingly awful fake field goal attempt. The coaching gaffe helped turn a tiny 24-20 fourth quarter deficit into a 41-20 final score.
The following week, Pinkel made headlines again for calling out his quarterback, junior James Franklin, by questioning his desire to play because the quarterback declined to take a cortisone shot to hide the painful effects of his injured shoulder. Though the Tigers (led by backup QB Corbin Berkstresser) survived another late-game implosion versus Arizona State, the talk of the town was not the Tigers ability to hold off a good football team, but whether there was acrimony between the coach and his starting signal caller. After all, the coach seemingly questioned his player’s heart by insinuating that Franklin didn’t want to play.
Both the coach and player denied any animosity over the controversy but many outsiders began to wonder whether Pinkel or his players had lost confidence in Franklin. It’s clear after the team’s pitiful performance versus South Carolina, the team is not in sync. The Tigers dropped passes, missed tackles and looked listless and lethargic versus the 7th-ranked Gamecocks. To make matters worse, the only touchdown Mizzou could muster was led by Berkstresser in garbage time, stoking a potential QB controversy.
For his part, Pinkel has stated resolutely that Franklin is the team’s starting QB. But like the poor punt decision vs. Georgia, Pinkel could be making the wrong call. While Franklin led the Tigers to a nice 5-1 run to end the schedule last season, off-season shoulder surgery severely limited his preparation coming into the season. Like many “dual-threat” QBs, Franklin is more dangerous with his feet than delivering the football from the pocket. Even before the injury, Franklin wasn’t was never the ‘gunslinger’ type, but now it seems like all of his throws are gently lobbed, whether it’s a 5-yard out or a 15-yard crossing route. As a runner, Franklin is fairly athletic and tough, but he’s nowhere near as dynamic as a guy like former Mizzou QB Brad Smith, the last QB who ran the rock so often. Franklin’s biggest weapon has been his toughness and heart. He seemingly willed his team to victory many times last season. By questioning his heart, Pinkel crippled his quarterback.
Versus the Gamecocks, Franklin was held to just 97 yards passing and six yards rushing. But from the game’s onset, the entire team looked unprepared. It was as if they were ready to lose before the game began.
Senior wide receiver T.J. Moe summed up the team effort perfectly.
“I mean, we (stunk),” he said. “There’s not much better way to put it.”
But even with fans murmuring for Berkstresser to supplant the starter, the bulk of the blame can’t fall on Franklin’s achy shoulders. His less than stellar plays begs the question whether Pinkel rushed him too quickly from surgery, rushed him back from his injury this season or needs to make better adjustments for SEC style of play. SEC defenses are rough and tough. If Franklin’s body isn’t ready to take the pounding, Berkstresser, a better pocket passer, should be inserted into the lineup. If Franklin is really OK, the coach needs to change up his predictable offensive strategy and put the team in better positions to make plays and try to avoid unnecessary punishment to his QB – both physically and mentally.
I predicted before the season that the Tigers would fare as well as Franklin did. So far, they’re off to a rocky start.
Yo Roger, I told you so!
Last week, I wrote about the awful NFL officiating and this week it struck again. The Packers were cheated out of a win, Cowboys wide receiver Kevin Ogletree was tripped in the end zone by an official’s tossed hat, Bill Belichick almost snatched up a replacement ref and we saw a continuation of awful officiating that threatens the legitimacy, and safety, of the league. Great job Commissioner Goodell.
