Missouri’s 54-14 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff was over almost as soon as it started, and that early cushion turned Week 1 into a useful audition for a lot of Tigers. With Missouri ahead 40-0 at halftime, the game opened the door for plenty of snap distribution, and a few players used that extra run to stand out in Pro Football Focus grading.
Naeshaun Montgomery was the biggest beneficiary in terms of volume. After being listed as a starter on Saturday, the Florida transfer logged 59 snaps, the most on the team by a wide margin.
Shaun Terry II was next among receivers with 37. Montgomery’s workload included 26 passing plays, and he finished with five targets, three catches and 47 yards.
PFF gave him a 60.9 grade overall, but the snap total itself said plenty about the trust Missouri placed in him and the kind of stamina he brought to the opener.
The Tigers also got exactly what Eli Drinkwitz said they would from the line with Cayden Green out. Jack Lange and Whit Hafer stepped into elevated roles and both delivered.
Lange finished with 46 snaps, second-most on the roster, and his best work came in protection. On 26 passing plays, he posted a team-high 88 pass block grade.
His overall mark was 60.3, dragged down by his work in the run game, but the 6-foot-8 sophomore still put together a strong showing.
Hafer’s day was even more balanced. His 77.1 offensive grade ranked fifth on the team and was the best of anyone outside the wideouts and quarterbacks. He earned an 83.9 pass block grade and a 72.3 run block grade, a solid sign of how he can fit into the lineup in multiple ways.
On defense, Elijah Dotson made the loudest PFF statement of the night. The Michigan transfer led Missouri and the entire team with a 93.6 defensive grade in just 18 snaps.
He also posted a 92 coverage grade over 14 snaps, a mark that dwarfed the next-best score of 80.6. Dotson, one of the Tigers who could start at STAR alongside Kensley Louidor-Faustin, also recorded three solo tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception that was wiped out.
Missouri’s Week 1 snap counts showed just how many players got involved in the lopsided win. At quarterback, Austin Simmons played 37 snaps, Matt Zollers 33, Nick Evers 6 and Gavin Sidwar 3.
At receiver, Montgomery led the group with 59 snaps, followed by Terry II with 37, Caleb Goodie Sr. with 34, DaMarion Fowlkes with 32, Cayden Lee with 30, Donovan Olugbode with 30, Kenric Lanier II with 12 and Noah Flaskamp with 4.
In the backfield, Jamal Roberts logged 31 snaps, Anthony Favrow 18, Xai'Shaun Edwards 17, Preston Hatfield 6, Malae Fonoti 5 and Max Warner 2.
Colin Sorensen and Dominick Giudice were the top two tight end contributors with 41 and 38 snaps, respectively.
Along the offensive line, Lange led the way at 46 snaps. Whit Hafer and Zack Owens each played 41, while Tristan Wilson, Curtis Peagler, Luke Work and Khalief Canty Jr. each had 38. Logan Reichert finished with 33, and Ryan Jostes played 3.
At linebacker, Jude James had 23 snaps, Jordon Harris 21, Brett Norfleet 19 and Gavin Hoffman 15.
In the defensive backfield, Jayden McGregory played 29 snaps, CJ Bass II 28, Trajen Greco 24, Santana Banner 19, Elijah Dotson 18, Jackson Hancock 18, JaDon Blair 9, Kensley Louidor-Faustin 8, Brody Jones 7 and Carter Stewart 3.
At one defensive spot, Sione Laulea logged 28 snaps, Jaxson Gates 21, Cameron Keys 18, Nick DeLoach Jr. 15, Chris Graves Jr. 14, Jahlil Florence 14 and Ahmod Billins 3.
On another unit, Dante McClellan and Nicholas Rodriguez each played 25 snaps, Jeremiah Beasley 18, Brian Huff 16, Robert Woodyard Jr. 13, Bobby Washington Jr. 8 and JJ Bush 3.
Demarcus Johnson and Jaden Jones each had 17 snaps, Daeden Hopkins and Malik Bryant each had 16, Darris Smith 15, Langden Kitchen 12, Kamauryn Morgan 8 and Cavan Tuley 7.
Jason Dowell led another group with 27 snaps, Donta Simpson had 22, Jalen Marshall 19, Mark Hensley 15, Marquis Gracial 9, Sterling Webb 6 and Jadon Frick 1.
In Other News...
Trent Pierce Became A Big Reason Mizzou Finally Settled Down
Missouri spent much of December looking out of sync before Trent Pierce returned to the lineup and helped the Tigers settle into a better rhythm. After missing time with a hip injury, Pierce rejoined the rotation and quickly became part of the stabilizing force the team needed, bringing more consistent minutes, better scoring and sharper shooting as Missouri tried to turn a difficult stretch into something more manageable.
Pierces rise has given the Tigers another reminder of how much a roster can change from one season to the next. He went from a freshman fighting for limited playing time to a junior who mattered in real games, and now his growth has set up a senior year with far more responsibility waiting for him. [Read more 🡒]
Missouris Most Talented Roster Yet Still Hinges On Mark Mitchell
Mark Mitchells path to Missouri took another turn in the courtroom, where the Kentucky Court of Appeals declined to halt a temporary restraining order tied to his bid for a fifth season of eligibility. For the Tigers, the ruling matters because Mitchell is not just another addition to the roster, but a player whose presence helps define how high this team can climb after he backed out of a prior commitment to Kentucky and enrolled in Columbia.
The legal fight is far from over, though, and the next step is a hearing before a three-judge panel at an unscheduled future date. For Missouri, that leaves the situation in a familiar holding pattern: Mitchell is in place for now, but the question hanging over one of the programs most important pieces is still when, and how fully, the final word will arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Found Early Answers Fans Needed To See Before Kansas
Missouri got the kind of season opener it wanted to see, rolling past Arkansas-Pine Bluff 54-14 and showing early signs that the offense can carry over into a bigger September spotlight. Austin Simmons looked sharp from the start, completing 17 of 19 passes for 252 yards and four touchdowns before giving way to the backups, while Donovan Olugbode gave the passing game an easy target all afternoon with a career-best eight catches for 116 yards and two scores.
The opener also offered a quick reminder that Missouris defensive playmakers are ready to tilt games, too, with safety Elijah Dotson adding three tackles and forcing a fumble. It was a comfortable win on paper, but for the Tigers, the more meaningful part may have been the way several key pieces answered routine questions before the schedule tightens up and Kansas looms. [Read more 🡒]