Thursday March 28th, 2024 6:26PM
5:31PM ( 55 minutes ago ) News Alert

Tuesday Morning Quarterback: Missouri

What a perfect time for a bye week.

It's funny how Saturday's game was both worrying and gratifying at the same time for me. My family and I were talking as we were walking out of the stadium how it's actually nice to be concerned about a 25-point win, certainly compared to where we've been in recent years.

I think that means Georgia is in a good spot, because this time a year ago I would've just been thrilled with a win.

In fact, I very much WAS thrilled with a one-point win against Missouri last year.

But this year's different.

And so was Saturday.

1) Where was Jacob Eason?

You guys know coming into this game I still thought we might see Eason take the reigns once again.

Saturday told me that that will not be the case.

Even in a 53-28 runaway, Eason never saw the field. Not even once.

I kept thinking Kirby Smart and Jim Chaney might give him a series here or there with the first-string offense, but he didn't even see the field in mop-up duty.

This is Jake Fromm's team, and the starting spot is his to lose.

And he's absolutely earned it.

Now, I'm not going to speculate as to how Eason feels about this. I have no idea, and I imagine nobody except for No. 10 actually does.

I know the rumors will start swirling immediately of his potential transfer, especially with No. 1 overall recruit Justin Fields joining the quarterback derby next year.

But I'm not going to pretend like I know. Maybe he ultimately will. Good quarterbacks who aren't starting often do.

But maybe he won't.

2) Missouri sold out like no team has so far this year.

Holy moly did the Tigers load the box.

They absolutely tried everything they could to keep the game in the hands of Fromm, instead of the five-headed monster toting the rock for the Dawgs.

And Fromm made them pay, finishing 18-of-26 for 326 yards and 2 touchdowns (plus another one on the ground), not to mention helping the offense convert 13-of-18 third downs.

It seemed that play after play after play Mizzou was putting eight, even nine in the box, and if the unit even sniffed a run, it converged.

But that didn't stop the running backs from finding holes though, as Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, Brian Herrien, Elijah Holyfield and D'Andre Swift combined for 229 yards and 2 touchdowns on 43 carries.

With Fromm adding a legitimate passing threat, teams will not be able to sell out as hard as the Tigers did going forward.

3) The secondary isn't totally to blame.

Look, the elephant in the room following this game was the obvious problems the defense — minus a few first-line players, it's worth noting — got blown up on three wide open bombs, and saw a fourth fall incomplete.

The secondary obviously deserves some of the blame, but I don't think it deserves all of it.

On each one of those plays, the pass rush did nothing to disrupt Tiger QB Drew Lock, who was last year's most prolific passer in the SEC.

Lorenzo Carter, Davin Bellamy and the rest of the otherwise stout defensive front failed to register a sack on Saturday, though the unit held Missouri to a mere 59 rushing yards on 24 attempts (2.5 ypc).

It will definitely help to get the likes of Trent Thompson, Reggie Carter, Natrez Patrick (suspension), David Marshall and Daquan Hawkins-Muckle back as soon as possible.

4) The look ahead.

We're off this week boys. Enjoy it.

Also, on that note, there will not be an edition of "The Last Time" this week.

That will return for the Florida game, so be sure to check it out when it's posted.

I'll try to put something else together this week, but I'm now co-hosting the Afternoon News Wrap from 5 to 6 p.m. here at AccessWDUN, so my time might be a bit more limited going forward.

I'll do my best to make sure "The Last Time" and the "Tuesday Morning Quarterback" continue as we grind through the season.

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