Mizzou Offense Struggles, Has No Answer in Alabama Defeat

The defensive unit did its job, but the Missouri offense could not have been less productive.

Oct 26, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide place kicker Graham Nicholson (14) kicks a field goal against the Missouri Tigers during the first half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images / Butch Dill-Imagn Images

Slow starts on offense have been a common theme for the No. 21 Missouri Tigers. No life was found on that side of the ball against the No. 15 Alabama Crimson Tide, resulting in a 34-0 stomping on the road.

For all of the first half, regardless of who was in at quarterback, the Missouri offense could not move the ball down the field. Starting quarterback Brady Cook, who by no means was healthy by kickoff, completed only one pass for more than three yards in the first half. It was secured by tight end Brett Norfleet on a third-down conversion attempt, which was not achieved.

That completion to Norfleet was only in the first quarter and things didn't get any better. Cook struggled to find his receivers down the field and the ground game was nonexistent, especially without leading rusher Nate Noel.

Part of the lack of offense absolutely could be attributed to the lockdown Crimson Tide defense. The Crimson Tide pass rush was violently active and didn't give the Tiger quarterback room any time to breathe. They recorded only one sack the entire game and made Cook roll out more than he would have liked in the first half with four hurries.

Alabama's pass protection made it nearly impossible for any short or mid-range completions, as well. The Crimson cornerback duo of Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown, as well as the safety pair of Malachi Moore and Bray Hubbard, allowed only 13 completions between two quarterbacks the entire game. Giving credit where credit is due, the Alabama defense was rock-solid the entire game.

Backup quarterback Drew Pyne threw the Tigers' second interception of the season to safety Malachi Moore, setting the Crimson Tide up for its first touchdown on offense. To call that a momentum swing is an understatement, marking a turning point in the game late in the second quarter.

"He's trying to put us in a position to get back into the game and I understand that, but we just can't put the ball into double coverage in those situations," Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said.

Cook being ruled out for the remainder of the game added to the frustration of the Tiger offense, leaving the second half in the hands of Pyne.

Against Texas A&M and even the Auburn Tigers, the Missouri offense struggled to find its rhythm offensively. The Aggies completely shut down the Tigers in every way on offense. Cook could not string passes together and the run game never got situated. When Pyne checked in against Auburn last week, it looked like the same offense for two or so quarters. The comparisons between the two final results are glaring, though it may be hard to admit.

"It wasn't anything similar to the Texas A&M, down 13 at halftime because [of] an interception," Drinkwitz said. "We fought our butt off any other conversation outside of that ridiculousness."

The injury to the starting quarterback hasn't done the offense any favors. It's apparent that Pyne is not suited for success in the Tiger offense and is a reason for the lack of production. Even when Cook was injured in the final quarter against Auburn, he was able to move the team down the field.

Life got worse for the Tiger offense in the second half. Pyne threw two more interceptions in the ladder part of the game and seemingly put it away for the Crimson Tide. The Tigers, like the other two quarters, struggled to get back into the game running the ball.

At the end of the game, Marcus Carroll and Jamal Roberts did finish with a nice sum of rushing yards. Carroll finished with 80 and Roberts with 71. That was a career-high number for Roberts, who earned his playing time in the absence of Noel.

"I thought Marcus [Carroll] and Jamal [Roberts] did as good a job as they could do," Drinkwitz said. "I thought they really ran tough at the end of the game."

Pyne finished with 42 passing yards on six completions, adding on his three turnovers. When Cook was in the game, he wasn't any more effective, finishing with 30 yards on seven completions.

The future of the Tiger offense looks very clear if Brady Cook is not the Missouri starting quarterback moving forward. Pyne has yet to show, even with first-team practice reps the week before, that he is not yet capable of moving the ball down the field through the air.

As far as what that means for the Tiger offense, Cook truly needs to get healthy for any other major successes. Unless Noel, Carroll and Roberts have the willpower to push the offense over the edge and win them games, the Tiger offense is missing an important area of offensive production.