Tigers DL Tyrone Hopper: Missouri Defense Has '11 Dogs Out There'

Tyrone Hopper discussed the defensive effort and how the unit has started to mesh and play together.

A lot went right for the Missouri Tigers against the Georgia Bulldogs, as they almost pulled off the historic upset. While there are no moral victories in sports, and these teams want to put numbers in the win column, there is still plenty to like about the Tigers' performance against Georgia. 

Namely, their performance on defense was stellar and gave Georgia fits all game long. Despite giving up 481 yards of total offense to the Bulldogs, the Tiger defense held Georgia to 26 points. 

The Tigers may not have recorded any sacks but it was evident that they were wreaking havoc in the trenches with a physical style of play, which defensive lineman Tyrone Hopper credited defensive coordinator Blake Baker for instilling. 

"Coach Baker really harps on being physical and we do that throughout practice, throughout the week," Hopper said. "That carried over to the game."

"Something you can't coach is energy and effort, which you'll see all over the field. When you see our 11 out there, you're going to see 11 dogs out there on the field going hard."

Now, the Tigers must prepare for the Florida Gators and their potent offense. Through five games, the Gators are averaging 33 points per game on 464 yards of total offense, led by quarterback Anthony Richardson. 

If the Tiger defense that showed up against Georgia shows up against Florida, they should have no trouble keeping the Gator offense contained. Otherwise, though, this could turn into a shootout that the Tigers might not be equipped to keep up with. 

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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