Seven games is a large enough sample size to know that new defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross’s schemes aren’t working. Saturday afternoon’s embarrassing 51-45 homecoming loss to Middle Tennessee was the latest knock on Cross’s much-aligned unit.

Star DE Charles Harris has been non-existent this season and has only been mentioned on TV broadcasts due to his lack of production, and the other defensive line standouts haven’t stood out, either.

Now that senior LB Michael Scherer, the heart and soul of the defense, might miss an extended period of time with a knee injury and senior CB John Gibson also left Saturday’s game with a knee injury, the Tigers will need every advantage they can find if they want to win again in 2016.

One solution would be to have first-year head coach Barry Odom call his own defensive plays. Under Odom in 2015, the Tigers had one of the best defenses in the country. Under Cross in 2016, the Mizzou unit is one of college football’s worst.

It’s hard to believe a once-proud unit could deteriorate so fast with so many of last year’s key players still on the roster. Something needs to be done and that something could be Odom doing what Texas coach Charlie Strong did a couple of weeks ago by demoting his defensive coordinator and taking over the play calls on that side of the ball.

Here are some other final thoughts from Saturday’s debacle in Columbia:

3 TAKEAWAYS

These injuries will be hard to overcome: Losing Scherer and Gibson will continue to have an impact on the Mizzou defense. Even though they face weaker SEC East teams like Vanderbilt, Kentucky and South Carolina in coming weeks, the Tigers will miss their senior leaders.

Scherer is the quarterback of the defense and Gibson has been a revelation alongside Aarion Penton in the Mizzou secondary.

The Tigers don’t have much defensive depth this season, so losing the two seniors will likely lead to a couple of freshmen getting some action in the coming weeks.

There are still too many drops: Dynamic freshman WR/KR Johnathon Johnson had three drops in the first half of Saturday’s game and WR J’Mon Moore made a nice play before coughing the ball up on a fumble that Middle Tennessee recovered.

Coming off two lackluster performances against LSU and Florida, the receivers needed to have a big game. Yardage-wise, they did OK, totaling 281 receiving yards. However, they left at least another 100 yards out there with their critical, back-breaking drops.

Next week’s opponent, Kentucky, has a strong secondary. Mizzou’s receivers need to hang on to everything thrown their way to help the offense operate smoothly.

Drew Lock is missing too many open receivers: When Lock hits a receiver in stride, the receiver drops it. When Lock has a wide-open receiver, he too often sails it over said receiver’s head.

Lock finished 20-for-40 for 281 yards and two scores. Those are decent numbers, but Mizzou needs its sophomore quarterback to have a better completion percentage in order to win.

Lock fired the ball 5 yards too far on seemingly ever deep pass Saturday afternoon. If he can’t hit those throws with any sort of consistency, offensive coordinator Josh Heupel needs to remove them from the playbook.

When deep throws aren’t even close to being completed, it’s a wasted play. Less of those would help the Tigers moving forward.

REPORT CARD

Offense: B-

There were plenty of positives from the offense, namely in the running game. However, there still were too many missed opportunities in the second half when the Tigers needed to make big plays.

Drops, penalties and missed passes plagued Mizzou all day, wasting a 348-yard day from the rushing attack.

Defense: F

There is absolutely no excuse for the way the Tigers played on defense Saturday.

Oct 22, 2016; Columbia, MO, USA; Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders wide receiver Richie James (3) runs the ball as Missouri Tigers linebacker Donavin Newsom (25) attempts the tackle during the second half at Faurot Field. Middle Tennessee won 51-45. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Giving up 51 points and 584 yards should embarrass everyone involved with the program. Something needs to be done before next weekend’s game against Kentucky or 2016 will become an even longer season for Mizzou.

Special teams: D

In the past few games, Mizzou’s special teams haven’t made any big plays, but also hasn’t done anything to hurt the Tigers.

That changed Saturday just before halftime when a bad snap to P Corey Fatony resulted in excellent field position for Middle Tennessee, which capitalized with a quick touchdown.

In a game that ended up being decided by six points, that mishap looms large.

Coaching: F

As mentioned throughout this article, it’s baffling that Odom hasn’t stepped in to fix the defense. Odom has been a successful defensive coordinator and needs to take command of the unit again if the Tigers are going to salvage this season.

There’s a reason Vanderbilt’s Derek Mason also runs the defense.

Meanwhile, Josh Heupel’s offense was alarmingly stagnant in the second half. If a Conference USA opponent only needs one half to adjust to your offense, things need to change.

Overall: D-

If not for the offense showing a few signs of life, this grade would have been a solid F, too. The Tigers thoroughly embarrassed themselves in front of a large homecoming crowd on Saturday afternoon.

Things aren’t looking too good for Mizzou moving forward, either. Kentucky, Mizzou’s next opponent, won a big game against SEC West foe Mississippi State on Saturday and can smell a bowl game.

GAME BALLS

RB Damarea Crockett: Crockett, a freshman, had a career-day. He ran 29 times for 154 yards and four touchdowns. He wore down at the end of the game (understandably), but it looks like the Tigers have a star in the making.

Keeping the ball on the ground seems to be working for the Tigers, who totaled 348 yards on 64 attempts against the Blue Raiders.

TE Kendall Blanton: Sophomore TE Kendall Blanton made the catch of the day for the Tigers — a leaping, one-handed snag of an overthrown pass by Lock for a 14-yard touchdown.

Blanton finished with two catches for 37 yards. For a team that needs more from the tight end position, Blanton stepped up on Saturday and should be given more opportunities going forward.

INJURY UPDATE

Several key Tigers were injured in Saturday’s debacle. Scherer and Gibson left with knee injuries and TE Jason Reese also left the contest.

In other news, RG Alec Abeln was ruled out before the game and C Sam Bailey and RB Ish Witter were dinged up during the action.

The Tigers need to get healthy quickly if they want to pick themselves up off the mat and win some football games.