The SEC’s worst passing offense from last year must make big strides for Missouri to be more competitive this season.

Positives were few and far between when analyzing the Tigers’ dreadful aerial execution in 2015. The best thing to come from the poor performance might be the fact that Drew Lock gained valuable experience in a forgettable 5-7 campaign. Lock will be the favorite to be under center when Missouri opens its first season under coach Barry Odom, and if the rising sophomore can show improvement, expect more victories to follow.

Still, there will be many unknowns entering the fall. What will the Tigers look like under new offensive coordinator Josh Heupel? Will any pass-catching options assert themselves from an unproven group? Will Lock show the necessary growth to make Missouri a contender in the SEC East? Or will he regress behind a questionable offensive line?

There are many lessons to be learned when the Tigers open their season Sept. 3 at West Virginia. Intrigue should never be in short supply.

Passing yards per game (SEC rank): 165.5 (14th)
TDs: 10 (tied for last)
INTs: 12 (tied for fifth-most)

QB play

Odom has kept a poker face about what he’ll do at quarterback, saying the competition will continue in fall camp. Still, consider Lock to be the favorite over sophomore Marvin Zanders and junior Jack Lowary. Lock threw for 1,332 yards with four touchdowns and eight interceptions last season.

He was strong in his first start on Oct. 3 in a win over South Carolina, when he completed 21 of 28 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns. But he was rough to close, completing fewer than half his passes in six of the Tigers’ final seven games.

It’s hard to read how Heupel’s arrival as offensive coordinator will affect Lock. Expect the signal-caller to be more mature and confident in his reads this season. Heupel’s scheme should embrace a quicker pace, and as long as the Tigers’ questionable line provides decent protection, Lock should benefit from the emphasis on urgency.

Nov 27, 2015; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Drew Lock (3) during the second quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

However, Odom and Heupel enter with a new vision, and they aren’t necessarily bound to Lock.

It’s possible that Missouri will look elsewhere if the quarterback fails to move the offense. Lock, who’s 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, has the athletic and physical talent to develop into an intriguing player. But his immaturity was exposed during his extensive work last season, especially late in the year. He must show progress.

Receivers/tight ends/RBs

Plain and simple, Missouri’s running backs and pass-catching options must be better.

Junior Ish Witter could enter as the Tigers’ top running back after posting an anemic average of 4.1 yards per carry on 126 rush attempts last year, though Oklahoma graduate transfer Alex Ross might push for significant playing time after reportedly choosing Missouri.

Witter proved to be a capable receiver last season. He had 15 catches for 143 yards and provided the Tigers’ second-longest pass play of the season, a 49-yarder against BYU.

Meanwhile, junior J’Mon Moore returns after leading the Tigers in receiving with 350 yards on 29 catches in 2015. But there’s an opportunity for others to assert themselves in Heupel’s scheme.

Sep 5, 2015; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver J'Mon Moore (6) catches a pass for a touchdown as Southeast Missouri State Redhawks cornerback Michael Ford (4) defends during the first half at Faurot Field. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Missouri should benefit from the perspective provided by senior wide receiver Chris Black, a transfer from Alabama. Junior Nate Brown returns after totaling 326 yards receiving last season, and freshman wide receiver Justin Smith is a specimen at 6-7, 200 pounds.

For a program that once produced prolific targets like Jeremy Maclin and Danario Alexander, the current crop will begin the season with a giant question mark. Lock’s development will ride on the ability of his running backs and wide receivers to shoulder some of the load. This will be a feeling-out season for the Tigers’ skill players in Heupel’s system. It will be imperative that they grasp the concepts and produce as fast as possible.

Play-calling

Given that Missouri changed offensive coordinators, it’s fair to toss numbers from last season out the window. Still, it will be an encouraging sign if the Tigers improve significantly on what they did in 2015.

They completed 75 of 125 passes for 818 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions on first down last year.

In their six SEC divisional games, they completed 36 of 62 passes for 359 yards with one touchdown. They never attempted more than 13 passes on first down in those contests, the most being 7-for-13 for 66 yards against Florida on Oct. 10.

On the other end of the spectrum, they threw just seven times on first down against Georgia on Oct. 17, going 4-for-7 for 17 yards.

Of all the changes that have taken place since Odom was hired to succeed Gary Pinkel, Heupel’s addition is one of the most intriguing. The Tigers will try to attack defenses with more aggression, but they’ll have to establish an effective balance for that to happen.

Lock and his targets must win the trust of the new regime, but if they do that quickly, don’t be surprised to see Missouri take more chances in the passing game. Much remains to be discovered here.

One stat that must improve

How about everything? But since we’re narrowing it down, a better completion percentage would help. Lock and Maty Mauk combined to connect on just 49.9 percent of their passes last season, compared to an opponents’ completion percentage of 61.9 against Missouri’s defense. Lock completed 129 of 263 passes, and clearly, he must reduce his interceptions (8 in just 263 attempts) for the Tigers to be effective.

Greatest concern

The offensive line situation is scary. With only two linemen who have started a Division I game – center Alec Abeln and guard Nate Crawford – the group must come together in a hurry to avoid major problems. Obviously, everything Heupel is trying to install in the passing game will depend on quality protection. If the line becomes a sieve, quarterback play will suffer and confidence will plummet. Fall camp should be interesting as the Tigers’ outlook in this area gains more focus. Right now, there are more questions than answers. That’s not a good thing.

Oct 3, 2015; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers offensive lineman Evan Boehm (77) looks down the line before the play against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the second half at Faurot Field. The Tigers won 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Better or worse in 2016?

If Missouri’s passing game is worse, this will be a nightmare season. The Tigers were at the bottom of the SEC and close to it nationally with 1,986 yards passing last year, and they looked the part of a cellar-dweller in the category.

By comparison, Ole Miss led the conference with 4,351.

The good news is Lock enters 2016 with experience, and an offensive makeover should make Missouri better. Still, there are so many unknowns that come with coaching transitions. There’s a chance the Tigers will experience a bumpy ride as the Odom Era begins to form an identity. The bar is so low, though, it will be hard for Missouri not to show improvement in the passing game.