3 Mizzou players with something to prove against Eastern Michigan
By Adam Spencer
Published:
After a 26-11 loss at West Virginia to open the 2016 season, the Missouri Tigers need to bounce back Saturday in the home opener against Eastern Michigan.
The Eagles cruised to a 61-14 victory against Mississippi Valley State, a Southwestern Athletic Conference squad, in their opener, but the MAC cellar dwellers haven’t faced a defense like Missouri’s.
The Tigers are 25.5-point favorites and need this game to get back on track in its quest for bowl eligibility.
In order to inspire confidence in the fan base, there are a few Mizzou players who need to have big games Saturday.
Here are three players who have something to prove in Week 2:
Marvin Zanders, QB
As offensive coordinator Josh Heupel tries to figure out the quarterback rotation between Zanders and Drew Lock, Zanders holds his fate in his own hands.
Have a strong showing against Eastern Michigan and he’ll likely earn more playing time. Struggle, and the job could become Lock’s permanently.
Zanders was effective running the football against West Virginia, picking up 47 yards on seven carries, but he has something to prove in the passing game.
It’s a small sample size, obviously, but Zanders was 1-for-2 for 2 yards.
Look for him to have more passing opportunities against Eastern Michigan. If he throws it well, he should earn more snaps in Week 3 against Georgia.
Alex Ross, RB
Oklahoma graduate transfer RB Alex Ross had a decent debut, picking up 67 yards on 18 carries.
However, “decent” isn’t what Mizzou needs. He’ll need to do more against the Eagles to give himself confidence moving into the toughest part of the Tigers’ schedule.
Ross was a dynamic kick returner for the Sooners, so a little more production in that department also would be nice to see.
Also, he only caught one pass for 3 yards against West Virginia. He’ll need to do more if Mizzou is going to make a run at bowl eligibility.
This might sound like overly harsh criticism of Ross, but it’s only because the talented running back can provide so much more to the offense.
Donavin Newsom, LB
Newsom recorded eight tackles, second only to LB Michael Scherer, against the Mountaineers.
But he struggled in pass coverage and was beaten deep a couple of times.
If the redshirt senior hopes to be a three-down player moving forward, he’ll have to perform better against the pass. The SEC has some big tight ends and the 6-foot-2, 240-pound linebacker would be an asset in coverage if he shows he can stay on the field in passing situations.
Facing Eastern Michigan should be an easier task for the defense as a whole, but Newsom will need a few standout moments if he’s going to assert himself as one of the team leaders.
Mizzou and Eastern Michigan will square off at Faurot Field at 6:30 p.m. Central time on Saturday night. The game can be seen on the SEC Network.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
