Ad Disclosure
With a little more than a week left until Missouri’s Citrus Bowl matchup against Minnesota, the Tigers received some disappointing news that senior receiver Jimmie Hunt would miss the game due to shoulder surgery.
And while that is obviously news Missouri fans were not thrilled to hear, considering Hunt is the team’s best downfield threat for Maty Mauk, Hunt’s absence may be a slight blessing in disguise.
The Tigers have a strong receiving corps featuring Hunt, Bud Sasser and Darius White. The only issue is that all three are seniors.
Missouri didn’t get much production out of its receivers past those three, either. The next leading wide receiver, Wesley Leftwich, caught only three passes all season.
Hunt’s absence should open up the door for some much needed playing time and experience for Missouri’s younger receivers, especially Nate Brown.
The freshman wide receiver has been limited all season, catching just four passes for 31 yards. Yet, there’s a lot of promise and potential for the 6-foot-3, 205-pound receiver and head coach Gary Pinkel plans on amping up Brown’s reps in the Citrus Bowl to hopefully replace Hunt’s production.
Pinkel said that he will move Brown into the slot, even though he typically plays on the outside.
“We moved Nate there to get the work, Pinkel said after a bowl practice. “He’s been doing a lot at the wide spot, but this gives him an opportunity to learn what we’re doing inside.”
The importance of reps and experience for Missouri’s younger receivers at this point can never be understated. Missouri is on the verge of having a receiving corps filled with players who can count their career receptions on one hand. Not ideal for a passing attack like Missouri’s, especially in the SEC.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, this isn’t the first time they’ve been without some of their top receivers. Earlier in the season, Missouri was forced to play on the road at South Carolina without Darius White or Hunt, who were both struggling through injuries.
The results weren’t pretty.
Thanks to a couple of deep passes late and a quick 14-point comeback in the remaining minutes of the fourth quarter, Missouri racked up only 132 yards through the air all game. Sasser led the team with six receptions, but not other wide receiver had more than one reception.
The lack of depth at receiver was always a concern for Missouri, but the South Carolina game proved it to be a reality. With the losses of the three starting receivers as well as running back Marcus Murphy, who is a weapon in the passing game, no immediate impact player is on its way to play receiver for the Tigers in 2015.
Ample playing time for Brown in the Citrus Bowl won’t change his entire 2015 season, but all he needs is some confidence and some tangible success to build upon throughout the offseason, which Missouri hopes will lead to a less dramatic drop off at receiver.
With the 2014 season nearly complete, it’s time Missouri begins to look forward to next season and developing its younger receivers, like Brown, remains one of the most important tasks facing Pinkel and his staff.
The Citrus Bowl should be a good start.
Drew Laing will be providing analysis and insight on Florida, Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina.
