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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Here comes momentum.

After facing two vastly inferior teams to begin the 2024 season, No. 6 Missouri faces one of the nation’s more buzzworthy teams in Week 3: No. 24 Boston College.

The Eagles earned their ranking after a high-profile road win against Florida State — at the time, an upset, though the Seminoles’ implosion challenges that status now — and comfortably beat Duquesne in Week 2.

Now, the Tigers have a ranked opponent coming to sold-out Memorial Stadium for Saturday’s 11:45 a.m. kickoff on the SEC Network.

“They’re battle-tested, obviously, with their road win versus Florida State,� MU coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “I think they’re very polished as a team. I think Coach (Bill) O’Brien has done a tremendous job with not only the transition from taking over from Coach (Jeff) Hafley but also the program alignment.�

Despite having quite the resume — he was the head coach of the NFL’s Houston Texans and an assistant under Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots, plus a rather successful stint at Penn State following the school’s scandal — O’Brien’s hire at Boston College went relatively under the radar.

He kept talent in place from last year’s squad that went 7-6 overall and 3-5 against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents, but the intrigue became significantly more tangible after beating Florida State in prime time.

The Eagles’ headliner is Thomas Castellanos, a mobile quarterback whose arm and legs are both dangerous. He transferred to Boston College from Central Florida ahead of last season and wound up setting the Eagles quarterback rushing record with 1,113 yards and 13 scores on the ground.

Passing was a little bit more of a question mark for him in 2023, with 2,248 yards and 15 passing touchdowns — to 14 interceptions — but this season, he looks more well-rounded.

“I think they kind of put him in a box, so to speak, last year and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to create a dynamic run game for you and then the play-action pass,’� Drinkwitz said. “I think they’re treating him as he should be, which is a really good player at the quarterback position. They don’t really define what he has to be. He’s growing in a lot of different ways. Last week, they went empty (backfield) quite a bit with him and let him throw the ball vertically down the field based off what the coverage was giving him. There hasn’t been a lot of quarterback designed runs so far. I’m sure they’ve got them, but so far, it’s just been taking what the defense gives.�

Castellanos has run the ball 17 times through two games for 71 yards. But just 11 of those yards have come on plays designed for him to tuck and run, according to Pro Football Focus, with the other 60 picked up on scramble plays.

It’s that off-schedule, improvised kind of playmaking that could especially challenge an MU defense that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in its past 12 quarters of action.

Drinkwitz said he likes “SportsCenter� anchor Scott Van Pelt’s comparison of Castellanos to Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray — both are on the shorter side and can slip out into space.

“I think that’s a very good comparison,� Drinkwitz said. “He’s a dynamic player with his feet, but I think he’s a very accurate passer. The play is never over with the ball in his hands.�

Castellanos has been under pressure for just six of his 26 throws this season, which suggests the Tigers defensive line could make him uncomfortable in new ways. Containing Boston College’s signal caller, though, might mostly come down to Missouri’s linebackers.

“We’ve just got to be ready to contain him, be ready to run,� outside linebacker Triston Newson said. “A guy like him, he can come out of the backfield so quick.�

Mizzou could use a linebacker as a “spy,� keeping him roving outside the pocket to stop any Castellanos scrambles before they amount to much — middle linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. would seemingly have the speed and athleticism to keep pace in that role. However, that can lead to vulnerabilities in other parts of the field.

“It’s definitely a chess match,� Drinkwitz said. “I don’t think you can go in and say, ‘We’re going to do just this one thing,’ or, ‘We’re just going to do this thing and hope it works.’ You’re going to have to have multiple options and see which one plays.�

At other positions, Mizzou will see a pair of players it’s familiar with from their tenures at previous schools.

Running back Treshaun Ward is Boston College’s leading rusher, with 20 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown, plus four catches for 91 receiving yards and two scores through the air. He previously played at Kansas State before transferring over the offseason.

Former Vanderbilt receiver Jayden McGowan, a return specialist, is likely to be in the special teams mix.

“We know him well from his time at Vanderbilt and have a lot of respect for him as a player and know that he has game-breaking speed,� Drinkwitz said.

The Tigers are unlikely to find the same advantages around the line of scrimmage that they did against Murray State and Buffalo, but that reality is already on MU linemen’s radar.

“They’re big; they’re physical,� left guard Cayden Green said. “Watching that Florida State game, they really just out-physicaled them. They got a lot of draft picks on that D-line, so it’ll be a good test.�

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How to watch Mizzou Tigers football vs. Boston College: TV, live stream, game time

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Mizzou Sports News

'Joker' defensive end key in Mizzou defense's versatility

• Eli Hoff

Ben Frederickson

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Bring your Tigers football, basketball and recruiting questions, and talk to Eli Hoff in a live chat at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Transcript

Eli ±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýGood morning from Kansas City! The UM System Board of Curators is meeting at UMKC later this afternoon to talk about the Memorial Stadium project, and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is in town. Could be some interesting things coming your way from those events this afternoon. But for now, it's all about your questions!

Todd H:ÌýGood day to you Eli--hope all is well your way. I've missed so many chats lately and I'm not proud of it.Ìý

±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýHowdy, Todd! I may be writing from a coffee shop next to UMKC's campus, but I promise I don't take attendance.

°­±ð±¹´Ü´Ç³Ü:ÌýEveryone is talking about BC being for real and Mizzou better watch out. I say we don't know anything about BC based on two games....and perhaps not much about Mizzou. What say you?

±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýSure. I don't think anyone can argue with that. How much of what we'll know about any team by season's end is evident through Week 2? Probably not a whole lot, and last year's Mizzou team is a good example. The working hypothesis through the first two games of last season was that the Tigers would get blown out by K-State... and then that didn't happen.

I actually think Missouri is more of an unknown than Boston College is, though. We've seen BC go all-out to win a game — Week 1 to beat Florida State. That showed that Castellanos can scramble and control a drive, the Eagles can and will run right at you, and the defense, especially around the line of scrimmage, doesn't mess around. That isn't everything, but it's something. What I think the bigger unknown is with Boston College is how good it'll end up being. Florida State could finish 8-4 and that win stays as a really good one for BC. Or they could be 4-8 and that ends up being a routine one.

Whereas with Mizzou, there've been two shutouts against some lowly opposition. The offense has a lot of firepower — nobody's disputing that — but it hasn't showed it yet, and hasn't needed to. I think if I'm a neutral observer trying to figure something out while watching this game, it's actually with how the Tigers look in this one. But I see where that can be subjective.

°Õ¾±²µ±ð°ùµþ´Ç³ú:ÌýIs the Mizzou defense likely to spy the BC QB for the entire game or just in certain situations?

±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýThis is one of the things I'll be watching for. I'm pretty confident that Mizzou will try to through a few different things at Castellanos — Eli Drinkwitz said just about as much during his news conference. I'm sure at least some of those will involve a QB spy.

And the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of Corey Flagg Jr. in that role. He's incredibly mobile for a middle linebacker and can tackle well, so if Mizzou needs someone to follow a scramble in a hurry and put a stop to it, that seems like it's up Flagg's alley. I don't know if this actually would impact things, but Flagg's on the short side for a linebacker, too, which could actually play to his favor. If Castellanos (also short) is escaping the pocket, maybe Flagg is quite literally under the radar compared to the trees that are linemen.

Where the approach might matter the most — and be the most interesting — is on 3rd downs. Let's say Boston College faces a 3rd and 8. There's a good chance they pass, but picking up 8 yards for a scrambling QB isn't exactly difficult. If Mizzou goes with its prowler package (3-1-7 defense), that gets interesting. There's a lot of speed and versatility on the back end to contain Castellanos.

I know a lot of you have vested interests in this game, but from just a football standpoint, that's going to be fascinating. Drinkwitz called it a "chess match," and I'm inclined to agree.

Todd H:ÌýThese penalties committed by our OL have been infuriating and are inexcusable and unacceptable. This is not something new Eli--these OL penalties have been a problem now for over 2 seasons! (Remember how 1st and goal at the UGA 1 was moved back 5 yards and MU had to end up settling for a FG in that game 2 years ago?!?) What can Drinkwitz do as the head coach to fix this problem?

±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýI'd argue the inexcusable ones are the illegal formation ones. Drinkwitz called them "embarrassing," so I don't think I'm taking an unfair shot there. Those ones are on the coaches. Especially with in-helmet comms now, they need to be lining up in a way that they are either correct from the get-go or can be corrected from the sideline. Just shouldn't happen.

Penalties backing up field goals isn't anything new with Mizzou, either. Mevis' 61-yarder was longer than it needed to be because of a penalty. So that supports your point.

There might be a technique aspect to some of these holding calls that have popped up. The O-line spent time this week working on when to time their release — the fine line of finishing a block without holding the other guy. That's probably the extent of what the coaching staff can really do for right now.Ìý

And maybe being in a higher-pressure situation will help. It's not like any of these penalties have been costly so far. Sub-optimal, sure, but the impact hasn't exactly jeopardized a game. That could change starting on Saturday. If the players are a little more locked in overall that might help avert mental lapses. Though I also understand if not all of you share that optimistic view.

°Õ¾±²µ±ð°ùµþ´Ç³ú:ÌýThe Mizzou program has to be happy that BC comes in as a ranked opponent it's a must win game and a win will only help the resume moving forward. Also, wouldn't you agree that a number by BC helps the team's motivation, if that's needed?

±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýDefinitely. With where things stand right now (see above point about what we really know at this stage of the season), some points of Mizzou's schedule have strengthened (BC, Vandy, maybe Arkansas and South Carolina?) while others have weakened (Texas A&M, perhaps Auburn). Given how we think the CFP process might shake out, every bit of strength helps — assuming, of course, Missouri wins.Ìý

And yes, it's good for motivational purposes, too. If you've been reading our pages or listening to the Eye on the Tigers podcast, you've known not to underestimate Boston College. Week 1 against Florida State should've confirmed that. The ranking by their name is there for the rest to catch on that this team, at this stage, is one to take seriously. I don't think Missouri was going to be caught by surprise — regardless of whether BC was ranked 14, 24 or would be 44 if the poll went that far, this was always going to be the best team faced so far this season. There's plenty of material to hype up this MU team for the importance of this game.

°­±ð±¹´Ü´Ç³Ü:ÌýI don't think that matters. They will be unranked again when Mizzou beats them. And later in the season people will say "but BC was 24 when Mizzou beat them." And they'll say "It's just BC...and they aren't ranked any more."

±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýI guess. But there's also a world where BC contends in an ACC field that looks pretty wide open right now, isn't there? I'm not saying there won't be a 20-20 hindsight view of this game, just like there is with BC beating FSU, but what matters at the moment is that Mizzou gets the No. 24 team in the country this weekend, and beating them is helpful for building a resume.

´³±ð°ù±ð³¾²â:ÌýI was thinking about how BC beat Florida State and Duquesne, and it seems very unlikely that BC could manage to run such long, slow drives with 75% rushing plays and so many successful 3rd downs against Mizzou's defense. Clock control only works if you can keep moving the chains. I'm starting to believe that MU may not be as vulnerable to a running QB in 2024, either. (Does being vulnerable to a Heisman winner even count?) So at this point I'm really only worried about Mizzou's offense being the letdown. (Also: another lopsided stat in the BC-FSU game was the penalties; so that's making me a little nervous.)

±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýThe question there is how Mizzou's defense can do against the run, right? And I think the answer to that remains to be seen — hence my earlier point that there are still a lot of unknowns about this team even with some encouraging signs. You'd expect the Tigers to hold up better than Florida State, defensively, and I'm not even going to use Duquesne as a bar. But the game will show whether that's the case.

Figuring out how to deal with mobile quarterbacks is especially important for this year's team. Jayden Daniels made last year's unit look silly – but you're right, he won the Heisman because he made darn near everyone look silly. Diego Pavia at Vandy is a scramble. So is Milroe at Bama, Thorne at Auburn, Sellers at South Carolina. That type of quarterback is hard to stop at the college level, but if Misosuri can't at a minimum mitigate their damage, it'll be a long season.Ìý

It's also fair to have some questions about the offense. We'll see how much explosiveness is in the cards against a tougher opponent.Ìý

°Õ¾±²µ±ð°ùµþ´Ç³ú:ÌýThe book makers set the opening spread at 17.5, doesn't sound like they are buying the BC hype and this should be a very comfortable Mizzou win? However, the spread seems high to me. Your thoughts?

±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýI don't disagree with Vegas too often, but that does seem a little high. That spread is saying Mizzou will win by more than two scores. And if you had to predict this result in terms of scores, I think a lot of folks would say they think BC will be within two scores late in this one. Or at least, that's where I land. But I don't go betting against the spread.

°Õ¾±²µ±ð°ùµþ´Ç³ú:ÌýIsn't it fair to say that Mizzou must get off to a quick start offensively and hopefully make BC play from behind? I would rather have the BC QB attempting passes to catch up rather than using his legs to cause havoc.

Hoff:ÌýGame script-wise, that certainly seems like something that would help. The first couple of drives will be tone-setters. If BC gets to run 12 plays, that's a very different start from going 3 and out.Ìý

¶Ù°ä³Ò:ÌýHey, Eli: Just joining the chat, and I was listening to the pod early this morning and stunned to hear (though perhaps I shouldn't be) that some fans think Drew Pyne would be better than Cook. I look at Pyne and see an NFL-type backup. Lesser talent, but experience makes him ideal to take over if injury calls for it. I wonder though--does the coaching staff see him as a future starter? I'm sure he was recruited with assurances that he'll have a chance, but it seems like Mizzou has landed some young talented QBs and I think Pyne is just a guy.

±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýI was shocked by that too. But the people on Twitter are the people on Twitter. And some of them will look for any reason to advocate for someone not named Brady Cook.

I do think Pyne will be in the mix for the starting job next season. He has experience and will be quite familiar with Mizzou's scheme by that point. I could see Missouri rolling with a competition of Pyne, Sam Horn (if he picks football) and possibly another transfer portal vet. But it's too early to be certain of how that'll go.

³§³¦³ó±ô²¹²â:ÌýInterested to hear how Jude James the local Francis Howell WR is doing as a Freshman and when we might see him in action.

±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýI expect him to redshirt this season. He looked good in camp, but that was with Brett Norfleet and Jordon Harris hurt. With them back in the picture, James is battling for fourth in the TE room at best. He and Whit Hafer will be the developmental guys for this season.

°ä°Â·¡³å°Õ¾±²µ±ð°ù:ÌýJust curious about the transfer punter from Murray State. Any idea why he couldn’t beat out Bauer for the job?

±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýTo be blunt: Because Bauer is a better punter. That job was up for grabs. Bauer had better punts in camp and has been quite solid in the first two games. It's very much a results-based position.

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On this week's episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson share their standouts and concerns from Missouri's win over Buffalo, including Luther Burden III's exit with an illness and Theo Wease Jr.'s career night. They praise the Tigers' defense and back-to-back shutouts before a preview of No. 6 Mizzou vs. No. 24 Boston College this weekend. How will MU try to stop quarterback Thomas Castellanos? What kind of day does Brady Cook need to give? Eli and Ben give their answers before picking other college football games of interest during Week 3.

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'Joker' defensive end key in Mizzou defense's versatility

Johnny Walker Jr. and Joe Moore III, who both play Missouri's "joker" position, combined forÌýfour quarterback hurries, two tackles for a loss and one sack against Buffalo.Ìý

BenFred: Would Arkansas be better off promoting Petrino? And other SEC football thoughts

Sports columnist Ben Frederickson shares his Week 2 SEC takeaways about Mizzou's upcoming conference opponents.

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COLUMBIA, Mo. — In Missouri’s weekend victory over Buffalo, defensive ends Johnny Walker Jr. and Joe Moore III played the role of the villain.

To the Tigers’ home crowd, of course, they were protagonists. But ask anyone in the Bulls backfield and you’re unlikely to hear the word “hero� in reference to either.

With four quarterback hurries, two tackles for a loss and one sack between them, Walker and Moore caused plenty of chaos.

They’re the jokers, after all, that’s a position befitting a villain.

“Joker� is a new name for Mizzou’s boundary defensive end position, a moniker that arrived over the offseason with new defensive coordinator Corey Batoon. Walker is the starter in that role, with Moore as the primary rotational piece.

Saturday’s shutout of Buffalo was an interesting examination of what that position requires and how other teams could attack it.

Within MU’s system, naming conventions for defensive positions vary from those of their offensive counterparts. Offensive lines are structured to have right and left counterparts, like tackles and guards, for example. But the Tigers defense doesn’t do that — there isn’t a right or left defensive end, nor a strong- or weak-side end.

Instead, Missouri uses boundary and field designations, most prominently with edge rushers and safeties. The boundary side is the side closest to a sideline — the shorter side of the formation, horizontally speaking — while the field side has more space. At Mizzou, the joker lines up closer to the sideline.

“As far as in the boundary position, those guys have athleticism, flexibility,� coach Eli Drinkwitz explained. “Typically your field end’s going to be a little bit bigger, a little bit more stout, so that’s why Zion (Young) and Eddie (Kelly Jr.) and Jahkai (Lang) play to that area.�

Walker and Moore, who fit more of the lean, quick edge rusher mold as the joker, also have occasional pass coverage responsibilities, which can look strange because of its rarity.

Against Buffalo, 29 of Walker’s 30 snaps sent him after the quarterback. The one that didn’t was interesting.

It came on a second-and-10 play early in the first quarter. Missouri’s defensive personnel was its usual 4-2-5, with its hybrid safety tucked next to the linebackers. Then Buffalo changed its formation before the snap.

A running back and tight end motioned toward the boundary side, settling into a trips formation. Three MU defenders shifted accordingly.

Cornerback Dreyden Norwood moved outside, aligned with the Bulls’ widest receiver. Outside linebacker Triston Newson moved that way, too, but not as far — his mark was the slot wideout.

And joining them on the perimeter was Walker, squared up in a coverage stance against a Buffalo tight end. It was no panic adjustment but rather the planned tweak for that kind of pre-snap motion.

Walker was in coverage on pass plays 36 times last season, according to Pro Football Focus, or roughly 10% of his pass snaps. He has yet to be in coverage on a pass play this season, according to PFF’s tracking, in part because of how the Bulls handled this particular play.

The call looked to be a run-pass option for Buffalo quarterback CJ Ogbonna. After the snap, the trio of receivers on the boundary side set up a screen, though no throw came. Instead, Ogbonna handed off the ball.

It looked to be a wise counter. With Walker split out in coverage, the Tigers had only three down linemen. Daylan Carnell, the “STAR� hybrid safety in a linebacker-adjacent role on the opposite, field side, was dually responsible for setting the edge with Young, the field end.

Accordingly, Carnell crashed toward the line of scrimmage after the snap and shed his block — but got beaten to the outside for a first down.

The play was simultaneously savvy from the visitors and intriguing for Missouri. The joker is a fascinating part of the Tigers defense to watch, especially with how pass rush, edge containment and pass coverage responsibilities fluctuate — and the position’s dynamics with second-level linebackers.

“We play off each other,� Newson, the outside linebacker, said. “(Walker) takes a gap, I take a gap. It’s really important. All the free time we get, we try to talk and make sure we’re dialed in and on top of things.�

Asked by the Post-Dispatch about the joker role during his Tuesday news conference, Drinkwitz pointed out a wrinkle with the position that ties to last week’s defensive trend of note: the 3-1-7 formation, or “prowler package,� that the Tigers are once again deploying on third downs.

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“In fact, on our third-down prowler package, we actually put Joe (Moore III) and Johnny (Walker Jr.) in there at the same time,� Drinkwitz said.

That system prioritizes athleticism and versatility by adding an influx of defensive backs to the equation, so stacking the defensive line deck with two jokers can generate a bit of folie a deux.

That double-joker usage was a discovery by Batoon and new edge rushers coach Brian Early.

“Coach Early and Coach Batoon figured out real quickly that, hey, these two guys have really good pass rush moves and really do a good job containing the quarterback in their pass rush,� Drinkwitz said. “That allows us to do a lot of different things within the prowler package.�

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After beginning the season with back-to-back shutouts to win its first two games, Mizzou faces its first real test of the season Saturday.

The Tigers, ranked No. 6, host No. 24 Boston College on Saturday morning in Columbia.

Boston College began its season with a 28-13 win at then-No. 10 Florida State, then the Eagles routed Duquesne of the Football Championship Subdivision last weekend.

Here's how to watch Mizzou vs. Boston College football:

Mizzou Tigers vs.ÌýBoston College Eagles TV, live stream and radio

Game time: 11:45 a.m. CDT Saturday, Sept. 14

Location: Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri

TV channel: SEC Network

Live stream:Ìý

Radio: KTRS (550 AM and 106.1 FM) in ºüÀêÊÓƵ, across Missouri and online through the

Storylines

Explaining the 'joker,' Mizzou’s boundary defensive end position.

Are offensive penalties an early season problem for Mizzou?

Theo Wease Jr. adds to Mizzou's depth at receiver, columnist Benjamin Hochman writes.

Mizzou football snapshots: PFF grades, snap counts from Tigers' win over Buffalo

Why Mizzou uses unusual defensive formation in 3rd-and-long situations

Luther Burden is Mizzou’s first national superstar in the name, image and likeness age of college sports.

Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz doesn't need a "celebrity quarterback." What do the Tigers need from Brady Cook this season?

For safety Marvin Burks Jr., becoming a starter means becoming more vocal — and that requires him to become a little louder.

An examination of whether Mizzou could make College Football Playoff with 2 losses in 2024.

COLUMBIA, Mo. — There’s Missouri, up near the top of the Southeastern Conference with the likes of Alabama and Louisiana State.

It’s not in standings nor poll ranking, though No. 6 Mizzou is up there in that kind of stature too.

It’s in penalties — one of the rare statistics where a spot lower on the table is better.

Through every SEC team’s first two games, the Crimson Tide have the dishonorable distinction of a lead in infractions committed: 20 of them. MU and LSU are level with the second-most penalties so far, with 17 apiece.

In Missouri’s case, those 17 fouls are interesting.

First, there have actually been 18 flags thrown against the Tigers through their comfortable victories against Murray State and Buffalo, though one — a holding penalty — was declined because it occurred moments before an interception.

And interestingly, all of them have been on Mizzou’s offense. There are two sides to that coin, of course.

It’s a definite positive that the Tigers defense, in its first two games under a new coordinator, is penalty-free — no early jumps across the line of scrimmage, no overly handsy pass coverage, no illegal tackles, no disconcerting signals.

On the other side, 18 offensive reasons for officials to throw flags is less than optimal.

Five of those penalties have been for false starts, eight — including one declined penalty — have been for holding, three were related to illegal formations, one was a facemask infraction and one was a delay of game.

“The frustrating thing for us, offensively, was we weren’t able to sustain drives because of penalties,� coach Eli Drinkwitz said after MU beat Buffalo. “We had two punts and two missed field goals (because of them).�

Even though those fruitless possessions didn’t keep the Tigers from scoring plenty of points against the Bulls, the flags did threaten drives at key moments and key spots on the field.

On three occasions — one ineligible receiver downfield call, a false start and a holding penalty — infractions moved the Mizzou offense from Buffalo’s side of the field back to midfield or MU territory. Two penalties popped up when Missouri was on the goal line, including one that pulled back a touchdown.

Given that the Tigers averaged 6.2 yards per play against Buffalo, making up for yards lost to penalties wasn’t much of a concern. That kind of offensive success likely isn’t sustainable against tougher defenses, though, which means the number of flags could be more costly in conference games.

Asked about penalties in the immediate aftermath of MU’s second win of the season, Drinkwitz didn’t seem overly concerned. His mind was on the calls, not the infractions themselves, given a disparity between flags against Missouri and flags against Buffalo.

“Common denominator was we were the only team holding tonight,� Drinkwitz said. “They didn’t get any penalties called on them. I think it was 10 to two. Got to go back and look at it to see the tape, to see exactly what (the officials’) emphasis was. I don’t know. I couldn’t see them on the field, live, but I’m sure after I go back and watch the tape, I’ll see that we got to do a better job of not holding.�

His count was correct. The only time the Bulls were flagged for holding was a defensive hold — their offense didn’t pick up a single penalty.

The point, especially at this stage of the season, is not to litigate penalties from nonconference blowouts after the fact. The calls are the calls.

New left guard Cayden Green, a transfer from Oklahoma, has the most individual penalties, with three. Right tackle Armand Membou, Green’s high school teammate, has two. Reserve linemen Jayven Richardson and Logan Reichert have a pair apiece as well.

Center Connor Tollison has picked up one, as have Cam’Ron Johnson and Mitchell Walters, who each have started a game at right guard.

The only Mizzou offensive line starter not to be called for a penalty yet is left tackle Marcus Bryant.

Missed kicks

On the missed field goals Drinkwitz mentioned while lamenting the timing of offensive penalties: Kicker Blake Craig is now 4 for 6 on field goal attempts in his career.

Across his first two games as Missouri’s starter, he has converted from 22, 27, 39 and 51 yards away with misses from 49 and 52 yards out. Craig is a perfect 11 for 11 on extra points.

After the Buffalo game, Drinkwitz said both of the missed field goals were a matter of “poor execution.�

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