Blitzes won’t stop Smith

A blitz can be a scary thing for a quarterback.

Big, burly defenders rumbling into the backfield, trained to get in quick and hit painfully hard. But blitzing Brad Smith is a different story. When a defender gets to him in time, the result is a big play like a sack or fumble. But if he doesn’t, then Smith can use his moves in another open running lane and a lot more open field.

That was the big reason behind Smith’s success against Nebraska’s then-No.1 rushing defense Oct. 22. When Smith eluded the Huskers’ blitzing linebackers, he broke open for big gains, including touchdown runs of 45 and 79 yards.

His 480 yards of total offense against sack-happy, blitz-crazy Nebraska was an MU record. When Iowa State and Kansas didn’t bring the house, Smith had mediocre performances and totaled just 263 yards in two games.

“They were just staying in their rush lanes and squeezing (the pocket) down, so I couldn’t bounce outside,” Smith said.

While the aggressive, attacking defenses typical in college football give Smith the chance to do what he does best, break one tackle and dart up field for a big gain, coach Gary Pinkel said the style that Kansas and Iowa State use takes away the big play.

“Generally that type of defense is more difficult to get a big play against because of the four-deep secondary. If they’re a disciplined defense like that, you have to work your way down the field.”

Missouri was unable to move the ball in small increments on the ground, and senior Tony Palmer said he and the rest of the offensive line take part of the blame for that.

“It shouldn’t be that difficult (to run on),” he said. “We should be able to get up and lock up those guys and drive them but we’re struggling with that.”

MU penalties and a ruthless KU run defense put the Tigers in third-and-long situations, forcing Smith to throw long into a Jayhawk four-deep secondary rather than complete throws to the open receivers running short routes.

“It changes your thinking when you get second-and-long or third-and-really-long,” Smith said. “There aren’t a lot of plays you have for those situations. We have to stay out of those situations.”

Smith’s 37 percent completion percentage was his lowest of the season, and he failed to connect on all pass attempts of more than 20 yards, including an interception on a 36-yard attempt to Jerrill Humphrey on Missouri’s final offensive play of the game.

When asked if he thinks he’ll see a similar defense against Colorado on Saturday, Smith seemed all but sure.

“Definitely, that is what they do anyway,” he said. “They’ve also seen the tape and seen that we’ve been slowed by it a little.”

Pinkel said the conservative defense can be beaten, and the Tigers are implementing a game plan against the style.

Smith said that will include more short passes.

“Throwing quick passes against it is good, and having the running back block into it is good,” he said. “We have to be able to adjust and do some new things, execute consistently and put together drives.”

Smith, as senior leader, said speculation that a conservative style of defense is a blueprint to stop Missouri’s offense is fuel for the team.

“Not putting up points and yards against that type of defense is a challenge for us,” he said. “We want to prove that we can play against any scheme.”