MU defense thrives

Limiting an opponent to one score and 150 yards of offense is usually a proud accomplishment in football. Saturday night at Faurot Field, the Tigers were slightly disappointed they were unable to maintain the shutout.

A late scoring drive, a pass from Murray State freshman quarterback Zach Barnard to Nate Moore, prevented MU from accomplishing its goal.

“We were trying to preserve the shutout…” coach Gary Pinkel said. “We lost a little of our focus out there late.”

Each player has little things he can do to get better.”

Despite the will to improve, MU set a physical tone to the beginning of the season. The Racers were limited to 2.7 yards per play and only converted three of 14 third downs. The Tigers also picked off a pass, racked up three sacks, and blocked a punt.

Freshman Sean Weatherspoon, who blocked the punt, said that coach Cornell Ford set the goal for every player to get a block throughout the course of the season.

“It was really exciting out there, getting to it,” he said with a grin stretched across his face. “Before the play, (Brandon) Massey told me to go get it, and I did. I was just amazed after it.”

Linebacker Marcus Bacon, who picked off the Ryne Sayler pass, credited a strong effort from the defensive front for his success in racking up 12 tackles, including one for a loss.

“My brother and I were talking before the game and made a bet about how many tackles I would get,” Bacon said, unaware of how many tackles he had compiled. “He picked out the number 13, and I was going for it. I guess I got close.”

The freshman defenders, getting their first taste of what playing in a college game is like, were a bit starry-eyed after making plays.

“When the freshmen came off the field after making a play, it was like they had saucers for their eyes,” Pinkel said, cupping his hands around his eyes in a humorous demonstration.

Weatherspoon, who went to Jasper High School in Jasper, Texas, said that the experience of playing, even in this game, was completely different than what it was like to play in high school.

“Playing in front of 50,000 people is amazing. It’s just nothing like what you’ve done before,” he said.

“The speed of the college game is just a completely different thing.”

Sayler credited Missouri’s defensive speed to the team’s success.

“They just have so much speed up front,” he said.

“We tried to deal with it the way we could. It was not the outcome we wanted, but their front seven are some of the best in the country.”

Games like this one are when Missouri is hoping to display its killer instinct.

“When they’re down,” safety David Overstreet said, “you gotta step on their throat.”