Missouri steady on the receiving end

It was everything they hoped for this season. Missouri’s twin terrors at tight end, junior Martin Rucker and sophomore Chase Coffman, put up the numbers that they were expected to all season.

Each of them turned in seven catches. Rucker had 91 yards receiving, about half of which came on a 47-yard reverse flea-flicker pass. Coffman had 58 yards and two touchdowns.

After the game, neither of them could hide their pleasure.

Coffman, with a light goatee growing in, sheepishly grinned when asked about his performance. He downplayed the importance the Tigers’ tight ends had in opening up Missouri’s passing game.

“We did a little,” he said. “But other people were making big plays and opening things up all over for us.”

Large glasses, which have become a trademark for Rucker this season, still couldn’t hide his exuberance with his performance in the game.

“I love playing these type of games,” he said. “I love to have the ball in my hands in these situations.”

Rucker credited the wide receivers for helping them both have big games.

“We were running a lot of bubble routes today,” he said. “They just did an excellent job blocking on the perimeter. We did what we were doing at the beginning of the season, executing plays so they couldn’t stop paying attention to us.”

Several receivers stepped up in the absence of receiver Will Franklin, who is out for the season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

True freshman Jared Perry, starting for Franklin, looked remarkably similar to Franklin on a slant route in the first quarter. Perry snagged the ball, made a cut, and took off downfield, scoring on the 74-yard touchdown.

“I knew I had to step up and play well for the seniors,” he said.

On what was the strangest play of the day, senior receiver Brad Ekwerekwu had a touchdown called off after a review.

It looked like Ekwerekwu had caught the pass and ran in for a 75-yard touchdown. A flag was thrown, and the officials had called No. 8 on white for the penalty, meaning it was against Kansas and the touchdown stood. They switched the call, realizing it was on “8-Black,” but were contacted by the replay official.

While talking to the replay official, referee Drew George said that he was told there was another penalty on the play by “28-White,” which nullified the need for replay official John Laurie.

George then announced that there were offsetting penalties for unnecessary roughness on the play and the teams would replay the down.

Missouri fans booed mercilessly, feeling like they were cheated out of a touchdown for the second-straight week.

“I was obviously upset, obviously frustrated,” said Ekwerekwu, who was playing in his last regular season game. “But you gotta roll with it. I was more interested, more focused on going back out there and scoring again. I did my job and was satisfied with the effort I had. I’m upset they took it away, but most guys said ‘Good job’ for it.”

In all, it was the best effort the offense put together since the 41-point outing against Kansas State and was the second-highest point total of the season. Quarterback Chase Daniel said the offense regained its swagger in the game, trusting its preparation and playing its best game, even though the offense’s plan didn’t change much from week to week.

“We had our doubters after those losses,” Rucker said in all seriousness. But then he reverted into his usual form, flashing his dazzling smile and looking every bit the Hollywood type he was supposed to be before the season began.

“We had to go back and show them that we’re playing.”