[duncan_idaho]

Some side notes:

All of the backs are averaging 5 YPC or more, and the true running game (read: Not Gabbert) was pretty effective yesterday. That said, I agree that a more downhill approach would be beneficial. I don't know if I'd want to go to that as much as 30 percent of the time, but even adopting a pistol set and narrowing the splits a little more would create some new opportunities in the running game.

For some reason, Gabbert doesn't take the short-yardage sack. It seems like all of his sacks are of the 10-plus yards variety.

We saw a lot more than bubble screens yesterday. Missouri was working the middle of the field much more often with slants and curls and posts than it previously had been. We're deep enough in the season now that they can start running a lot of misdirection off of the bubble screen (which creates really favorable matchups to the opposite side). Nice to see that progression in playcalling. Especially getting the ball to Jackson, who probably is the most explosive WR.

I've been tracking the Missouri run defense, and it's amazing how much the two Hillman runs vs. SDSU have skewed the whole thing. Those two runs:

1) Take Missouri's average yards yielded per carry up around 4.5 (subtracting sacks). Without them, the average is around 3.7.
2) Are right at 20 percent of the total rushing yardage surrendered by the Tigers this season
3) Apparently were a turning point for the run defense. Since the SDSU game, Missouri has held every opponent at least .5 yards under its season average per rushing attempt (subtracting sacks from equation). The Tigers held the strong run game of Colorado almost a full yard under its average per carry, and limited aTm to .75 less than its average.