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Without Hansbrough, Mizzou ground-game a concern
Russell Hansbrough's absence from the majority of the season opener illustrated a few things.
One, he's the most consistent and talented member of the running back corps by far. His value to Mizzou's offense cannot be overstated enough. Along with center Evan Boehm, he is the heartbeat of Gary Pinkel's offensive scheme.
Secondly, the reserve running backs need to produce at a higher clip.
To be fair, the loss of Boehm adversely affected the rushing attack. He's the leader within the group up front. His nasty disposition on the field also helps to set the tone for his fellow compatriots along the offensive line.
Missouri played Southeast Missouri State. Even without Boehm, the Tigers field a veteran group on the offensive line. Conventional wisdom would suggest Missouri having no problem running on their in-state rival.
This past Saturday, Missouri rushed for only 88 yards on 33 carries. This equates to a 2.7 yards-per-carry average...and Hansbrough got a fourth of the total yardage output on two carries alone.
Reserve backs Ish Witter, Chase Abbington, Tyler Hunt, and Morgan Steward all need to pick up the slack in Hansbrough's absence.
The onus cannot simply be on Hansbrough in the backfield. He'll need help from a production standpoint, especially if he continues to deal with a sore ankle.
