COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) L'Damian Washington didn't hesitate to identify the secret to Missouri's surprising success this year.
"If I had to pick an MVP of this season, it's the whole offensive line," the receiver said.
A
group of five contrasting personalities, the offensive line for the
fifth-ranked Tigers has collectively become the heart and soul of a team
just one win away from the Southeastern Conference championship game.
"I wouldn't call it redemption as much as I would call it rebirth," guard and spare-time philosopher Max Copeland said.
Lighter
practices and a stroke of good fortune have allowed the Tigers to start
the same linemen in nine of 11 games, a far cry from last year when
only one lineman was healthy enough to start all 12 games.
Players
say the continuity allows them to become more comfortable on the field
and focus on the opponent rather than on helping a new teammate become
acclimated. Because many practice drills are technical in nature, any
time missed takes on greater importance.
Statistics verify those
assertions, as Missouri finished tied for 12th in the SEC last year with
138.5 rushing yards per game as part of a 5-7 campaign. This season,
the Tigers (10-1, 6-1 SEC) rank second in the league in both rushing
yards (238) and points (39.7) per game.
"Without us, the running
game wouldn't happen," tackle Justin Britt said. "We don't ask for the
fame. We understand the role on the team."
Sometimes the job is simply to keep the Tigers on the field, as was the case last Saturday in a 24-10 win at Ole Miss.
With
8:08 remaining in the game, Missouri possessed the ball and a
two-touchdown lead, but also vivid memories of frittering away a 17-0
fourth quarter advantage against South Carolina. The Tigers wouldn't
experience a case of deja vu, though, as they used 13 rushes and two
quarterback kneels to run out the clock.
The prolonged drive set
up this week's titanic matchup with No. 19 Texas A&M (8-3, 4-3),
which defeated Missouri 59-29 in College Station last year. The Aggies'
defense has regressed since then, yielding an SEC-worst 221 rushing
yards per game and allowing 324 yards on the ground at LSU in a 34-10
loss last week.
A win would tie Tigers coach Gary Pinkel with Don
Faurot for the school record (101) and earn the school the chance to
capture its first conference championship since 1969.
"This is about self-respect, and the way we get that is by doing our job on Saturday," Copeland said.
There's always time to mix work with play, though.
The
offensive line leads the team in sing-a-longs before practice every
Wednesday and conducts "Christmas Thursdays," where the group dances in
the parking lot to seasonal tunes after watching game film. Adding to
the spectacle is the lengthy facial hair affixed to each lineman --
tackles Britt and Mitch Morse, guards Copeland and Connor McGovern, and
center Evan Boehm.
"As you would have guessed, we've got varying
personalities and so forth," co-offensive line coach Bruce Walker said.
"I think they work together because they respect each other, because
they all work hard, they all care about the team and they all care about
the guy next to them."
Quarterback James Franklin says having
the same linemen each week makes him feel more secure in the pocket, and
adds that the fun they have helps other players lighten up. Boehm
explained that the line's antics are meant only to ease the stress of
the season.
The same holds true for his new hairdo.
"This
is what the season's all about, is going out and having fun," said
Boehm, who usually sports unkempt dirty-blond curls. "And what's a
better way to go have fun than doing some designs and getting some
cornrows in your hair?"
