So, will he or won't he?
Undoubtedly, that will be one of the most often-asked questions in Columbia this week.
Actually, in both Columbias
Missouri faces quarterback concerns of its own after starter James Franklin, one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country, missed Saturday's exciting 24-20 victory over Arizona State with soreness in his throwing shoulder.
Franklin sustained an inflamed bursa sac in his shoulder during the loss to Georgia on Sept. 8.
Backup Corbin Berkstresser punched the clock with an efficient performance, completing 21-of-41 passes for 198 yards and one interception. Missouri kept to a short passing game, with its longest reception being 26 yards, and focused on running the football, gaining 126 yards on 46 carries.
With South Carolina starter Connor Shaw questionable with a right shoulder injury, Saturday's nationally televised contest at Williams-Brice Stadium (3:30 p.m., CBS) could boil down to a battle of backups between USC's Dylan Thompson and Berkstesser, who learned 30 minutes before the Arizona State game that he would make his first collegiate start.
Berkstresser was at his best on third down against the Sun Devils, as he completed 9-of-17 passes for 121 yards and no interceptions, with eight of those completions going for first downs.
Saturday's battle will be Missouri's first road game as a member of the SEC after opening the season with a three-game homestand against FCS foe Southeastern Louisiana (62-10 win) before splitting with Georgia and Arizona State.
According to the Missouri school website, Franklin was actually introduced as the starter minutes before the opening kickoff, but Berkstresser was the one who took the field for the opening possession while Franklin wore a cap and headset on the sidelines.
"That was going to be a game-time decision," Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said following the win, which improved his team to 2-1. "He has an irritation or inflammation in his shoulder. There are no structural problems at all, absolutely none. It was just too painful for him, and he didn't want to play. Between him and the medical staff, they make those decisions. I don't make those decisions. I told Corbin last night that he might have to play. I was hoping James could play, but he didn't feel like he could play. We'll find out next week on his health."
Franklin, who threw for 2,865 yards and ran for 981 yards last season, is listed as the starter on this week's depth chart and is not identified as one of the injured Tiger players, according to multiple media reports from Columbia, Mo.
Pinkel was scheduled to hold his weekly press conference later on Monday, so he could provide an update about Franklin's situation at that time.
Or maybe not.
Berkstresser's 6-yard touchdown run helped boost Missouri to a 17-0 lead late in the second quarter over Arizona State before the Sun Devils rallied in the second half.
"He did a lot of great things," Pinkel said of his backup quarterback. "It was a tough environment, and we watched what we did with him. We were very conservative and at the end we were conservative. We felt we were going to have to win with our defense, and that's why we made decisions from that standpoint. There were a lot of different things out there."
While Franklin's absence due to the elbow injury was the biggest story to emerge from the Arizona State game, a pair of red-zone stops by the Tigers defense in the final four minutes allowed Missouri to escape with the home victory.
On the first stop, Arizona State had second-and-goal at the Mizzou 1-yard-line when two rushing attempts were stuffed for a loss of 2 yards. The Sun Devils chose to throw the ball on fourth down, but the ball fell incomplete in the end zone.
After Missouri went three-and-out, a 25-yard punt return set up Arizona State at the Missouri 21 with just under two minutes left. However, on third-and-9, Missouri's Kenronte Walker intercepted a pass to seal the victory.
"It shows remarkable will to battle," Pinkel said. "The ball was first and goal on the 2 or 3 and we went out there and stopped them. Then we get a punt return and give them some field position with very low hangtime on the punt. The defense went out there again and battled. That was fitting for those guys who battled all day."
Defensively, Missouri is fourth in the SEC in total defense (291.3 points per game) and is one of four conference teams holding opponents under 100 yards rushing per game, with an average of 94.7 yards per game.
Missouri received a rude welcome to the SEC two weeks ago when Georgia traveled to the "other" Columbia and emerged with a hard-fought 41-20 victory by dominating the late stages of the game.
The Tigers battled for three quarters until wearing down in the fourth when a flurry of mistakes spoiled Missouri's SEC debut in front of a sellout crowd.
Georgia outscored Missouri 17-0 in the fourth quarter and scored the final 24 points after the Tigers took a 20-17 lead on a field goal late in the third quarter.
Signing the nation's top prospect, 6-foot-6 wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, offered Missouri hope that it could compete in the SEC immediately. But even big-time receivers must adjust to the more complex offenses and defenses in major college football.
Green-Beckham has five receptions for 39 yards (7.8 yards per catch) after three games. Kendi Lawrence is the leading rusher with 224 yards on 34 carries, an average of 6.6 yards per carry.
Little so far has dulled the enthusiasm Tiger fans are feeling about joining the SEC.
"Saying our fans are excited about us being in the SEC would be a complete understatement," Pinkel said at SEC Media Days. "They've become fanatical about it. It's exciting to see. I think that says so much for the great respect nationally that the SEC has.
"In this league you have to play well every week and you got to finish games. You have to win games in the fourth quarter. We understand that. We're excited about playing on the road. I've always enjoyed that part of college football."
link: http://southcarolina.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1410609
Undoubtedly, that will be one of the most often-asked questions in Columbia this week.
Actually, in both Columbias
Missouri faces quarterback concerns of its own after starter James Franklin, one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country, missed Saturday's exciting 24-20 victory over Arizona State with soreness in his throwing shoulder.
Franklin sustained an inflamed bursa sac in his shoulder during the loss to Georgia on Sept. 8.
Backup Corbin Berkstresser punched the clock with an efficient performance, completing 21-of-41 passes for 198 yards and one interception. Missouri kept to a short passing game, with its longest reception being 26 yards, and focused on running the football, gaining 126 yards on 46 carries.
With South Carolina starter Connor Shaw questionable with a right shoulder injury, Saturday's nationally televised contest at Williams-Brice Stadium (3:30 p.m., CBS) could boil down to a battle of backups between USC's Dylan Thompson and Berkstesser, who learned 30 minutes before the Arizona State game that he would make his first collegiate start.
Berkstresser was at his best on third down against the Sun Devils, as he completed 9-of-17 passes for 121 yards and no interceptions, with eight of those completions going for first downs.
Saturday's battle will be Missouri's first road game as a member of the SEC after opening the season with a three-game homestand against FCS foe Southeastern Louisiana (62-10 win) before splitting with Georgia and Arizona State.
According to the Missouri school website, Franklin was actually introduced as the starter minutes before the opening kickoff, but Berkstresser was the one who took the field for the opening possession while Franklin wore a cap and headset on the sidelines.
"That was going to be a game-time decision," Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said following the win, which improved his team to 2-1. "He has an irritation or inflammation in his shoulder. There are no structural problems at all, absolutely none. It was just too painful for him, and he didn't want to play. Between him and the medical staff, they make those decisions. I don't make those decisions. I told Corbin last night that he might have to play. I was hoping James could play, but he didn't feel like he could play. We'll find out next week on his health."
Franklin, who threw for 2,865 yards and ran for 981 yards last season, is listed as the starter on this week's depth chart and is not identified as one of the injured Tiger players, according to multiple media reports from Columbia, Mo.
Pinkel was scheduled to hold his weekly press conference later on Monday, so he could provide an update about Franklin's situation at that time.
Or maybe not.
Berkstresser's 6-yard touchdown run helped boost Missouri to a 17-0 lead late in the second quarter over Arizona State before the Sun Devils rallied in the second half.
"He did a lot of great things," Pinkel said of his backup quarterback. "It was a tough environment, and we watched what we did with him. We were very conservative and at the end we were conservative. We felt we were going to have to win with our defense, and that's why we made decisions from that standpoint. There were a lot of different things out there."
While Franklin's absence due to the elbow injury was the biggest story to emerge from the Arizona State game, a pair of red-zone stops by the Tigers defense in the final four minutes allowed Missouri to escape with the home victory.
On the first stop, Arizona State had second-and-goal at the Mizzou 1-yard-line when two rushing attempts were stuffed for a loss of 2 yards. The Sun Devils chose to throw the ball on fourth down, but the ball fell incomplete in the end zone.
After Missouri went three-and-out, a 25-yard punt return set up Arizona State at the Missouri 21 with just under two minutes left. However, on third-and-9, Missouri's Kenronte Walker intercepted a pass to seal the victory.
"It shows remarkable will to battle," Pinkel said. "The ball was first and goal on the 2 or 3 and we went out there and stopped them. Then we get a punt return and give them some field position with very low hangtime on the punt. The defense went out there again and battled. That was fitting for those guys who battled all day."
Defensively, Missouri is fourth in the SEC in total defense (291.3 points per game) and is one of four conference teams holding opponents under 100 yards rushing per game, with an average of 94.7 yards per game.
Missouri received a rude welcome to the SEC two weeks ago when Georgia traveled to the "other" Columbia and emerged with a hard-fought 41-20 victory by dominating the late stages of the game.
The Tigers battled for three quarters until wearing down in the fourth when a flurry of mistakes spoiled Missouri's SEC debut in front of a sellout crowd.
Georgia outscored Missouri 17-0 in the fourth quarter and scored the final 24 points after the Tigers took a 20-17 lead on a field goal late in the third quarter.
Signing the nation's top prospect, 6-foot-6 wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, offered Missouri hope that it could compete in the SEC immediately. But even big-time receivers must adjust to the more complex offenses and defenses in major college football.
Green-Beckham has five receptions for 39 yards (7.8 yards per catch) after three games. Kendi Lawrence is the leading rusher with 224 yards on 34 carries, an average of 6.6 yards per carry.
Little so far has dulled the enthusiasm Tiger fans are feeling about joining the SEC.
"Saying our fans are excited about us being in the SEC would be a complete understatement," Pinkel said at SEC Media Days. "They've become fanatical about it. It's exciting to see. I think that says so much for the great respect nationally that the SEC has.
"In this league you have to play well every week and you got to finish games. You have to win games in the fourth quarter. We understand that. We're excited about playing on the road. I've always enjoyed that part of college football."
link: http://southcarolina.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1410609