Don't let the seniors down

The highlights are too numerous to list them all. But there have been some fantastic moments with this group. Here are simply a few that stand out to me:

*In 2005, I had left the Tigers for dead against Iowa State. Brad Smith went down with an injury and a known, but completely untested, true freshman replaced him at quarterback. Chase Daniel led the Tigers back from a ten-point deficit and then won the game in overtime. The Missouri fans that were left (and trust me, it wasn't all of them), walked out of the stadium that day thinking, "Hmmm, we just might have something here. Maybe we should go ahead and continue to field a football team after Brad leaves."

*In 2006, a couple of plays stand out. The Tigers were in a back-and-forth game early on with Kansas State. The Wildcats had driven to the Tiger one-yard-line and had a chance to take the lead. On fourth and goal, Tommy Chavis stuffed the Cats. Missouri's offense responded with a 99-yard drive. The Tigers went on to beat K-State for the first time since 1992. A couple of weeks later, the Tigers were facing Kansas. They had lost three in a row to the Jayhawks. Everyone said Mark Mangino had Gary Pinkel's number. As the Tigers routed Kansas 42-17, the play that stood out was a simple pass over the middle from Daniel to Jared Perry. Perry sprinted away from everyone on the Kansas team for a 75-yard touchdown. Daniel goes into the season finale against Kansas this year having gone 66-for-87 for 717 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions against Kansas. The Jayhawks may have had Brad Smith's number...they didn't have Missouri's.

*Backtracking to before the 2006 season, I remember watching every practice of fall camp. Adam Crossett had made a field goal from 50 yards to give Mizzou the lead in the Independence Bowl the year before. Placekicker wasn't a position I had my eye on. But then this walk-on named Wolfert just kept making kicks. I thought, "You can't not play this kid." All he's done since then is become the most accurate kicker in the history of NCAA football.

*There was 2007, the most incredible season those of us who have followed this program for a long time have ever seen. Against Iowa State, Pig Brown got hurt. And William Moore finally fulfilled the potential we'd heard about for two years. Moore was always a great athlete, but he had never been a great safety. He wasn't just great, he was the best defensive player in America for the last six weeks of 2007.

*In that same year, Texas Tech once again came to Columbia undefeated and on everyone's radar as a possible breakout team. On the Red Raiders' first possession, Stryker Sulak intercepted Graham Harrell and returned it for a touchdown, the Tigers' third pick six against Harrell in five quarters. Missouri dismantled Tech. Could we see a rematch in one month at Arrowhead Stadium?

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