Missouri-SE Missouri Reflections: Should Blaine Gabbert Have Played?

Okay, not a lot to say about a 52-3 drubbing, but this honestly might have been the most compelling 49-point blowout I've ever seen.  Here's what I noticed.

Great tailgating atmosphere

The Reactor lot was rockin' hours before kickoff. The lot was filled to capacity, which allowed for very little breathing room but gave you the feeling that you were in a town that loves football.  You didn't really get that feeling two years ago.

I don't know what that place is going to be like come Big 12 season, but one thing's for sure—Mizzou football matters.

Attendance was GREAT considering the opponent

Over 62,000.  Gotta be pleased with that.  We've come a long way from the days when under 50,000 showed for Brad Smith's final home game.  Once again, one thing's for sure—Mizzou football matters.

A.O. jersey tribute thing is very cool

In case you missed it, Brock Christopher was wearing A.O.'s No. 25 jersey during last night's game.  Each week a particular senior will be chosen to wear the 25.  This is an idea Tommy Saunders apparently came up with in order to honor the late Tiger linebacker who would've been in his senior season.  Ever since the tragedy, this team has done everything within its power to ensure that people remember Aaron O'Neil. 

Speaking of A.O., does anyone know if MU is planning on removing the "A.O. 25" emblem from the grass on the sideline after this season?  If they are planning on getting rid of it, I think Tiger fans should protest to try to get them to leave it.  There's no reason to stop honoring him just because his teammates have graduated and moved on.

This is something Mizzourah could really galvanize support for, so someone please let me know what the plans are for that.

Jerrell Jackson looked solid

Six receptions for 70 yards.  I was just glad to hear his name called after his no-show in St. Louis.  Matter, the DeArmonds and the P-D reporters probably were too, considering they've been pimping this guy since early August as this season's Danario Alexander.

No reason to comment on the D

Unless you're a football coach, there's probably no way of judging how much the Tigers defense improved this week from last week.  But I'm glad Sean Weatherspoon has as many TDs as Chase Coffman and Cheat Code combined.

Decision to play Gabbert an interesting one to say the least

This was the big storyline from last night that has everybody talking.  I think most Mizzou fans (including me) were hoping to see Blaine take a redshirt this season and gear up for the '09 Quarterbackential Election, but I guess that's not going to happen.

The one thing to keep in mind is this: I'm sure Gary Pinkel has agonized over this decision since last spring.  He's probably been thinking about this in some way, shape, or form since Gabbert committed last fall.  He's probably lain awake many nights thinking about what decision would best benefit the program.

If you believe he's a good football coach, which almost everyone does, then you have to agree that he's probably the most qualified person to make this decision.  So far be it for me to say he blew this one.

But I am going to scrutinize his choice.

The comparison of the decision to play Gabbert to the one Pinkel made in '05 to play Chase Daniel doesn't really work for several reasons.  First of all, as numerous people have pointed out, Daniel was clearly the second-best quarterback that year.  He might have even been good enough to start and lead a team to a bowl game.

Most coaches won't redshirt a quarterback if he's good enough to be a backup.  This doesn't appear to be the case with Gabbert.  Most people around the program seem to agree that he's not quite where Chase was at as a freshman.

Second of all, the decision to burn the redshirt only makes sense if you're going to give him considerable playing time.  I personally think that PT needs to come when something's at stake.

Pinkel could do this with Chase because, like I said, he was good enough.  Plus, he offered a change of pace from Brad Smith and actually added an element to the offense that it didn't have with Brad. 

I acknowledge there's no substitute for real game experience.  It's impossible to simulate playing in front of 60,000 people.  But coming in with a 42-0 lead, even if it's in front of 90,000 people, doesn't put much pressure on a player.  I'd argue that Gabbert's already faced more pressure in high school games, when scouts were there and his future depended on his performance, than he did last night.

To justify burning the redshirt, Pinkel needs to get Gabbert into pressure situations—as in letting him play when something's at stake.  As in letting him play when the possibility of losing still exists.

That's where you have a dilemma, because you can't do that because you're playing for a National Championship every week.  One freshman mistake could cost you your entire season. 

So if you don't play Gabbert in important situations, which you can't afford to do, then you've got to find a way to get him a large number of snaps in blowouts (even if they're no-pressure situations, something's better than nothing) in order to justify this decision.

That also might be difficult considering, as Joe Walljasper pointed out in today's Tribune, Chase Patton only threw 13 passes all last season despite the higher than average number of blowouts Mizzou had.

Patton presents another problem that Walljasper touches on and Big Head and I discussed in last week's podcast.  How are you going to take away snaps from Patton when he's been a model of commitment ever since arriving on campus?

If Gabbert were clearly better than Patton, then it wouldn't be much of a problem, but Patton is clearly the more polished passer.  I know college football is a dog eat dog world, but it's hard to ask players to be loyal to the program when that loyalty isn't given to them in return. 

I'm not saying playing Gabbert was the right decision or the wrong decision.  Only time will determine that.  I'm just saying it's difficult to find the logic in it, and it's probably not what I would've done.  But I'm not exactly qualified to make that decision.