Terrific Tigers Toy with Opposition: Daniel and Co. Have Looked Unstoppable

It's a good sign when a team can score 52 points on a Top 25 team, win by ten, and still be disappointed. It's an even better sign when a team can score 69 on a competitive foe without batting an eye.

But the best sign for the Missouri Tigers is it's only September, and while the rhythm is there, it could be a lot more fluid. Good thing for the Tigers, bad thing for the Big 12.

You almost have to feel sorry for the defense coordinators who have had to prepare for the Tigers. Despite having all of last year's film to look at, while losing Martin Rucker and Tony Temple to the draft, no coordinator thus far has found any solution to the Tigers' potent offense.

The Tigers have built the nation's No. 1 offense, averaging 57 points per game. Chase Daniel, the plucky quarterback who's built like a short fullback, has marched clear up to the top of the Heisman list throwing for a near 700 yards the past two games while going 39-of-45 over the stretch.

He has meticulously guided the Tiger offense with efficiency, throwing 10 touchdowns on the season compared to only one pick.

But his toughest competition for the Heisman might be his own teammate in Jeremy Maclin. Maclin has been astounding, catching three touchdown passes last week alone. He's too fast to put in single coverage, but by adding double coverage the defense is left susceptible to Daniel finding other weapons such as 6-foot-6, 245-pound Chase Coffman, or speedy receiver Jared Perry.

And trust me, if defenses leave these guys even slightly open, Daniel will find them. That quandary is something Big 12 coaches will struggle with for a while.

The rushing game is even more consistent than last year with sophomore Derrick Washington forcing people to say Tony "Who"? He's averaging 7.8 yards per carry.

Then there is Mr. Reliable in senior Jimmy Jackson. Both backs run like their hair is on fire every time they have the ball. If the Tigers are to utilize these two workhorses more, the offense should be even more potent.

The only big concern within this explosive offense is how the line will keep up when the Big 12 comes along with their complex blitzes and huge interior lineman. Adjustments better than those attempted last year against Oklahoma will be needed if a National Championship is in mind.

Pinkel can't just tell Daniel to run a boot on every play like last year against Oklahoma. The Sooners are too good and just like last year, if changes are not made, they will frustrate Daniel by only rushing four even if he is booting out on every play. Bob Stoops is too smart for the same old game plans.

But the line will have plenty of time to develop chemistry in the coming games, and with the spread offense designed to give quarterbacks time, expect the Tigers to cruise until the Big 12 Championship game.

So far the line has only given up one sack on Daniel and is better than many expected after losing three starters from last year. They will only improve with game time experience.

But what maybe the Tigers' biggest enemy is the Tigers themselves. Often in the Illinois game, it felt like the offense was bored. Like they were just toying around, not fearing to lose but not really trying to win either. Kind of like the kid in school who doesn't try because the material is just to easy for him.

This needs to be avoided when Big 12 play comes. An unexpected loss could easily creep up on them if they don't take every drive seriously in conference play. Especially with the atrocious play from the secondary that is last in the Big 12.

The Big 12 is the passing capital of college football; it's not a good sign that the Tigers have so far been the worst in this league. They can't toy around with a drive like I toy around with an English assignment. Change that complex, they will beat Oklahoma.

But sometimes the Tigers have to be their worst enemy. Take, for instance, the Nevada game. Late in the third, Pinkel told Christensen to pick a play that typically didn't get a first down. They didn't want to go over the century mark in points. They wanted Nevada to have some class.

Sometimes the best help the opposing defense coordinators can get comes intentionally from the Tigers' themselves. Big 12 defense coordinators can only hope such a situation doesn't occur to their defense. But so far, this early in September, the Tigers' can only appear to go up.

And that is really scary.