Missouri Offense Comes Alive in Scrimmage

FootballAugust 24, 2000

Missouri Offense Comes Alive in Scrimmage

Aug. 25, 2000

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri Tigers' offense came alive on Friday evening under the lights at Memorial Stadium in their final scrimmage before next Saturday's season opener against Western Illinois. The Tigers managed to put the ball in the end zone five times, three of those drives were engineered by sophomore quarterback KIRK FARMER.

Farmer led Mizzou's first team offense on scoring drives in three of the first five series of scrimmage. On the "black" offense's second possession, running back ZACK ABRON capped a nine play, 65-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run on a fourth down-and-one play. Two series later, Farmer (19-of-33, 211 passing) took the Tigers down the field quickly and connected with fullback JOE CHIRUMBOLO on a play-action pass for an eight-yard touchdown pass.

The first team's third scoring drive was the most impressive. Farmer and senior wide receiver JOHN DAUSMAN (5 catches, 81 yards) hooked up three times for 47 yards in the air. Farmer also hit tight end DWAYNE BLAKLEY for a 20-yard gainer. The 11-play drive was completed when Abron (14 carries, 70 yards) scampered four yards in the end zone for the touchdown.

Missouri's first team defense got the most of the Tigers second team offense most of the night, led by All-American defensive end JUSTIN SMITH. Smith racked up three quarterback sacks, as well as scooping up a fumble and returning it 33 yards for a touchdown. Senior outside linebacker PAT DUFFY added two sacks while senior nose tackle PAT MINGUCCI enjoyed a big night with a sack a several tackles for loss.

Quarterback DARIUS OUTLAW had very little time to throw most of the night, and finished 6-of-14 for 128 yards. Eighty-eight of those passing yards came on one play when he connected with TRAVIS GARVIN for an 88-yard touchdown pass. Outlaw also led the second team offense on one scoring drive that was capped off by a 15-yard touchdown run by ZAIN GILMORE (11 carries, 50 yards).

The punting game was a definite positive on Saturday night. Junior JARED GILPIN averaged 45 yards a punt by booting punts of 47, 49 and 40 yards.

On the injury front, it was announced before the scrimmage that junior quarterback JIM DOUGHERTY will most likely miss the entire 2000 season with torn ligaments in his right elbow. Dougherty, who injured the elbow back on Aug. 15, had a MRI on Friday afternoon that exploited the injury. Dougherty is scheduled to have surgery sometime next week.

SCRIMMAGE STATS

SCORING SUMMARY

ABRON 6 RUN (HAMMERICH KICK)

CHIRUMBOLO 8 PASS FROM FARMER (PAT FAILED)

ABRON 4 RUN (HAMMERICH KICK)

SMITH 33 FUMBLE RETURN (NO PAT ATTEMPTED)

GILMORE 15 RUN (HAMMERICH KICK)

GARVIN 88 PASS FROM OUTLAW (NO PAT ATTEMPTED)

PASSING

KIRK FARMER: 19-133-211

DARIUS OUTLAW: 6-14-128

CODY BUFORD: 1-5-4