Eberflus Wins National Weekly Coaching Honor
10/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 24, 2007
Columbia, Mo. - University of Missouri Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach Matt Eberflus has been named the National Defensive Coordinator of the Week, as announced today by Rivals.com.
Eberflus, in his seventh season at Mizzou, won the award for the job both he and his Tiger defenders did in shutting down 22nd-ranked Texas Tech last Saturday in MU's 41-10 win in Columbia, Mo. In the game, Eberflus' troops held the Red Raiders to nearly 200 yards fewer than they were averaging coming in, and perhaps most impressively, a full 40 points less than what Tech was averaging for the season.
In the game, Mizzou limited Tech to 388 yards of total offense, significantly below their average of 582.0 coming into the game. Tech QB Graham Harrell was picked off four times by the Tigers, which was one more than he had the entire season combined coming into the game. The Tigers also held Tech freshman phenom WR Michael Crabtree in check, as he managed 10 catches for 76 yards and no touchdowns. Crabtree entered the day as the nation's leading receiver, with averages of 11 catches and 177 yards per game coming in, in addition to 17 receiving TDs.
Eberflus' defense has made marked improvement over the course of the year for the now 13th-ranked Tigers (6-1 overall, 2-1 in Big 12 Conference play). In the first four games of the season, the Tiger defense was allowing averages of 25.0 points (8th in Big 12 rankings), 158.8 rushing yards (9th), 434.5 total yards (11th) and an opponent quarterback rating of 123.3 (10th). In MU's three Big 12 Conference games, the Tigers have responded by allowing just 19.0 points (2nd in Big 12), 61.0 rushing yards (2nd), 356.3 total yards (3rd) and an opponent quarterback rating of 114.6 (4th).
This is the second time this season that a Mizzou coordinator has won a national weekly award, as Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach Dave Christensen won the Master Coaches' Survey National Offensive Coordinator of the Week Award after Mizzou's 41-6 lambasting of Nebraska on Oct. 6th.
Mizzou is making preparations to host the Iowa State Cyclones (1-7, 0-4) this Saturday at 1 p.m. at Faurot Field. The game is not being televised, so the only way to see the Tigers in action is to come out to the game. Plenty of tickets remain available for purchase and can be bought online at www.mutigers.com, over the phone by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS (884-PAWS in Columbia), or in person at the MU Athletic Ticket Office, located at Mizzou Arena.
