2009 Season In Review
5/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
May 12, 2010
Columbia, Mo. -
The 2009 season was seen as a year of transition for Gary Pinkel and the Missouri Tigers. Gone was the winningest senior class in school history, including a Big 12-best six NFL Draft picks from a year ago. Among the losses were program-changing players such as Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin and Chase Coffman, among many others who helped Mizzou build a national profile.
Just how would the Tigers deal with those losses? Given all that was gone, most pundits expected to see Mizzou take a big step back. Those inside the program did not share the same thoughts.
Despite featuring the youngest team in the nation, with only five senior starters, the Tigers were determined to keep the program moving forward. They did just that, by reaching eight wins for only the 20th time in school history, and playing in an MU-record fifth consecutive bowl game.
Along the way, Tiger fans were treated to memorable wins against rivals Illinois and Kansas, some thrilling come-from-behind wins, lots of unselfish team play, and many incredible individual efforts.
Once again, it started with the annual Arch Rivalry showdown in St. Louis against the Illinois Fighting Illini. Illinois came into the game as solid favorites, given the return of star quarterback Juice Williams and receiver Arrelious Benn. But it was the Tiger passing tandem of Blaine Gabbert and Wes Kemp who stole the show.
Leading 3-0 after a Grant Ressel field goal to cap the first drive of the season, Gabbert and Kemp made it 10-0 late in the first quarter thanks to a 49-yard catch-and-run that served as the first collegiate touchdown for both. Mizzou would extend the lead to 16-3 at halftime, thanks to two more field goals from Ressel, a walk-on making his first career start.
Gabbert would help the Tigers pull away in the second half, thanks to two more touchdown passes, and he capped his coming out party with an eight-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter. He would end his first collegiate start by completing 25-of-33 passes for 319 yards and the four total touchdowns, and would go on to be named the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week, just as his predecessors Brad Smith and Chase Daniel had done following their first collegiate starts, as well.
Mizzou walked off the Edward Jones Dome field with a 37-9 win which alerted the nation that this team would be one to reckon with.
With Tiger Nation abuzz over the resounding win against the Illini, most expected Mizzou to have a leisurely stroll at home in its Faurot Field debut against the Bowling Green Falcons. Bowling Green had other designs, and pushed the Tigers hard until a late comeback was led by Blaine Gabbert and a stingy defense.
Bowling Green jumped out to a 13-0 lead, and held a 13-6 lead at halftime. Things got even worse for the Tiger faithful when the Falcons took the second half opening kick and promptly drove for a touchdown that made it 20-6 with 9:44 left in the third quarter.
Only one other time in school history had a Tiger team trailed in the second half by 14 points and come back to win a game (1976 at Ohio State), but despite a first-year starter at quarterback, that's exactly what Mizzou did. Gabbert settled in after a rough first half, and threw touchdown passes on consecutive drives spanning the third and fourth quarters to tie the game. Then, senior TB Derrick Washington supplied the winning points as he plunged in from one-yard out with 5:38 left in the game to make it 27-20.
Washington ran 23 times for 120 yards, and his key 18-yard burst on 3rd-and-10 in the third quarter set up Gabbert's 27-yard touchdown pass to senior WR Jared Perry which cut the deficit to 20-13. On MU's next possession, Washington gained six yards on 4th-and-2 from the BGSU 39-yardline, and on the next play, Gabbert and Kemp hooked up for a 33-yard score which tied the game with 10:15 remaining.
The Tiger defense dug in on the final possession and held on downs to preserve the win, with redshirt freshman DE Aldon Smith getting a key quarterback sack to aid the effort.
Despite the scare, the young Tigers found a way to win on a night where they didn't play their best. The 27-20 victory improved them to 2-0 on the season.
After cruising to a 52-12 win over Furman of the Football Championship Subdivision in week three, the Tigers faced their first true road test of the young season at dangerous Nevada. The Wolf Pack featured the nation's top rushing offense and a big run-pass threat in quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and had plenty of motivation following Mizzou's 69-17 win in Columbia the year before.
In a rare Friday-night game which featured several lead changes in the first half, senior wideout Danario Alexander had a breakout performance that helped the Tigers take control. Trailing 7-6, Alexander got free over the middle and caught a Gabbert pass that he took 31 yards for a score to make it 12-7 (the two-point try failed), and that's how it stood at the half.
Sensing a potential upset, Nevada opened the second half by driving for a score which made it 13-12 in favor of the home team. But on Mizzou's ensuing possession, Gabbert lofted a pass down the seam for Alexander, who leaped in traffic and snagged the ball away from a closing safety, and turned on the jets to ramble 74 yards for a touchdown to give MU the lead back, at 18-13. That was the start of a 19-0 scoring surge by the Tigers that put the game away. Ressel followed with a pair of field goals, and Jared Perry caught a short pass from Gabbert to open the fourth quarter that helped salt the game away. Ressel's first field goal was set up by a big play from the Tiger defense, as Brian Coulter forced a fumble inside the Tiger 5-yardline that snuffed out a potential touchdown by Nevada early in the fourth quarter that could have changed the complexion of the game.
On the night, Alexander caught nine passes for a career-best 170 yards, while Gabbert threw for a career-best 414 yards. All of a sudden, Mizzou flew back to Columbia a perfect 4-0.
A daunting three-game stretch loomed on the schedule as the Tigers faced a trio of ranked opponents in consecutive weeks. The first was a home game against Nebraska played in a torrential downpour in Columbia on a Thursday night. Despite the weather conditions, and a severely sprained ankle suffered by Gabbert, Mizzou made the plays to take a 12-0 lead into the fourth quarter.
But the decisive fourth quarter was all Nebraska as the Tigers fell victim to a Husker rally that saw the visitors post a 27-12 comeback win. The Tigers were dominating defensively until Nebraska connected early in the fourth quarter on a 56-yard touchdown pass on a 3rd-and-10 that seemed to open the floodgates and give Nebraska a much-needed lift. On MU's ensuing possession, Gabbert was intercepted for the first time in his career deep in Mizzou territory, and the Huskers converted that into another touchdown pass and a 13-12 lead. Mizzou's offense couldn't put together any more scoring drives, and Nebraska tacked on two more touchdowns to account for the final score.
The next two weeks would go the way of the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Texas Longhorns. Mizzou put up big plays in the first half at Stillwater, but couldn't keep pace as OSU pulled away for a 33-17 win. The Tigers next played host to #3 Texas for MU's 2009 Homecoming celebration. The Longhorns saw to it, however, that there would be no celebrating on their account, as Texas cruised to a 41-7 win to drop Mizzou to 4-3 overall.
Facing a crossroads in the season, Gary Pinkel's young Tigers needed to get back in the win column. Their next test would be in the Flatiron Mountains of Colorado. Mizzou showed early it was ready to roll. Derrick Washington capped the game-opening drive with a one-yard touchdown run, and Blaine Gabbert connected with Danario Alexander on touchdown passes of 73 and 2 yards, respectively, on drives number two and three, for a 21-0 first-quarter lead.
The Tigers' lead would swell to 33-0 after a Grant Ressel field goal, a safety against Colorado on a Jarrell Harrison sack in the endzone of CU's quarterback Tyler Hansen, and then some trickery, as sophomore DE Jacquies Smith took a shovel pass from holder Forrest Shock on a fake field goal attempt and rambled 24 yards for a touchdown.
After that, Mizzou turned the game over to its defense. Even though the Buffaloes finally broke through for a few scores, Sean Weatherspoon saw to it personally that they would get no closer than 33-17. “Spoon” made a key stop on a 4th-and-1 situation deep in MU territory to snuff out a CU drive and give the ball back to Mizzou. The rest of the game featured ball control by the Tiger offense, and more stops by the defense.
After the last defensive stand, capped by Aldon Smith's third sack of the day, Mizzou ran out the clock to seal an important 36-17 win.
Returning home to face Baylor, the Tigers had a huge performance from its aerial tandem of Danario Alexander and Blaine Gabbert, who had 214 yards receiving and 468 yards passing, respectively.
But in the end, Baylor's offense was even better, and the Bears surprised Mizzou by escaping Columbia with a 40-32 win.
Standing at 5-4 overall and 1-4 in Big 12 play, it was time for the Tigers to make some hay. The challenge began in Manhattan, Kan., where the going has been tough for Mizzou in recent years. Danario Alexander saw to it himself that there would be no more losing streaks.
With the score tied at 3-3 early in the 2nd quarter, Alexander beat double coverage and jumped high to haul in a long pass from Blaine Gabbert, out-battling two K-State defenders in the process. Alexander kept his feet and strolled into the endzone for a 65-yard touchdown which made it 10-3. After a Wildcat field goal, Gabbert led a brilliant two-minute drill from the shadow of MU's endzone and capped it with a beautiful 16-yard TD pass to Alexander just :20 seconds before halftime to make it 17-6.
The Wildcats, playing under the return of legendary Coach Bill Snyder, got consecutive field goals to close to within 17-12 late in the third quarter, but after the last kick, Alexander struck once again. This time, it was a one-play drive as he took a quick slant, made one move and thanks to some outstanding downfield blocking, broke free for an 80-yard score that made it 24-12 Mizzou with :57 seconds left in the third quarter.
Derrick Washington took over from there, as he scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns on runs of 4 and 13 yards, respectively, and the defense held Kansas State out of the endzone all day long on the way to its resounding 38-12 victory.
Alexander ended his day with a school record-tying three touchdowns, and 200 receiving yards which made him the first Tiger to have 200-yard outings in consecutive games. More importantly, Mizzou became bowl eligible for the fifth straight season thanks to its solid win.
The home finale awaited next, and with it came Senior Day, always an emotional moment for Gary Pinkel. The Tigers scored early on a Derrick Washington run, but the Cyclones showed they were ready to rumble, and they took a 17-10 lead into halftime.
With the Tiger offense stuck in neutral, two big plays by the passing game helped MU regain control in the third quarter. After the Tiger defense forced a stop to open the third quarter, Blaine Gabbert found sophomore WR Jerrell Jackson alone down the right sideline, and hit him in stride for a 70-yard score to tie the game and send a sigh of relief all throughout a tense Memorial Stadium crowd. Following another defensive stop, it was more of the same, but this time Gabbert hit Alexander on a quick screen, and Alexander raced untouched 63 yards for the score to make it 24-17 in favor of MU.
After Iowa State used some trickery to tie the game at 24-apiece to end the 3rd quarter, Mizzou dominated on both sides of the ball in the final period to pull away. Grant Ressel gave the Tigers a 27-24 lead on a 28-yard field goal with 11:56 to play, and the defense, keyed by a Brian Coulter quarterback sack on 3rd down deep in ISU territory, got the ball back for Mizzou's offense.
The Tigers needed a scoring drive to salt the game away, and they got it thanks to some gutsy play calling. Mizzou faced a 4th-and-1 at midfield, and despite missing Washington, who left the game after suffering a concussion in the 1st quarter, Coach Pinkel called a run, which Gabbert took himself for a 2-yard gain to move the chains. Seven plays later, sophomore TB De'Vion Moore crashed in from one-yard out for the game-clinching touchdown with 4:43 to play. The 34-24 win improved the Tigers to 7-4.
With the Big 12 North Division title out of reach, the Tigers set their sights on rival Kansas to end the regular season. Playing in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium, the game was a classic back-and-forth affair, with both teams coming out swinging. The Jayhawks, losers of six consecutive games coming in, following a 5-0 start to the season, had the upper hand early as they bolted to a 14-3 lead. But Derrick Washington converted a big takeaway by the Tiger defense and scored on a 1-yard run late in the second quarter to pull the Tigers to within 14-10.
Trailing 21-13 at halftime, the Tigers got their offense in high gear in the third quarter, while the defense was in on some big plays as well.
Washington scored to open scoring in the second half on a 14-yard run, but the Jayhawks countered with a score of their own to maintain 28-19 lead. The Tigers went to their big play back of tricks next however, and scored 17 straight points, to bolt to a 36-28 lead with 13:29 left in the game. The first score came on a 37-yard run by WR Jerrell Jackson, and after the Tiger defense got another big turnover (on Carl Gettis' second fumble recovery of the day), Gabbert and Alexander connected for a 68-yard catch-and-run to give MU its first lead of the day at 33-28. Grant Ressel kicked a 37-yard field goal with 13:29 left in the game to extend the Tiger lead to eight.
But KU wasn't done, as the Jayhawks rallied for a touchdown and 2-point conversion, and next took a 39-36 lead on a field goal with over five minutes remaining. Things looked pretty grim for Mizzou after it was forced to punt the ball away with three minutes left. That is, until one of the bigger defensive stands of the season set up a Tiger rally that will be remembered for the ages.
After a brilliant punt by senior P Jake Harry which was downed at the Jayhawk 3-yardline, Kansas misfired on two consecutive pass attempts, setting up 3rd-and-10. Defensive ends Aldon Smith and Brian Coulter converged in the endzone on KU's Todd Reesing for a safety to make it 39-38 with just 2:45 to play. More importantly, the Tigers got the ball back on the ensuing free kick just shy of midfield, and the offense took over from there.
Mizzou bled the clock perfectly, and Derrick Washington had a key 27-yard run on 3rd-and-2 which took the ball down to the Kansas 7-yardline. After taking a knee twice to run the clock, Mizzou called timeout with just :04 seconds left and called on Ressel to be the hero.
His kick was true, and Ressel's game-winner from 27 yards gave the Tigers a 41-39 win in a game which was labeled an instant classic by ESPN. At 8-4 on the year, Mizzou accepted a bid to the Texas Bowl on Dec. 31st to take on the United States Naval Academy and its patented triple option offense.
Most college football experts picked Mizzou to claim its third straight bowl-game victory, but Navy proved to be a tough draw for the Tigers. But it didn't look that way early on, as Danario Alexander scored on a 58-yard touchdown pass from Blaine Gabbert just two plays into the game for a lightning-quick 7-0 Tiger lead.
However, the Midshipmen, led by dual threat quarterback Ricky Dobbs, gained control with their deceptive ground attack and a surprising defense which time and again stymied Mizzou's potent aerial game.
Trailing just 21-13 entering the fourth quarter, the Tigers couldn't quite close the deal. Navy's underrated defense held MU's in check, and the Midshipmen closed the game with a pair of touchdowns to post a 35-13 win.
It was a tough way to end things, but the Tigers walked off the field knowing that they had exceeded the expectations of most outsiders entering the season. That would have to suffice on what ended up as an 8-5 season.
The 2009 Missouri Tiger football season began with a lot of unknowns. One of the youngest teams in the nation had to grow up fast to be competitive in the rugged Big 12 Conference. Despite being the youngest team in the nation, Gary Pinkel's Tigers did just that, navigating the ups and downs to win eight games and reach a program-record fifth-straight bowl game. Rivalry wins over Illinois and Kansas highlighted the year, as did a crucial three-game winning streak down the stretch to secure a winning season.
Along the way, Tiger fans were able to watch the record-setting achievements of Danario Alexander, who shattered virtually every Mizzou receiving record in the books, ending with 113 receptions for 14 touchdowns and an NCAA-leading 1,781 yards. He became only the second Tiger in history to lead the nation in receiving, and was a first-team All-American.
Sophomore place kicker Grant Ressel emerged before the season to win the kicking job, and promptly went on to have a record-breaking season. The Jackson, Mo. native made 25-of-26 field goals, and all 39 of his extra point tries – good for an amazing combined kicking mark of 64-of-65. His field goal percentage of 96.3 percent broke an NCAA season record for those with a minimum of 20 makes.
Senior linebacker Sean Weatherspoon helped set the tone for the year with his fiery leadership in the off-season, and he leaves ranked as the #3 tackler of all time at Mizzou, along with the satisfaction of knowing that his senior class is now the winningest in school history.
Redshirt freshman defensive end Aldon Smith won Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year honors for his monster season which included an MU season-record 11.5 quarterback sacks.
Other seniors such as Jared Perry, Kurtis Gregory and Jaron Baston, among others, helped pave the way for unprecedented success for the Tigers, and joy for Tiger Nation.
They'll certainly be missed, but the future looks very bright, indeed, in Columbia, as a host of proven stars return for 2010 when the Tigers will look to reclaim the top spot in the Big 12 North!
