THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Missouri seemingly lost half of its starting players to the NFL a few weeks ago. With names like Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin, Chase Coffman, William Moore, Ziggy Hood and others moving on, what are the chances Mizzou can come even close to repeating its success of the past couple seasons? Has coach Gary Pinkel restocked enough for next year’s team to pick up where last year’s team left off?

VAHE GREGORIAN
Mizzou has established a baseline and has plenty of talent, even if a lot of it is unseasoned. But it’s hard to imagine you can replace the best quarterback in school history, two of the most intimidating offensive players in the nation in Maclin and Coffman and the most accurate kicker in NCAA history (Jeff Wolfert) and not sag. I think the defense actually will be improved, but I’d be amazed if the whole package is immediately as good as the last two seasons. That said, if you looked at the Big 12 schedule today, MU probably would be favored in five or six of its eight games. I actually think they can contend for the North crown but will be somewhere between 7-5 and 9-3.

JEFF GORDON
Getting to the high side of .500 and reaching a minor bowl game would be huge accomplishments, all considering. Is there life after Brad Smith and Chase Daniel? That is the multi-million dollar question. The Tigers will be able to run the ball and catch it, but what about the man at the controls? The sample from last season was much too small to judge.

MIKE SMITH
God bless the Tigers mentioned above, but honestly, didn’t that group basically check out last season after the home loss to Okie State and the stampede at Texas?

This season, Mizzou can diversify its offense with Blaine Gabbert at quarterback and undervalued backs Derrick Washington and De’Vion Moore running behind a decent line. There’s no doubting Gabbert’s physical tools, but these issues/questions remain:

1) He’s almost three years removed from spending an entire fall playing competitive football (Daniel’s understudy in 2008; injured most of 2007.)

2) Who will he throw to besides TE Andrew Jones? After Jared Perry and Danario Alexander — both injured this spring — the roster of wideouts is nondescript.

3) Can he lead his teammates? Blaine Gabbert was all about Blaine Gabbert when he played for Parkway West, but perhaps Pinkel has brow-beaten that attitude out of him by now.

Defensively, the Tigers automatically are better because they’re under new management (Eberflus out, Steckel in). Bottom line: a 4-0 nonconference season followed by a 5-3 Big 12 campaign and another minor bowl trip TBA (I mean, Big 12 favorite sons Nebraska and Kansas have to first decide which bowls they want to attend, THEN Mizzou can be accommodated).

TOM TIMMERMANN
There’s no way Mizzou can be as good next year as last year. They lost too much talent, and while the replacements may someday be as good or better, they won’t be next season. But that doesn’t mean Mizzou can’t win the Big 12 North. The league’s talent remains in the South, and Kansas is the competition to win the division and go back to the conference championship game. So by that standard, that Mizzou has a very good chance of being back in the Big 12 final, they will be picking up where they left off. But they’ll probably get thumped by every South Division team they play.

KATHLEEN NELSON
The Tigers have enough players who contributed last year to make another run at the Big 12 North. The offense will feature a veteran running back, Derrick Washington, a pair of wide receivers with big play experience, Danario Alexander and Jared Perry, and the bulk of the offensive line. The defense probably will rely on NT Jaron Baston and linebackers Sean Weatherspoon and Luke Lambert. Perhaps the relative inexperience of the squad is a plus. Last year’s defense and departed coordinator Matt Eberflus took heaps of criticism. A blank slate could do these guys good.

Given the inexperience on defense and the first year for QB Blaine Gabbert, fans shouldn’t expect much more than a fight for the division, though.

BILL COATS
The solid recruiting that Pinkel and his staff have accomplished in recent yearS is paying off. Mizzou lost a lot, but it returns a lot, too. The Tigers have enough to be in the hunt for another Big 12 North title.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Offensive tackle or linebacker? Linebacker or offensive tackle? The debate rages on about the No. 2 overall pick. But the Rams have many, many needs to address in this draft: offensive and defensive line, wide receiver, linebacker, backup QB and RB, defensive back … the list goes on. Which side of the ball do you think the Rams will have invested in most heavily come the end of next weekend’s NFL draft?

JIM THOMAS
The Rams have so many needs, it really depends on who’s available at each pick that is a good value (highly rated) in each particular round. For example, say the Rams take an offensive tackle in the first round. What they do in the second round might depend on whether wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, defensive tackle Ziggy Hood, edge rusher Larry English or even Ohio State middle linebacker James Laurinaitis is available. But on balance, if the Rams are serious about a drafting a quarterback and a backup running back, there shold be a tilt towards offense.

BRYAN BURWELL
When you end up drafting in the No. 2 slot in the first round in back-to-back seasons that means you have huge holes all over your roster. But despite Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive background, I won’t be surprised if his GM Billy Devaney goes slightly towards filling in the most holes on offense. The Rams need starters on the offensive line, immediate help at WR, a useful RB to spell Steven Jackson, QB for the future … and did I already say how badly they need more big and talented offensive linemen?

JEFF GORDON
Over the course of the draft, the Rams may end up with a bigger offensive investment. They have to add at least one tackle. Receiver is a glaring need. They could use a better No. 2 running back and another quarterback. On defense, they need a middle linebacker, a beefy defensive tackle, depth at cornerback and perhaps a developmental pass-rushing end. But the Rams put the franchise tag on O.J. Atogwe, spent heavily to keep Ron Bartell and filled their safety void in free agency.

BILL COATS
It’ll be close, but I think the Rams’ draft will lean toward offense. They need significant help on the line, at wide receiver and running back, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they took a quarterback in the later rounds.

KATHLEEN NELSON
I think the correct answer is “line,” on both sides of the ball. But since that’s not a choice, I’ll go with offense. The Rams are more likely to use the first pick on an offensive lineman, and there are so many good wide receivers in the draft, one is likely to be the “best player available” by the time they pick in the second round.