Gary Pinkel: Blaine Gabbert could be 100 percent this week
Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said quarterback Blaine Gabbert could be 100 percent this week vs. Baylor, the first time the sophomore has been completely healthy since the start of the Nebraska game on Oct. 8.
“I think he’s finally getting around,” Pinkel said. “He might be 100 percent. He ran a bit (more, against Colorado) but not near as fast as when he’s healthy. When he’s going 100 percent, he can really put a lot of pressure on a defense.”
Gabbert hurt his right ankle against Nebraska, which was the first of three consecutive losses for the Tigers. He appeared to be the best he’s been since in Saturday’s win over Colorado.
“He made a couple of mistakes and forced a couple of balls,” Pinkel said. “But he showed a tremendous amount of courage through this. He’s just a warrior and down the road this will give him a chance to be a really great player.”
Pinkel said the team has “no margin for error” as it comes down the final four games in the Big 12 North: vs. Baylor, at Kansas State, vs. Iowa State and vs. Kansas in Kansas City.
“It’s that time of the season,” he said. “We’re in November. Coming off that three-game (losing) streak, our backs were against the wall. We accomplished the goal of winning that first game. All of the team has to play better if we want to have a chance. Our defense played really well (last week) and has played well all year except for Texas. At times on offense, we look like a year ago, at times it looks like can’t get a first down. Consistency is critical to achieve our goals.
“Coming off those three games, looking at the schedule, looking at our goals, looking at our goals and looking at what’s available, there’s no margin for error. This (Baylor on Saturday) is game 2. Focus on this one and try to get better.”
The North race is not too easy to predict. The current standings with game’s remaining:
Kansas State (3-2): vs. Kansas, vs. Missouri, at Nebraska
Nebraska (2-2): vs. Oklahoma, at Kansas, vs. Kansas State, at Colorado
Iowa State (2-3): vs. Oklahoma State, vs. Colorado, at Missouri
Kansas (1-3): at Kansas State, vs. Nebraska, at Texas, vs. Missouri (in Kansas City)
Missouri (1-3): vs. Baylor, at Kansas State, vs. Iowa State, vs. Kansas (in Kansas City)
Colorado (1-3): vs. Texas A&M, at Iowa State, at Oklahoma State, vs. Nebraska.
Bill Snyder on whacky Big 12 North: “Anything can happen. We’re fortunate to have better record than others but it gets tougher as we go. Stranger things have happened.”
Pinkel SHOULD have let Gabbert sit for the Texas game - with a full week to recover, he would have been fine. Mizzou wasn’t going to win that game, and without a healthy Gabbert, not much chance of winning out. With a healthy Gabbert, that’s possible (but not likely if the coaches continue to fail to make adjustments at half-time).
I thought gabbert performance was very weak Saturday, dont let the win cloud your vision
I still haven’t seen or heard any explanation as to why Gabbert was playing so late in the game. I figure he could have used the rest on the ankle since it looked to me like he was pretty gimpy as the game wore on.
I would just like to say my family and I are die hard Tiger fans. We attended the Baylor game on Saturday, and did any one notice the poor excuse for officiating that was experienced. I realize we are rebuilding this year but; why did we constantly run plays that didn’t work, why not use all the field that is why its there isn’t it. As my wife and I were leaving even older ladies in the audience were complaining about the referees, I might have understood the calls if we were in Baylor but; we were in Columbia or at least I thought. Is there any one out there that agrees or disagrees or am I just overreacting.