IRVING, TEXAS • For all his vast talent, a year ago questions abounded about how quickly then-sophomore Blaine Gabbert could do justice to the Mizzou quarterbacking roles of trail-blazing predecessors Brad Smith and Chase Daniel.

The Parkway West graduate answered emphatically and instantly, earning Big 12 offensive player of the week honors in his splendid first game against Illinois and ascending among the nation's passing leaders to trigger MU's 4-0 start.

But it was what Gabbert did after being hobbled by an ankle injury for much of the rest of the season that perhaps most distinguished him.

Although he was unable for weeks to summon the best of his abilities, what cornerback Kevin Rutland called Gabbert's courage and character gave him immense credibility with his teammates and coaches.

"That said an awful lot about him," MU coach Gary Pinkel said Tuesday during the Big 12's pre-season media days.

The wrenched ankle, suffered in Mizzou's 27-12 loss to Nebraska,

left Gabbert in a boot and Pinkel telling him, "I don't know if you should play" even after Gabbert was cleared by MU's medical staff on the belief that he couldn't hurt himself worse.

"He flat told me, looked me dead in the eye (and said), 'I can play; I want to play,' " Pinkel recalled.

With plucky but inexperienced former walk-on Jimmy Costello the only alternative at the time, Gabbert told himself, "Whatever I had to do ... I was going to do. If I had to rehab 24 hours a day, I was going to do it. ... The team was counting on me."

MU lost three in a row in the immediate aftermath of Gabbert's injury but rallied to win four of its next five, only to have the season punctuated by a miserable 35-13 loss to Navy in the Texas Bowl.

"I feel I could have done a lot more last year with two feet under me," said Gabbert, who threw for 3,593 yards.

Still, an 8-5 record in a youth-dominated transitional season appears to have made for a fine bridge to a more promising year ahead with Gabbert now the main reason to believe, even as MU's quarterback depth has been enhanced by freshmen James Franklin and Gabbert's brother, Tyler.

Despite being impaired for half of MU's games, he finished second in the Big 12 in passing efficiency and 11th in the nation in total offense (292.1 yards a game).

And even with the question looming of how the Tigers will replace Danario Alexander's mind-boggling 113 receptions and 1,781 yards, the leaner, nimbler and more savvy Gabbert should be able to provide plenty of answers.

"He'll see a lot more," Pinkel said. "Things (will) slow down tremendously" around him.

Never mind that Texas A&M's Jerrod Johnson was voted first-team pre-season All-Big 12 quarterback over Gabbert.

"When people doubt you, you've got to have a chip on your shoulder and prove them wrong," he said. "That's kind of how it's been my whole life. Nobody really ever gave me a chance coming after Brad and Chase. …

"We'll see. It's just all about proving people wrong."

And now he has a leg to stand on, in more ways than one.