COLUMBIA, Mo. • Demonstrating a return to the form that made him one of Mizzou's most dynamic players two years ago, MU senior tailback Derrick Washington amassed 192 yards of total offense Saturday at Faurot Field to highlight a situational scrimmage.
Much of Washington's production came on two plays, a 73-yard run from the 1-yard line on the first play of the day and a 47-yard reception notable for his cut and burst after the catch in the two-minute offense.
"Well, you know, he's good," MU coach Gary Pinkel said, adding, "When you have starters that are returning, they have to play better than they did the year before or your team's not going to get better."
As for the team getting better Saturday, though, Pinkel assessed the session as "OK ... and OK isn't good enough."
Most visibly, MU's offense unofficially committed seven turnovers (including six on fumbles) in the 150-play practice.
"Good football teams don't do those kinds of things," Pinkel said.
Nor was it reassuring to see current starting receivers Rolandis Woodland and Wes Kemp total one catch for nine yards between them, by Woodland, and each fail to hang on to others.
Still, there were plenty of apparent bright spots: sophomore T.J. Moe's sprawling catch, one of his seven overall; sophomore backup kicker Trey Barrow's 57-yard field goal; sophomore tailback Kendial Lawrence's 60-yard TD reception; freshman receiver Bud Sasser's six catches for 80 yards; and five sacks by redshirt freshman defensive end Michael Sam.
"I think everybody noticed him," Pinkel said, saying the same of Sasser.
Moreover, from undisputed junior starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert through current No. 5 Tyler Gabbert, his freshman brother, the position clearly is deeper and more competitive than a year ago when Blaine Gabbert was preparing to start his first game and being backed up by inexperienced walk-on Jimmy Costello.
Instead of separating themselves in the derby behind Blaine Gabbert now, offensive coordinator Dave Yost said the group might have become clumped closer together.
While the numbers hardly tell all, they offer a glimpse: Blaine Gabbert, 18-23, 162 yards; James Franklin, 17-26, 125; Ashton Glaser, 17-21, 168; Costello, 14-17, 171; and Tyler Gabbert, 11-20, 72, who finished strong after a choppy first series.
"He's playing a lot better than fifth string," Yost said.
Glaser, a redshirt freshman who has been overshadowed by the arrival of trumpeted newcomers Franklin and the younger Gabbert, threw the best-timed deep pass of the day for 41 yards to Brandon Gerau, somewhat atoning for an interception returned for a TD by senior defensive lineman Bart Coslet on his second play.
"I was so mad — he knew the play better than most of our offensive linemen did," Glaser said. "But I still should have made the play."
Pinkel stressed that each individual performance Saturday had to be understood in the context of the mixing and matching of the competition, such as first-team offense generally running vs. second-team defense and vice versa.
The coaches will be processing that Sunday as they make their first depth-chart changes since camp started Aug. 5, changes that will be reflected when the team resumes practice Monday morning.
