An earlier play may have been more important
Posted on: March 20, 2020 at 13:17:44 CT
BigDave MU
Posts:
7066
Member For:
24.71 yrs
Level:
User
M.O.B. Votes:
0
I don't remember the year, but pretty sure it was Middle Tennessee State, at home, just a few years into Pinkel's tenure. Mizzou was down and driving with very little time left in the 4th quarter. It came down to a 4th and 7 or so play. I can't remember the TE's name, but Brad Smith(?) threw a little behind him and the guy made an incredible, unbelievable really, catch for a first down, blowing out his knee in the process.
Things weren't going well for Pinkel at the time. A loss to a team like that, let's just say the pitchforks would have come out big time. Pinkel said when commenting on the replay that the TE literally held the future of his program in his hands. I thought he was being kind of dramatic, but maybe not.
So it goes down as a nothing win against a nobody opponent, and few may ever remember the play. But at the time at least, Pinkel recognized it was pretty significant.