With one of the most spectacular plays in school history behind them, head coach Turner Gill and the Bulls football team move on to their biggest challenge of the season: fifth-ranked Missouri.
While junior wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt's game-winning Hail Mary grab to beat Temple on Saturday propelled the Bulls to a 2-1 record and a perfect 1-0 in the Mid-American Conference, they now look to go into Missouri (3-0) and defeat a nationally-ranked opponent for the first time in their Division I-A history.
"Since I've been here [as head coach], this is probably the most productive offensive football team that we're going to face," Gill said. "It's a challenge, but it's also an opportunity...You dream about this, you know about those situations and we're trying to be concerned about what we need to get accomplished."
In just two-and-a-half quarters of action last week, senior Mizzou quarterback Chase Daniel threw for 405 yards and four touchdowns in a 69-17 rout of Nevada. Sophomore wide receiver Jeremy Maclin had 172 yards and three touchdowns in the contest. Daniel has been under center for just 13 possessions in the last two games, but has led the Tigers to a touchdown on every drive but one-and they still put points on the board with a 27-yard field goal.
The Tigers offense leads the country in total offense with 593.77 yards per game and scoring offense, putting up 57.67 points per game. Missouri has also averaged 204.67 rushing yards per game throughout their three contests this season
"If you want to model what a spread offense...looks like, this is a classic example. [Daniel] ran this throughout his whole high school [career]. I know him. I tried to recruit him when I was at Nebraska so I do know a little bit about him. We decided not to offer him [a scholarship] at that particular time but I do know what he's all about," Gill said.
Daniel finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting last year and currently ranks third in the nation with a 197.48 quarterback rating and sixth with 973 passing yards. In the last two games, he has thrown more touchdowns (seven) than incompletions (six).
"We've got to execute almost to perfection," Gill said. "We're going to have to have some good things happen for us with turnovers, we need make sure we create turnovers, and we need to have zero turnovers. You almost have to have somewhat of a perfect game."
Buffalo senior quarterback Drew Willy and Daniel are both candidates for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award this season. Willy ranks third in the MAC with 792 passing yards and is also third in the conference with eight touchdown passes. However, he knows that it will be tough for David to slay Goliath on Saturday if the Bulls try to match Missouri point-for-point.
"We're definitely trying to score as many touchdowns [as we can]," Willy said. "If we can score them quick, then we'll score them quick. But I think we're going to have a good balanced attack, running the ball and throwing the ball. If we can keep their explosive offense off the field...the better chance we have of winning the game."
Gill also looks to possibly take some of his personal success against the Tigers and rub it off on his players for Saturday's match-up. As both a player and a coach at Nebraska, Gill has a 15-1 record against Missouri.
On the injury front, junior running back James Starks was limited to just eight carries against Temple and may not be 100 percent for Saturday's game according to Gill.
Starks leads the Bulls with 296 rushing yards. Sophomore Brandon Thermilus leads the team with four rushing touchdowns and junior Mario Henry saw his first action of the season against Temple, gaining 40 yards on seven carries. Gill plans to mix in all three in the attack against Missouri.
Senior defensive tackle Ron Hilaire is out for the game. A four-man rotation of freshman Richie Smith, junior Kevin Johnson and junior Dane Robinson will compensate for his absence.
Kickoff from Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo. is scheduled for 2:08 p.m. EST on Saturday.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
