re: Mizzou Fans Wanted To Fire Pinkel Last Year.

I agree its definitely multifactorial, with the OL and Berk from last year very little would work. Although, just to play devils advocate, you could argue that if your OL is a MASH unit its probably a better idea than ever to tighten the splits and bring in a TE for extra blocking since that's what is badly needed...and to run simpler, easier to execute pass routes rather than the precision timing spread stuff.

I guess the more telling thing would be to look at where this Mizzou offense ranks production wise compared to the healthy Gabbert teams under Yost and Franklin's 2011 team. I don't have the numbers, but it sure seems like this year's O has been a bit more prolific than even those teams in terms of scoring and yardage and what not...but again I don't have the stats to back that up.

Yost had some very, very good offenses at Mizzou during his run, there's no question about that. I think a lot of it is more that the true original, Mike Leech type spread was kinda figured out by a lot of defenses as time went on.

What we are running now is more in keeping with what a lot of the up tempo teams are doing, more balanced and more focus on a beefier, traditional use of the OL while still using lots of WRs and spreading the field a good amount. The best spread attacks have evolved and I feel like the current system we run this year is more reflective of that evolution than last year.

Also I just feel like Henson has a better sense for taking what the defense is giving you rather than saying "we are gonna go five wide on this 3rd and 2 because that's what the pregame script says dammit!" regardless of what the defense is showing. It felt like Yost was more prone to that. Christiansen before him was, I felt, GREAT at taking what the defense was giving you. Think of Texas Tech and Arky in 2007 where we just ran the ball all day long b/c that's what was available with the defense dropping 8 into coverage. Yost seemed more stubborn and married to passing it at a high rate no matter what. Anyway you get the gist. No question being healthier is a major, major factor this year though.