COLUMBIA, Mo. – Bob Shoop offered a diagnosis of his Tennessee defense this past week that now seems especially apt.
“When you look at it, we’re efficient in the run game,” the second-year defensive coordinator said Monday night, “but we give up long runs. That’s our problem.”
Now he can add long passes to the mix.
Missouri had nine plays of 20 yards or more – four of them passes that resulted in touchdowns – as the Tigers pulled away from a wounded Tennessee team for a 50-17 blowout victory in front of 50,637 fans at Faurot Field on Saturday night.
The loss gives Tennessee (4-6, 0-6) a losing streak to every other team in the Southeastern Conference and brings the Volunteers within a loss of failing to qualify for a bowl game. They must beat both LSU and Vanderbilt the next two weeks to finish 6-6.