Pinkel mulls over how much scoring is too much

By DAVE MATTER of the Tribune’s staff

Published Tuesday, September 16, 2008

If there’s a perception Gary Pinkel is running up the score on weaker opponents, he’d like it expunged.

“Well,” the Missouri coach said yesterday, “anybody that knows me knows I’m not.”

His team’s lead was well beyond reach on Saturday when Pinkel OK’d a fake field goal against Nevada that turned into a third-quarter touchdown pass. A week earlier, the Tigers scored on a trick play against overmatched Southeast Missouri State. Since outscoring those two opponents 121-20, Pinkel’s been besieged with questions about piling on the points.

With a team that could be as talented as any that’s worn the black and gold, might it be impossible not to light up the scoreboard against such competition?

“There’s a fine line there,” Pinkel said. “I just don’t want to humiliate people. I don’t want to do that.”

The No. 5 Tigers (3-0) should get another chance to tiptoe that line on Saturday when Buffalo (2-1) comes to Columbia for a 1 p.m. kickoff. Missouri is an early 34-point favorite, the largest point spread of the weekend.

Missouri is averaging an NCAA-best 57.7 points per game. Fifteen teams have played three games and have yet to score 57 points. Seven of those teams are from BCS conferences: Michigan (56), Washington (51), Syracuse (51), Mississippi State (50), North Carolina State (43), Virginia (33) and Washington State (33).

“We do not want to embarrass anyone to a certain point, and that point is to Coach Pinkel’s discretion,” MU quarterback Chase Daniel said. “He’s done a great job the past two weeks of pulling off the dogs. … When we’re in there, we’re going to try and do everything we can to score as many points as possible until Coach Pinkel takes us out of the game or pulls the reins on us.”

On Saturday, Missouri led 45-17 with more than 8 minutes left in the third quarter when it called the fake field goal, a play that saw holder Tommy Saunders flip a pass to Chase Coffman, who zoomed 32 yards untouched to the end zone. Pinkel defended the call, saying it was specifically designed for Nevada’s field goal block formation and won’t be used again this season.

“It was very good for our opponents to see we’ll continue to run fakes,” Pinkel said. “That, I think, will take a little pressure off when they’re going after our PAT/field goal team.”

Pinkel has historically said he’s opposed to scoring beyond the 50s in lopsided victories, but the brake pedal wasn’t working on MU’s last three scores Saturday. In relief work of Daniel, Chase Patton drove the offense 76 yards in seven plays and ran in for a score that pushed the lead to 59-17. Two minutes later the Tigers were quickly back in deep Wolf Pack territory when Nevada blew a punt snap, setting up MU at the 15-yard line. From there, Pinkel said he didn’t want to score, but the Tigers kicked a 24-yard field goal.

Late in the fourth quarter, backup linebacker Jeff Gettys ran back an interception for a touchdown, further smudging the line between opportunity and hospitality.

“Jeff intercepted that pass, which I didn’t want him to do,” Pinkel said. “I mean, I wanted him to do but it’s just difficult. Trust me, this probably won’t ever happen again in my career. We’re just pretty explosive and for some reason had a lot of big plays.”

INJURY UPDATE: There’s a good chance free safety William Moore will be sidelined for the second time this season when Buffalo visits Columbia. Pinkel said Moore is “probable to doubtful” for Saturday after he re-aggravated the right foot sprain he first suffered in the Aug. 30 season opener against Illinois. Moore underwent an MRI yesterday that didn’t reveal any damage beyond a sprain.

“We might have to make the decision to get this thing rested and take a couple weeks off,” said Pinkel, whose team has a bye week after playing Buffalo. “Our medical staff working with William will make that decision.”

Moore sat out against Southeast Missouri State on Sept. 6 but returned to the starting lineup against Nevada. With 12:40 left in the second quarter, he missed an open-field tackle on a swing pass to Vai Taua and limped to the sideline. He sat out a few plays but returned later in the drive and finished with four tackles, his last coming on Nevada’s second possession of the third quarter.

In less than two full games, Moore shares the team lead with 15 solo tackles.

“A couple weeks off might be the best thing for him,” MU linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said.

Should Moore miss Saturday’s game, Del Howard will likely start at free safety, while cornerback Carl Gettis would move over and play Moore’s nickelback position in MU’s nickel package.

Backup linebacker Andrew Gachkar is doubtful for Saturday’s game after suffering what Pinkel called a strained Achilles’ tendon/calf muscle against Nevada.

POLL POSITION: For the first time in several years, Pinkel elected to participate in the USA Today coaches’ poll this season. He hasn’t revealed where he’s voted his team but said during his radio show last night he was up past 3 a.m. Sunday morning checking scores before calling in his ballot.

Daniel doesn’t have a vote but wasn’t shy about where he’d rank his team.

“One,” he said. “I mean, am I going to say 2 or 3 or 4? … Of course, I’m going to say” No. “1. I’m proud of our team and think we deserve to be up there with the nation’s elite.”

Reach Dave Matter at (573) 815-1781 or dmatter@tribmail.com.