Lack of rhythm hinders Pribula's return in Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. — A lifeless Missouri offense finally found a source of energy with 8:29 left in the fourth quarter Saturday against Oklahoma. Quarterback Beau Pribula connected with wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. twice on big plays, one for 23 yards and the other 37.

The Tigers reached Oklahoma’s 21-yard line. While Mizzou had been hesitant to go for it on fourth down previously in the game, it was now or never. Pribula took the snap and went right back to Coleman, who followed his route into the end zone.

The pass from Pribula was catchable, but the ball slipped through Coleman’s hands. Down 17-6 with 5:40 remaining, that was the opportunity Mizzou couldn’t afford to squander. A rare glimmer of hope remained just that: a glimmer.

“We just found a rhythm, just probably too late,” Pribula said.

That was the theme of Missouri’s 17-6 loss to the Sooners. Pribula’s ahead-of-schedule return from a dislocated ankle was not filled with heroics. Instead, it was bogged down by a sluggish performance from the offense on all fronts, including coaching.

“We just had zero rhythm, zero creativity,” coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “We were run, pass, pass. ... It just didn’t work in the second half.”

Missouri established the passing game early to some extent. While they didn’t lead to touchdowns, short screen passes helped Pribula get in a rhythm with his wide receivers. On his first drive, the offense stayed on the field for 8:23, ending the drive with a 39-yard field goal from kicker Robbie Meyer.

For most of the first half, that type of play design is what brought Mizzou momentum. In the second quarter alone, 92 of its 101 total yards were from the passing game. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma defense formed a wall around the Tigers’ rushing attack by holding MU to 0.8 yards per carry in the quarter.

When it came to converting on third downs, the Tigers came up shooting blanks. In the first half, they only converted 2 of 9, and it went downhill from there.

“I thought the first couple of drives, man, we were really humming and doing some good things,” Drinkwitz said. “Ultimately, when you’re 3-of-15 on third downs, you’re not going to have any type of rhythm. You’ve gotta be able to convert.”

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Lack of rhythm hinders Pribula's return in Oklahoma

The lack of creativity and rhythm was felt acutely in the second half. Pribula’s efficiency took a sharp decline, and three-and-outs were plentiful. The quarterback threw both of his interceptions during the half, one late in the third quarter and one to seal the loss with 32 seconds left on the clock.

All in all, Pribula tallied 236 passing yards with a completion rate of 56%. Similar issues that held him back before the injury, such as turnovers and pocket awareness, crept up and hindered his performance. It wasn’t the shining return he might’ve hoped for, though it could’ve been worse against a stifling Oklahoma defense.

The fight he had to play in the first place resonated with the Tigers.

“It wasn’t good enough by anybody, but I was really proud of the courage that he showed,” Drinkwitz said. “I thought he ran hard ... . He distributed the ball well. I thought he made good decisions for the most part.”

Pribula confirmed that there was confidence that he’d start after practice Tuesday. He went through drills as he normally would, so there were no concerns of further injuring his ankle.

“Once that happened, I think we felt good about making the decision,” he said.

After the loss, Pribula said that the ankle didn’t bother him during the game. Now at full capacity, he’ll likely ride out the rest of Missouri’s season as the starter, putting true freshman Matt Zollers to the side for the time being.

All that’s left for the Tigers (7-4) is a road matchup with Arkansas and a bowl game yet to be determined. With College Football Playoff chances snuffed out and the 10-win mark unattainable, the disappointment will start to set in.

If Mizzou wants to finish out its season on a high note, the offense that was on display in Norman won’t cut it. The Tigers are in need of creativity and boldness with the playbook.

While Pribula’s return gave Missouri its more experienced quarterback back, it ultimately didn’t matter. The lack of execution everywhere else did.