Confetti, fireworks and hundreds of balloons covered the Alamodome field Monday in celebration of Missouri’s overtime victory against Northwestern, a 30-23 catfight that turned out much closer than many expected - an appropriate finale for a season that defied expectations.
A rush of relief swept through the dome as MU players and coaches crisscrossed the field exchanging hugs and high fives with anyone who crossed their paths. The jubilant scene in San Antonio clashed significantly with the moody reaction to Missouri’s 52-42 season-opening victory over Illinois in St. Louis, a response that, at the time, reflected the Tigers’ higher hopes for their play. Turns out, those hopes were dashed periodically through a rocky 10-4 season.
But there was still plenty to celebrate. Here’s a look at the Tribune’s season superlatives for the 2008 Tigers:
Offensive MVP
1. Jeremy Maclin: The sophomore wide receiver made a late push for these honors with a brilliant Alamo Bowl performance, perhaps his last in the MU black and gold. Maclin captured the MU triple crown for single-season records, setting team marks for receptions (102), receiving yardage (1,260) and receiving touchdowns (13).
2. Chase Coffman: If not for a sprained toe, the senior tight end probably would have wrestled this honor away from his teammate. The Tigers’ all-time receptions king earned consensus All-America honors, won the John Mackey Award and compiled his own highlight reel that might never be surpassed.
3. Chase Daniel: Yes, Daniel came one interception short of setting a dubious team record, but the three-year starting quarterback was untouchable early on and threw 39 touchdowns, completed 73 percent of his passes and averaged 310 yards a game.
? Honorable mention: Tailback Derrick Washington.
Defensive MVP
1. Sean Weatherspoon: Something about indoor games against teams from the Land of Lincoln bring out the best in the junior outside linebacker. The Big 12 leader in tackles and tackles for loss played smothering defense against Illinois in the season opener and against Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl. In between was another standout season for one of the Big 12’s best defensive playmakers.
2. Stryker Sulak: MU’s defensive line came to life in the Alamo Bowl but too often during the regular season the pass rush went into hiding. Sulak, a senior defensive end, provided the most heat, finishing with 10½ sacks, just off Justin Smith’s single-season team record of 11. Sulak finished his career tied with Smith for second place on the team’s all-time list (22½) and ranked among the nation’s leaders with six forced fumbles.
3. William Moore: The All-America season many projected never materialized as the senior safety played through multiple injuries. Still, despite missing two games, Moore was MU’s fourth-leading tackler, broke up six passes and forced three fumbles.
? Honorable mention: Linebacker Brock Christopher.
Special teams MVP
1. Jeff Wolfert: What were the Lou Groza Award voters thinking leaving the senior kicker off their list of finalists? Wolfert made good on 20 of 27 field goals - four of those misses came from beyond 50 yards - while setting team records for single-season and career scoring. For his career, Wolfert connected on 243 of 256 field goals and PATs (94.9 percent), which established an NCAA record for kicking accuracy.
2. Jake Harry: The junior punter put all those preseason concerns to rest, landing 10 of his 26 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
3. Maclin: Opponents rarely gave the return specialist opportunities to field the ball cleanly, but when he did - see the Alamo Bowl - he made them pay.
? Honorable mention: Linebackers Will Ebner, Luke Lambert; long snapper Beau Brinkley.
Top newcomer
1. Elvis Fisher: The redshirt freshman left tackle held his own along the perimeter as MU gave up only 16 sacks in 14 games.
2. Kenji Jackson: By season’s end, the freshman safety was a fixture in the secondary and finished with 62 tackles and two interceptions.
3. Andrew Jones: The freshman tight end caught 20 passes for 146 yards and posted a seven-catch day at Iowa State in Coffman’s absence.
? Honorable mention: Defensive ends Brian Coulter, Jacquies Smith; Brinkley; Harry.
All-interview team
Last year, this postseason honor was renamed the "Lorenzo Williams Quote Machine Team" in honor of the former defensive lineman who routinely filled reporters’ notebooks with pearls of insight and personality. In his absence, a few worthy candidates emerged.
? Weatherspoon: Williams trained the linebacker well. Nobody brings more charisma and energy to the interview room.
? Maclin: The All-American mastered another talent this season, becoming a go-to quote in good times and bad.
? Jaron Baston: The junior nose tackle never stops yapping on the field, but put him in front of a tape recorder, and he’s got plenty of substance to share.
? Coffman: Underneath a pile of clichés, the All-American found his voice at times this season.
(Daniel headlined this category the last two years, but he was shielded from one-on-one interviews during the regular season, and his podium answers mostly wandered into coach-speak.)
Predictions for 2009
1. After holding off two eager freshmen for the quarterback duties, Blaine Gabbert settles into the starter’s role. With David Yost’s game plan that favors Gabbert’s rocket arm, the sophomore shakes off a rocky start, keeps the Tigers in contention for the North Division and - perhaps most important - stays healthy behind a solid offensive line.
2. Preseason All-American Weatherspoon sacks and strips Illinois’ Juice Williams and returns the fumble for a game-winning fourth-quarter touchdown in the season opener. The Tigers begin 3-0 but suffer a road loss at Nevada before league play begins.
3. Freshman Sheldon Richardson arrives on campus as a tight end but quickly sees the quick path to playing time at defensive tackle. He begins the year No. 2 on the depth chart, eventually becomes a starter, logs his first sack against Texas’ Colt McCoy and gets voted Big 12 freshman of the year.
4. Nebraska wins the North on a tiebreaker and earns the right to get slaughtered by No. 1 Texas in the championship game. Meanwhile, Missouri finishes 7-5 and heads back to the Sun Bowl to face California.
