COLUMBIA, Mo. — There’s a saying about resilient defenses in football: They may bend, but they don’t break.
That wasn’t necessarily the brand of Missouri’s defense entering the 2023 season. Marked with the “Death Row Defense” moniker, the defensive half of the team was expected to be plain and simple good. Resilient? Sure. Dominant? Maybe. Confidence inducing? Definitely.
It’s the Tigers’ second year under the direction of defensive coordinator Blake Baker, and last year’s improvements — plus the across-the-board return of talent at nearly every position — set a high bar.
Maybe that’s why Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz walked away from Saturday’s 34-27 win over Memphis in St.