NASHVILLE, Tenn. • At the outset of Missouri’s season, inexperience at wide receiver tempered expectations for the passing game, despite the presence of a veteran quarterback in Maty Mauk. It was up to Mauk to bring the young wideouts along, so went the preseason narrative.
Under the junior passer’s guidance, the cast of freshman and sophomore wideouts would have to learn on the go.
A month ago, the roles reversed when Gary Pinkel suspended Mauk and handed the offense to freshman quarterback Drew Lock. Mizzou’s young wideouts suddenly became the seasoned end of the pitch-and-catch combination.