Field Level Media
Sep 1, 2018
Drew Lock kicked off his senior season by throwing for 289 yards and four touchdowns as Missouri cruised past overmatched Tennessee-Martin on Saturday, winning 51-14 at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in the season opener for both teams.
After leading the SEC in both total yardage and scoring a season ago, the Tigers offense picked up right where it left off with new offensive coordinator Derek Dooley. Excluding a time-burning drive to end the first half, Missouri scored touchdowns on six of its first seven drives, settling for a field goal on the other one.
Junior running back Damarea Crockett started the scoring with a 9-yard scoring run four minutes into the game. On Missouri's following drive, Lock connected with wide receiver Emanuel Hall for a 34-yard score, the first of two deep touchdowns for the duo. Larry Rountree III scored from a yard out on the team's third drive, and after a 31-yard Hall scoring catch and a Tucker McCann 27-yard field goal, Johnathon Johnson hauled in a 5-yard Lock pass in the corner of the end zone to finish off the first-half scoring with Missouri leading 38-7.
Lock capped off his day with a 70-yard touchdown pass to freshman Kam Scott on the first drive of the second half. It was an impressive play from Scott in his first collegiate game, leaping into the air for the ball while avoiding a defender, then staying on his feet and racing into the end zone.
Lock passed Brad Smith for second in career passing yards at Missouri. He sits more than 3,500 yards behind Chase Daniel's school record of 12,515.
The Missouri defense surrendered just 153 total yards in the first half. Tennessee-Martin's only score in the first 30 minutes came on a 1-yard rush from Jaimiee Bowe. The play was set up when quarterback Dresser Winn scrambled and hit Bowe for a 23-yard gain on fourth and 4. In the second half, Winn connected with a wide open LaDarius Galloway for a 57-yard score to make it 48-14 in the third quarter,
Redshirt freshman Taylor Powell made his college debut at quarterback once Missouri removed Lock from the game after the 70-yard strike to Scott. Powell completed 4 of 9 passes for 105 yards.
Next week, Missouri will host Wyoming. Tennessee-Martin will travel to Middle Tennessee.
--Field Level Media