Missouri looks for a rebound today against Troy State

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- After opening the season with a loss at Nebraska, Troy State continued its "tour" of the Big 12 last week against Iowa State and quarterback Seneca Wallace, who threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns, running for a fourth.

Today the Trojans (1-3) conclude their Big 12 journey against Missouri. One week after facing a Heisman Trophy hopeful in Wallace, how does Troy State coach Larry Blakeney assess Brad Smith, the 18-year-old redshirt freshman under center for the Tigers?

"He is problematic," Blakeney said.

After just three starts, Smith ranks ahead of all other Big 12 quarterbacks -- including Wallace and the big-name Chris Simms at Texas -- in total offense, at just over 306 yards per game. He's committed just one turnover, been sacked only three times and has yet to be called for a penalty.

"I could tell you the day he was going to be a starter that I knew all this stuff was going to happen, but, you know, I would never lie to the media," said Missouri coach Gary Pinkel.

After leading Missouri (2-1) to wins against Illinois and Ball State, Smith faced his first attempt at a comeback two weeks ago in the Tigers' 51-28 loss at Bowling Green. While Missouri's defense was allowing 577 yards of total offense, Smith was trying to keep up, ending the night with a pair of touchdown throws and a career-best 334 passing yards.

"I have never had a quarterback that age that's done that, and I'm talking about all the ones I've coached or been associated with," Pinkel said of Smith's attempt to rally the Tigers.

"Good quarterbacks have to bring their teams back from behind to win," Pinkel said. "That's what they do on Sundays."

For now, though, Smith just needs to worry about today and Troy State. For the Tigers, stunned after losing for the second-straight year to Bowling Green, this is the last game before beginning their Big 12 season, which starts at home against No. 2 Oklahoma a week from today.

Troy State and Missouri have never met, and the Trojans are 0-3 all-time against schools from the conference.

"We have a whole new challenge with Missouri," said Wayne Bolt, the Trojans' defensive coordinator. "They have the same type of quarterback, a kid who is a great athlete. He will take it down and run a little more than Seneca has. He has a great arm, but he will run, and we have got to be able to handle that."

Pinkel is saying all the right things about Troy State, one of six Division I-A independents, whose 1-3 record is "not indicative of the football team." The Trojans haven't had any trouble moving the ball, averaging more than 400 yards per game, while Missouri's defensive performance against Bowling Green -- eight plays of 26 yards or more -- isn't something Pinkel wanted to talk about this week.

"It was two weeks ago," Pinkel said.

But the performance -- the Tigers' worst since an embarrassing 55-7 loss at Michigan State to cap the 2001 season -- was enough to excite John Shannon, Troy State's offensive coordinator, about the Trojans' final game this year against the Big 12.

"They have given up yards, so I think we'll have an opportunity," Shannon said.