Maty Mauk May Be Looking Ahead To A Bright Season

Maty Mauk is a Heisman sleeper.

Some said it last season. It didn’t happen. Say what you will about his play over the course of the year, a lot of his struggles were to blame on the offensive line (and a little bit on the coaching).

He was still an impact player, a strong leader and a playmaker. Depending on who you ask, he might have even been the offensive MVP last year.

So what is the fate of Mauk in 2015?

Jan 1, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Maty Mauk (7) scores a running touchdown during the second half in the 2015 Citrus Bowl at Florida Citrus Bowl. Missouri wins 33-17 over Minnesota. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

One can easily see Mauk being one of the, if not the, best quarterbacks in the SEC next season. Now, before you start shaking your head and waving your hands in confusion, keep in mind Mauk’s experience. Believe it or not, Mizzou’s signal caller will be the second most experienced quarterback in the whole conference, playing just three games less than Arkansas’ Brandon Allen.

There are more flashier players out there, sure. Dak Prescott may be one of the leading Heisman candidates this year. Texas A&M’s Kyle Allen might be a star as well. But Mauk can, and should, be the East’s top performer this year. We can expect him to be right there with Prescott competing for the league’s best quarterback.

His big arm will be an asset this season, as will his ability to throw receivers open.

Because he has a knack to create plays with his arm, the Tigers don’t need to worry about the lack of depth at the wide receiver position that everyone seems to think will plague them next year. Yes, you read that right. They don’t need to worry.

Mauk stands a better chance at being well-protected this year. That’s the first step to helping improve his footwork and pocket presence and his ability to move around in the back field on his own free will. These were problem areas for Mauk last season. He also needs to work on improving his accuracy. Being flustered, though, may have had a slight impact on that. He’ll need to throw more precisely this season with that wide receiving issue. But he can do it.

If he can get his passing completion precentage north of 60 (it was at sub-53 last year) we can expect to see a whole lot of offensive fire power from this Missouri Tigers team.

Dak Prescott is the only other player in the SEC that could top Maty Mauk in SEC quarterback play. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

This will also culminate in reducing the interceptions that we saw last year– he threw 13 of them. That can’t happen in 2015.

But if we see these improvements, by golly, who’s to say this team can’t be back in the Georgia Dome next season?

If you’re wondering about those other teams in the SEC East, Mizzou’s quarterback far and away has them beat. South Carolina and Georgia will have first year starters (neither or whom had any kind of hype that Maty Mauk did in his first year last season). And Florida, well they’re Florida. No “best QB in the SEC” down there.

The is an incredible opportunity for Maty Mauk to shine. Despite the lack of receivers, Mizzou has the other pieces in place to not only contend for their third straight SEC East title, but also for a conference championship as well. Think these thoughts are way, way, way too optimistic for this club? See this post about the questions surrounding the team, or this one, about whether or not the team can keep the mojo going.

While skeptics will always be there, the wheels are in motion for another SEC East title contending team. The defense– which lost talent– still has a lot to work with. The Offensive line may be the best in the conference. And what’s there not to love about the running back core.

The X-factor, though, is Mauk. If he can have the kind of stellar season we all expect, who knows what this team is capable of.

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