Is Missouri’s struggling defense beginning to turn the corner? Defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross believes the team’s story will be different in 2017.
Cross said the defensive unit is bonding much more effectively than it did during a disappointing 2016, the Kansas City Star reported.
“What I like from our team and not just defense — I think these guys are really bonding. I don’t know if we were bonded as much as we needed to be to be a competitive team and to be a bowl-type team (in 2016),” Cross said.
A “bowl-type team” is something the Tigers certainly weren’t last season, when they finished 4-8 and ranked 118th nationally in total defense.