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Missouri vs. Florida 2012: Injuries have caused QB James Franklin to struggle

Missouri's defense kept them in the game against Florida, but quarterback James Franklin struggled to lead the offense.

Sam Greenwood

The Missouri Tigers were close to upsetting the Florida Gators on Saturday afternoon, but their offense let them down as they fell, 14-7. The defense for Missouri did an outstanding job of holding Florida's offense in check, allowing them to just 276 total yards.

Missouri actually outgained Florida, with 335 yards, but they were unable to put points on the board. When they did get past the 50-yard line, the offense stalled. Their bad day was due in part to starting quarterback James Franklin, who threw four interceptions.

Franklin has been hurt this year, and his health could be why he struggled so badly against Florida. Bill Connelly of Rock M Nation reminds everyone that this is not the same player, as injuries have slowed down Franklin's growth:

But while Franklin is not a very good quarterback right now, realize that this might not be the same James Franklin we see when he actually gets to play two consecutive games (and next week he gets to face a Tennessee defense dramatically inferior to Florida's). And realize this almost certainly won't be the James Franklin we see next year if he actually gets to remain healthy this offseason. He missed most of the summer and started the season behind the curve.

Perhaps by playing two games in a row, and going up against an easier defense, Franklin will be able to show some progress. Another week of practice and some time to recover from his injuries should help Franklin perform better next week.