The only thing that was missing was the Benny Hill theme music.

Missouri football quarterback Brady Cook took a second-quarter snap against Texas A&M and immediately had to peel right as the pocket collapsed into a puddle of Tigers and Aggies in his face.

The QB scrambled to the sideline but was met A&M defensive lineman DJ Hicks. Cook shifted left and made Hicks miss, but met more pressure back in the middle of the field from the now-chasing defensive backs. He escaped a second tackle and kept running. The QB scramble was stopped when cornerback Dezz Ricks tracked Cook down back between the hashes.

Cook had covered all of 50 yards for a 12-yard gain. Kinda. The play got pulled back for an illegal formation penalty.

That was just about how it went all day long in the 41-10 beatdown. Per PFF College, Texas A&M generated pressure on 18 of Cook’s 40 total dropbacks. The Aggies’ defensive players are credited 26 different pressures — 21 hurries, five sacks — over 64 total snaps.

There’s a tried and tested way to get beat in the SEC: Lose the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball. The Tribune analyzed why the Tigers are struggling to create pressure in Texas A&M’s backfield earlier this week, and now is turning to the offensive side, where Cook was noticeably under more pressure.

More: Analyzing why Missouri football's defense struggled to create pressure vs. Texas A&M

Here is where the Tigers are struggling to keep Cook secure, and how they can fix it before their next big test arrives:

Where is Missouri football's offense leaking up front?

Mizzou lost two stalwarts along the left side of its offensive line in Xavier Delgado and fifth-round NFL Draft pick Javon Foster this offseason.

Any guesses where Texas A&M’s pass rushers were getting the most joy?

Oklahoma transfer Cayden Green and All-AAC first-team pick and SMU transfer Marcus Bryant were significant portal splashes over the offseason and have filled the spots at left guard and left tackle. But against the Aggies, the new players seemed to be the biggest source of unwanted pressure.

Bryant allowed the most pressures with six, as the blindside blocker struggled to contain projected first-round draft pick Nic Scourton off the edge. Green was tagged by PFF for allowing two pressures. Tollison, at center, allowed three pressures. Right tackle Armand Membou and Cam’Ron Johnson were responsible for one apiece.

Those numbers track across the season. Bryant has allowed 12 pressures through five games, which is the most among Missouri players. Green is at four for a total of 16 attributed to the left side of the line. Membou and Johnson have combined for half of that at eight and have not been responsible for a sack. Bryant and Green also are Missouri’s most penalized players with four apiece.

MU coach Eli Drinkwitz was asked Tuesday about the pressure leaking through the left side of the line, but didn’t pin the Tigers’ problems as solely there.

“There (were) a lot of things that went bad,” Drinkwitz said Tuesday. … “I'm not specifically concerned with any one side of the ball or the left side or the right side. I'm concerned with, as the head football coach, making sure that our team is working to improve and making sure that our schemes put us in a better position for our players to execute. I’m not pointing the finger at any of those guys.”

More: Wild Saturday in the SEC, for now, helps Missouri football’s cause after Texas A&M beatdown

How does Missouri fix the problem?

During portions of a Tuesday practice made available to the media, Missouri appeared to be repping with the same starting five up front, indicating that the Tigers are sticking with the line that started the season moving ahead.

Mitchell Walters has stepped in this season at guard when injuries struck. JUCO transfer Jayven Richardson was in a fall camp duel for starting left tackle reps with Byrant. Neither looked to be moving into a full-time starting role as of Tuesday.

That indicates the Tigers do not believe this is a personnel problem.

When asked, Drinkwitz also wouldn’t call it a schematics issue.

So, what is it?

“When (we were) unable to get into a rhythm, we were unable to run the football. We were unable to establish a back and forth game because of the way that we started, which is what I said when we opened,” Drinkwitz said. “We didn't start very good. Third downs contributed to them continually scoring and us not being able to answer that, which then allows them to pressure the quarterback because they don't have any fear for the run game.”

Tollison said that got Missouri into too many “obvious pass down situations." The fix?

“Just staying on schedule,” Tollison said. “You know, getting four or five yards a run so it's not third-and-10, third-and-12. And you're in better looks offensively and maybe the defense can't do so much as well.”

That might encourage the Tigers to return to their bread and butter and play underneath opposition defenses more. Until College Station, Mizzou’s short passing game was clicking. In Aggieland, attempts to throw vertically put the Tigers in third-and-long peril more often than it moved chains.

But the biggest emphasis looks likely to head toward establishing the run.

Nate Noel ran for three yards per carry Saturday for his lowest output as an MU player. Marcus Carroll rushed for 26 total yards on nine carries.

The 30 total rushing attempts against the Aggies were the least Mizzou has had since a loss to LSU last season. The 68 net rushing yards were the least Mizzou has managed since 2020. Drinkwitz indicated Cook might begin to get more opportunities to use his legs in upcoming games. Mizzou also needs better out of its tailbacks, who had just 31 yards after contact.

The Tigers get what should be a gimme when it faces UMass on Saturday in Amherst, Massachusetts. After that, Auburn visits Columbia — a game in which MU likely will be favored. Anything other than a win there ends any hope of a run to the College Football Playoff.

That’s going to require more up front.

“You’ve gotta take better reps at practice,” Tollison said. “That's the only time besides the game where we get to work together. So, I think just taking better reps and becoming more of a unit instead of just five individuals.”

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: What caused Missouri football's pressure problems on offense?