It's been two years since Missouri senior James Franklin was an All-Big 12 quarterback with gaudy statistics, considered among the nation's most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks. But after an injury-plagued and largely forgettable junior season last year, which was Franklin and Missouri's first in the Southeastern Conference, it seems more like it's been 10 years.
If Saturday was any indication, however, Franklin could be back.
Franklin completed 32 of 47 passes for a career high 343 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Tigers to a 45-28 win over the Hoosiers. Franklin rushed for another 61 yards and a score on 13 carries, accounting for more than 400 yards of total offense.
Although Franklin threw a pair of interceptions, he was the driving force behind a Tigers offense that amassed 623 yards in total offense. He distributed the ball well, placing two receivers over 100 yards -- Dorial Green-Beckham had 8 catches for 105 yards, and Marcus Lucas had 10 for 101.
Franklin's 1-yard run in the second quarter broke a 14-14 tie, and his final touchdown pass to L'Damian Washington put the game away for a 38-14 lead. He already has more than 1,000 yards of total offense through three games this season.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.
