The status of Mizzou football’s COVID cases, and which true freshmen have impressed
While the Missouri Tigers are practicing to play a college football season during a pandemic, they’re navigating preseason camp with low COVID-19 numbers — with a real chance to hit the zero positive cases mark.
Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz said on Friday the Tigers had no new positive COVID-19 cases during the most recent round of testing, continuing a positive trend for the first-year coach’s program.
The Tigers most recently had five players in quarantine: two positive-test cases while the three other student-athletes were in social isolation because of contact tracing. Mizzou returned three of those five players Thursday to practice, Drinkwitz said, with the final two set to return over the weekend.
There was also a student-athlete who was sent into isolation because he was exhibiting symptoms and the team is awaiting test results. Drinkwitz said they had a similar case with a different player with symptoms earlier in the week, but that player’s COVID-19 test came back negative.
“I think we’ll be everybody out,” Drinkwitz said. “Knock on wood.”
The Tigers are staying healthy while college football and the SEC is nearing a return. Central Arkansas and Austin Peay started the season Aug. 29, while other conferences have also kicked off. The Big 12 starts its regular season next weekend, becoming the first Power Five conference to do so. The Big Ten and Pac-12, despite speculation and rumors, are still not set to play football this fall.
It’s not all going exactly right, though. TCU announced Friday its Sept. 11 non-conference game against SMU is postponed because of positive COVID tests. The Horned Frogs open their conference-only schedule Sept. 26 vs. Iowa State.
Shortly after TCU postponed its game, the Big 12 unveiled its plans and protocols for game cancellation thresholds. The minimum number of players required for a game will be a 53-man roster. Other specific thresholds include at least seven offensive linemen, four interior defensive linemen and one quarterback.
If teams do not meet those requirements, they are allowed to still play the game. If unavailable to field a team, though, the game will be deemed a no-contest if it can’t be rescheduled at a later date.
Mizzou opens its season Sept. 26 against Alabama at Faurot Field. The Crimson Tide weren’t originally on the Tigers’ schedule, but were added as the conference moved to a 10-game, SEC-only schedule because of the pandemic.
The conference pushed back its start date because it wanted to work through and contain outbreaks on teams. While Mizzou has stayed healthy, not all teams in the SEC have been as fortunate. LSU had nearly its entire offensive line wiped out, while Auburn had to cancel practices last week because of an outbreak.
While the SEC doesn’t start its season for three weeks, the conference has talked about what those game cancellation thresholds could look like, Drinkwitz said. He was cautious not to reveal too much, though.
“There is discussions on what thresholds might be in order to consider a no-contest,” Drinkwitz said. “I’ll anxiously wait for the SEC home office telling us what it is.”
True freshmen watch
While the pandemic has knocked everyone in college football off their normal, predetermined schedule, it’s arguably affected the new batch of true freshmen the most as they acclimate to college life.
But some of those newcomers have impressed already, many earning their jersey numbers through practices and scrimmages. Drinkwitz said his two young cornerbacks, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Jaylon Carlies, have been “exactly what we were hoping for.”
On offense, the coach pointed out wide receivers JJ Hester and Chance Luper, the latter of whom is MU running backs coach Curtis Luper’s son. Running back Elijah Young has also shown flashes of talent, though Drinkwitz said Young has been a bit banged up. Rounding out the names, offensive lineman Dylan Spencer has needed to step up, Drinkwitz said, because that positional group has been hit by COVID and injuries.
Those rookies also have a chance to make a lasting impression in their first season. The NCAA granted a blanket waiver to all fall student-athletes that effectively freezes their eligibility because of the pandemic. It also means redshirts won’t be an option this year as those first-year guys can play as much as they want without impacting eligibility.
“I think with the opt-out scenario, everybody’s going to be able to play and be available,” Drinkwitz said. “There’s no redshirt. They’re going to be back at year zero the way I understand the rule next year. I think everybody’s got to be ready to play.”
Real football
The Tigers saw their first look of real football last Sunday, when they went through their first scrimmage. It was moved back a day from Saturday after Mizzou players canceled practice to make a statement against racial injustice in the country.
Drinkwitz said the defense stood out — specifically linebacker Devin Nicholson and defensive lineman Markell Utsey. Drinkwitz didn’t point out a specific cornerback but said the coverage by his cornerbacks has made life difficult for the offense. The Tigers are back at Faurot Field for their second scrimmage of camp on Saturday.
“I couldn’t beg for a pass-interference call and we pay the officials for scrimmages,” Drinkwitz said. “So (the cornerbacks) must be doing it right.”