What we know about Mizzou’s tightly guarded quarterback battle: not much, but something
Perhaps the Missouri Tigers’ best-kept secret is their most transparent and noteworthy, involving the one positional group that can most readily swing a game toward a win or loss.
Who’s Mizzou’s starting quarterback?
First-year head coach Eliah Drinkwitz doesn’t plan to announce a starting quarterback before MU’s Sept. 26 season opener, a nod toward gamesmanship and “creating a workload for somebody.” The Tigers face No. 3-ranked Alabama in the inaugural game of the Drinkwitz era later this month at Faurot Field.
Drinkwitz hasn’t said much about the quarterbacks, and Mizzou players seem to be following that game plan. Whenever teammates are asked about the Tigers’ signal-callers, they divulge no details.
MU’s quarterbacks aren’t available to the media and haven’t been since Drinkwitz took over as MU’s coach in December. Information gap at football’s most valuable position? Most definitely.
“I ain’t announcing it,” Drinkwitz said Aug. 18. “Don’t worry about it week one. We ain’t telling nobody. Everybody is going to have to guess, and it’s going to be used as an advantage for us.”
Ever since TCU transfer Shawn Robinson’s arrival on campus in spring 2019, he’s been the presumed starter for the 2020 season. He has the most collegiate snaps among the Tigers’ quarterbacks, but he hasn’t played since 2018 because of NCAA transfer rules.
Taylor Powell, also a redshirt junior, hasn’t taken a lot snaps at Mizzou but was a game manager-type backup to Kelly Bryant last season. He was eventually pushed into action because of injuries.
Connor Bazelak has even less experience than Powell, though in his limited snaps the redshirt freshman has demonstrated that he can move the ball. Highly touted coming out of high school, he’s yet another piece to the Missouri quarterback puzzle.
The coach said all three quarterbacks are growing steadily in their progression through Drinkwitz’s system. None of them — true freshman Brady Cook included — threw an interception in Mizzou’s scrimmage Saturday.
Drinkwitz said it was “refreshing” to watch his offense function at a high level, free of the struggles seen earlier in camp.
“This is the first time they’re going through some of these pass concepts,” Drinkwitz said. “(Saturday), you could tell it was the first time they felt comfortable calling the reps, knowing the answers: ‘Man (defense), I’m going here. Zone, I’m going here.’ It’s progression.
“They’re growing. A couple of them made some plays scrambling, which was really nice. It’s an added dimension that you’ve always got to have, your ability to escape, and when everybody’s covered, you’re not. It’s big for us.”
Shawn Robinson
Robinson was a can’t-miss recruit coming out of high school. The All-American was a four-star quarterback, lauded for his athleticism and ranked No. 198 nationally by 247Sports.
His two years at TCU didn’t go perfectly, though he earned limited snaps as a true freshman in 2017. He was named the starter in 2018, playing in seven games before being shut down with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder. He finished the 2018 season 124 for 204 with 1,334 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Robinson stands out in the running game. He rushed 49 times for 230 yards and three touchdowns in 2018, showcasing his ability to make plays. Drinkwitz has worked with a dual-threat quarterback before in his lone year at Appalachian State, when Zac Thomas was his starter.
Robinson showcased those legs at TCU. He was able to extend plays when his receiving targets weren’t open. If there is a cause for concern here, it’s Robinson’s arm. While he’s plenty athletic, he had some miscues with the Horned Frogs that led to turnovers.
Robinson’s skill-set would be intriguing in the option game. At Appalachian State, Drinkwitz relied heavily on the “RPO,” or run-pass option, a popular offensive element in college football.
With a runner like Robinson, speed or read options are also available. The Tigers also feature a pair of stout running backs in Larry Rountree III and Tyler Badie. That’s a three-headed monster that could prove problematic for opponents.
Taylor Powell
Powell saw extended playing time in 2019 twice as injuries pushed him into action. Bryant’s hamstring kept him out of the Georgia game and Bazelak’s injury meant Powell finished the rest of the contest against Arkansas. He also saw snaps against Kentucky.
He didn’t exactly break out during those chances to shine, but Powell did earn this first career touchdown pass against Arkansas. And he did enough to beat Arkansas in relief of Bazelak, though he also threw an interception.
Powell was 29 for 62 with 297 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions overall last season. His lone start came on the road against Georgia when Mizzou was shut out in a hostile environment between the hedges.
Powell’s a pocket passer, which complicated MU’s 2019 offense somewhat — like Robinson now, Bryant last season was a threat to run. Drinkwitz has said he’ll likely customize his offense around the strengths of the QB he selects to start this fall, so should Powell win the job, his transition could be smoother than it was last season.
Connor Bazelak
Bazelak, like Robinson, was a coveted recruit in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio. He was a 247Sports composite four-star who landed with the Tigers as one of the top quarterbacks in the country.
Preserving his redshirt, he played in just three games in 2019, including the Tigers’ season finale against Arkansas. He impressed in limited time, though a torn ACL against Arkansas meant he couldn’t finish that game. While he sat out because of the injury during MU’s limited spring practices, he’s at full strength now.
Bazelak, like Powell, is a pocket passer, but he has shown an ability to escape trouble once the pocket breaks down. He was 15 of 21 for 144 yards last fall.
Bazelak’s most noteworthy moments came in relief against Georgia. While it was garbage time of a blowout, he strung together Mizzou’s best drive that night. The Tigers made it to Georgia’s 2-yard line before a pair of incompletions led to a turnover on downs. Bazelak converted three third downs on the drive.
In Bazalek’s lone start, against Arkansas, he was 7 for 9 for 80 yards before his injury. If he doesn’t win the starting gig this month, he should at least challenge for the No. 2 spot.