How Mizzou football, Drinkwitz plan to prep for Alabama as training camp winds down
The Missouri Tigers wrapped up their last portion of preseason camp exactly how they’ll start the season: under the lights at Faurot Field.
Mizzou held its third scrimmage of camp Saturday, which MU coach Eliah Drinkwitz said essentially marked the end of the offseason portion of their preparation. The scrimmage started at roughly 6 p.m. — the same time the Tigers are schedule to kick off their Sept. 26 season opener in front of a nationally televised audience.
They simulated what a normal game-day experience will be like, including meals and other scenarios.
While the Tigers still have two weeks until their Sept. 26 start date, they’ll need all the help they can get with No. 2 Alabama on the schedule in Drinkwitz’s MU debut.
“Really (Sunday), Monday, this week will be finalizing exactly what we want to do with it,” Drinkwitz said. “Rep it against the scout teams and see how it looks on the board and see if this how it looks in real life, that kind of thing.”
The Tigers have spent camp up to this point working on themselves, whether installing Drinkwitz’s pro-tempo offense or smoothing out the defense’s kinks. They spent weeks hitting only each other in practice and scrimmages, lending a semblance of normalcy despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The players are eager ready themselves for Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide, Drinkwitz said.
“I think we’ve all peeked, we’ve all kind of seen (opposing film),” Drinkwitz said. “But our focus has been on us and planning on what we’re doing.”
As game day approaches, the Tigers also navigate repercussions because of COVID-19’s incubation period. From now until kickoff, if any player tests positive for the virus or needs to quarantine, he’ll be unavailable for the game against the Tide.
MU currently has seven student-athletes who’ve tested positive for COVID-19. The Tigers had a player test positive Friday, knocking two others into quarantine. Now all of those players are unavailable for the season opener.
“That’s real,” Drinkwitz said. “That’s an interesting dynamic. To be two weeks out and know that you can’t get anybody back is pretty interesting.”
Soon Mizzou will start diving into film, forming scout teams and going through the normal ebbs and flows of game week — though, when the Tigers are out on the field, Drinkwitz said, it’s been as normal as can be even as players and coaches stay six feet apart from one another and wear face masks when necessary.
“It takes what it takes to be successful and prepare to play a football game,” Drinkwitz said. “It costs what it costs. We’re going about it the way that we feel like is in the best interest.”
Mizzou had just three spring practices in March before sports were shut down. While the Tigers conducted voluntary workouts over the summer, it was all done via video calls. Drinkwitz, MU’s first-year coach after being hired from Appalachian State in December, is still trying to build trust and relationships with his players.
The Big 12 and ACC started their seasons last weekend, and the results were all over the place. Sun Belt teams went 3-0 against the Big 12, notching wins over Kansas, K-State and Iowa State.
Excuses won’t matter once the Tigers line up against Saban and Co. in less than two weeks.
“One thing I noticed after (Saturday) is the fans really don’t care,” Drinkwitz said. “I don’t think any of the Kansas State or Iowa State fans are blaming COVID right now. They expect that when you compete, that your team wins. That’s how we’re preparing.”