Mizzou football’s Connor Bazelak earns SEC award after career day against LSU
Missouri Tigers quarterback Connor Bazelak earned his first Southeastern Conference weekly award after a career day in a 45-41 win over LSU. Bazelak was named the SEC Freshman of the Week Monday after throwing for 406 yards and four touchdowns in just his second career start on Saturday.
Bazelak’s 85.3% completion percentage last Saturday was Mizzou’s best-ever mark against a ranked or FBS opponent.
MU coach Eliah Drinkwitz praised Bazelak after the quarterback led Mizzou to its first victory under its new coach. Bazelak completed passes to eight different targets last Saturday, effective through the air despite missing two starting wide receivers because of COVID-19.
Bazelak was named the starting quarterback by Drinkwitz last week after playing in relief of Shawn Robinson in the Tigers’ loss at Tennessee. Bazelak and Robinson competed in a quarterback battle throughout preseason camp.
Robinson won the job initially, starting the first two games of the season. Then Bazelak was named starter and performed superbly against LSU.
“It was great to celebrate a win like that and the way we did it,” Bazelak said after the game. “Defense did a great job at the end. Unbelievable. I think everybody was just excited to get the win under our belt. I think everyone’s just ready to keep it rolling.”
Transfer portal update
Mizzou saw another player enter the NCAA’s transfer portal Monday: wide receiver Cjay Boone.
Boone, from St. Louis, opted out of the season a few weeks ago. He was a redshirt freshman who was getting third-string snaps throughout fall camp.
Boone had a good relationship with Mizzou wide receiver Damon Hazelton, the graduate-transfer from Virginia Tech. The two spent part of the summer in Houston, where Hazelton’s mom lives, getting in some workouts with NBA superstar James Harden.
Mizzou defensive lineman Montra Edwards entered the transfer portal last week. The true freshman signed with the 2020 recruiting class.