With new offensive coordinator, Mizzou’s 2023 offense will look (and throw) different
When asked to describe what he looks for in a starting quarterback, Missouri Tigers coach Eliah Drinkwitz listed five points of emphasis: toughness, preparation, decision-making, leadership and accuracy.
With the last of those areas, Drinkwitz doesn’t just mean overall accuracy. His mind is on the deep ball — and the potential for more deep-ball success in the offense this year.
New offensive coordinator Kirby Moore conveyed a similar message at the beginning of fall camp. He’s looking for bigger plays down the field — and more of them.
“We’ve got to be more accurate with the football, and that’s not just underneath; we’ve got to be more accurate down the field,” Drinkwitz said. “We don’t want the guy that’s afraid to make the play, but we also don’t want to be reckless with the ball in our hands.”
And there’s certainly room for improvement when it comes to the offense.
Last season, the Tigers finished in the bottom five of the SEC in passing and rushing yards per game, 11th and 10th respectively.
Seeking change, Drinkwitz named Moore, Fresno State’s offensive coordinator in 2022, Mizzou’s new OC in January.
And with Moore’s resume, it’s clear that fixing the pass game was a priority.
Moore helped the Bulldogs finish second among FBS teams in completion percentage in 2022, while Fresno State led the Mountain West in scoring and total offense. Each of Fresno State’s top three receivers last year had at least 50 receptions, 600 yards and four-plus touchdowns.
No Missouri player hit all three benchmarks last season, though Luther Burden did record six touchdown receptions.
Now in his first season in Columbia — and a star-studded conference like the SEC — Moore knows the Tigers will need plenty of firepower to compete.
“The defenses you see within this conference — when you have to drive or put together 12- or 14-, 15-play drives, right, it’s difficult,” Moore said. “There’s some really good players across the ball, so if you can score in a few less plays (it’s better). … The deep ball is a part of that. That can improve your percentages of scoring within games.”
Although the quarterback holds a pivotal role in the success of the offense, Moore highlighted the duties of the other positions as key to the group’s success.
But regarding the quarterback, Moore said he seeks leadership, taking care of the football on critical downs and moving the ball down the field quickly.
“We’ve got to be more explosive and everyone’s a part of that,” Moore said. “That’s not just the quarterback. That’s the right protection, receivers making plays down the field. But that’s something we really have to stress and improve.”
Outside of rehabbing from his December surgery on his right shoulder, one of quarterback Brady Cook’s offseason goals was to improve his accuracy to create more explosive plays. Cook completed 64.8% of his passes last season, but he ranked 89th nationally in yards per completion (11.07) and 70th in yards per attempt (7.16)
Now, with Moore’s fresh set of eyes and ideas at the helm, Cook is excited for what’s to come. The St. Louis native said the offensive coordinator has helped the quarterbacks get extra throwing sessions in and has given them feedback.
Drinkwitz and Moore are also impressed with MU’s wide receiver depth, headlined by former five-star wideouts in senior Theo Wease and sophomore Burden. Cook said the quarterback-receiver duos have pushed each other to get in extra work outside of practice, and so far he likes what he sees across the board.
“It’s definitely a quarterback’s offense, you know, there’s a lot of room for us to do our thing and get playmakers like Luther the ball,” Cook said. “If we can continue to grow as a team on offense, put all the pieces together — all 11 on offense — I think it’s going to be a really explosive year.”
