Injury updates, quarterback competition & more: How Mizzou football practice is going
Media members got their first look at the 2025 Missouri football roster, as the first open practice and availability of spring camp from coach Eli Drinkwitz and players took place Saturday at Stephens Indoor Facility in Columbia.
With several pieces of last season’s group departing for the 2025 NFL Draft — including quarterback Brady Cook, right tackle Armand Membou and receivers Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr. — the Tigers are working in a new crop of talent to help replenish what is now gone.
“It’s honestly surreal to not have those guys who have been with me the whole time, but this is a new group. It’s a new energy,” Drinkwitz said. “There’s competition going on with the quarterbacks and the linebackers, so there’s still a freshness. You’ve still got old vets like Daylan Carnell and Connor Tollison. So it’s good, but it’s definitely different.”
Competition in quarterback room
Although Penn State transfer Beau Pribula is expected to be next in line for the starting quarterback position, Drinkwitz has not yet put a label on who will start in Missouri’s season opener.
Quarterbacks Sam Horn and Drew Pyne are also in the conversation. Both have experience within offensive coordinator Kirby Moore’s system, while Pribula will use the spring to play catch up.
“I told those guys, there is no plan to name a starter through spring. I don’t really believe in that, because I think it puts too much pressure on the team and everybody involved,” Drinkwitz said. “This is about individual player development.”
When deciding which quarterback was going to be the first man out in practice, the decision was reached based on a game of rock, paper, scissors. The time for an official label will come later.
Given the short amount of time coaching Pribula, there isn’t a whole lot Drinkwitz could add for the moment. However, he’s already brought excitement to the locker room.
“Beau’s extremely diligent in his work,” Drinkwitz said. “Does a lot of preparation and excited about what he’ll be able to contribute.”
Horn missed action in 2024 because of Tommy John surgery; he suffered the injury during the previous baseball season. But he has since made a full recovery. During practice, he was an active contributor and even led the team’s Tiger Jacks to kick it off.
“Sam looks great. Fully clear, throwing the ball,” Drinkwitz said. “No concerns with him at all, and it’s been fun to watch him (and) see how much he can apply his growth.”
Status updates on injured players
Though the 2024 season and 27-24 win in the Music City Bowl have long since concluded, a couple of key injuries are still lingering into spring practices.
Center Connor Tollison suffered a knee injury Nov. 9 against Oklahoma, cutting his junior campaign short. On Saturday, he was absent from drills — though it wasn’t a surprise.
“He’s doing really good,” Drinkwitz said. “He’s able to be out here and snap during seven-on-seven. Obviously, he’s no-contact, but he’s really attacked his rehab, and I’m really proud of him and how much he’s gotten done.”
Another name absent from drills was defensive end Darris Smith, who missed the entirety of the 2024 season with another knee injury. Same as Tollison, he’s worked in non-contact situations.
“(Smith is) going through what he can. He’s one of those (who) we want to be really cautious (with) just because of his length and speed and twitch, and so everything’s on track, but we limit the contact that he can have,” Drinkwitz said. “We know how physical and talented he is, now it’s just about getting him back acclimated.”
Tight end Brett Norfleet, safety Marvin Burks Jr. and outside linebacker Khalil Jacobs all noticeably wore green non-contact jerseys during practice, but are further along in the recovery process than Tollison and Smith.
“We like where we’re at,” Drinkwitz said on Norfleet’s status. “We’re going to be very cautious on how we try to utilize him this spring, don’t want any setbacks.”
Who can step up?
Now that Missouri is without so many of its players who have altered the program’s trajectory the past couple seasons, familiar faces are going to be expected to step into bigger roles
With a year under his belt as a Tiger, former Oklahoma transfer and left guard Cayden Green will have further responsibilities on the offensive line. Not only is Tollison’s status for the beginning of the 2025 season unclear, but the group will no longer have right guard Cam’Ron Johnson, left tackle Marcus Bryant and right tackle Armand Membou.
Green will likely be an important leader for the offensive line, and a needed one at that.
“Last year, it was kind of somebody else’s turn, because he was new. He’s not new anymore,” Drinkwitz said of Green being a leader. “Especially with Connor being out right now, he’s really the old reliable in the room. Got to continue to see him be vocal, but he’s got it in him.”
The receiver room was another place Missouri lost depth — including Burden, Wease, Mookie Cooper and Mehki Miller. One of MU’s biggest additions in the transfer portal — former Mississippi State wideout Kevin Coleman Jr. — is expected to be a pivotal part of maintaining a strong pass offense.
“Kevin Coleman’s played a ton of football, and he made some incredible plays today,” Drinkwitz said. “We know he understands what it takes to be successful, and his leadership will rub off on the rest of that group.”
Both entering their junior seasons, Marquis Johnson and Josh Manning are each expected to become bigger targets in the receiver room.
“Marquis and Josh Manning are going to always be guys that know what an elite E.D.G.E. (energy, details, grit, emotional consistency) looks like and is,” Drinkwitz said. “They understand what the culture of N.W.O. (nasty wideouts) is.”
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