During Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference, Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz confirmed what had already become clear: true freshman Matt Zollers will be Missouri’s starting quarterback moving forward.
Drinkwitz also provided several injury updates and outlined what the staff hopes to accomplish during the bye week before the Tigers return to action Nov. 8 against No. 3 Texas A&M at Memorial Stadium.
Quarterback room reshuffled again
Drinkwitz said starting quarterback Beau Pribula suffered a nonfracture dislocated ankle in Saturday’s loss at Vanderbilt, adding it is an injury that appears in roughly one percent of ankle cases.
“It had to be corrected, but there’s no surgery and no broken bones,” Drinkwitz said. “His path to recovery is TBD. We’re doing everything we can.”
With Pribula out indefinitely — and with Sam Horn already lost for the season due to a broken tibia — Missouri now turns to Zollers, the former four-star recruit who nearly led a game-tying drive in Nashville. Drinkwitz praised Zollers’ poise, noting that his status as the No. 2 quarterback since Week 1 allowed him to receive consistent practice reps.
“I thought Matt did an excellent job in the game,” Drinkwitz said. “Outside of the one turnover — which ultimately is on me for putting him in that situation — he did everything he could. Gave us a chance.”
Zollers’ final play, a Hail Mary completed just shy of the goal line as time expired, sealed Missouri’s loss.
Behind Zollers on the depth chart will be redshirt junior Brett Brown, who rejoined the team in September.
“Yeah, Brett’s No. 2,” Drinkwitz said.
Both Horn and Pribula were injured on designed quarterback runs, but Drinkwitz made it clear the Tigers won’t change their offensive approach because of it.
“There’s a lot of people who run their quarterback,” he said. “Injuries happen. ... We’re going to do what we need to do to win. We don’t operate in a fear mode. We operate in an aggressive mode.”
Development ... not survival mode
Missouri has emphasized deliberate developmental reps for Zollers throughout the season.
On Tuesdays, he has worked noise simulations. On Wednesdays, he has handled the two-minute drill.
“He’s prepared,” Drinkwitz said. “We’re very excited about his opportunity. I’ve been adamant about Matt being the future of our program, and now he gets a chance to step into it early.”
Drinkwitz added that surrounding Zollers with support is just as important as what the freshman does himself.
“He’s got a really good defense to lean on,” he said. “We’ve got to play better up front for him, and we’ve got to clean up special teams so he doesn’t feel all the pressure.”
In other injury news, tight end Brett Norfleet is considered day-to-day after suffering a separated shoulder at Vanderbilt.
Bye week structure
Mizzou’s objective during the bye is to get healthy and clean up details.
“We wanted to continue to sharpen our EDGE — energy, details, grit, emotional consistency,” Drinkwitz said.
Missouri will shift fully into game prep for Texas A&M on Thursday before the coaching staff hits the road recruiting over the weekend.
“All eyes then turn toward the opportunity that we have: to host a top-five team at Faurot Field on a beautiful Saturday afternoon,” Drinkwitz said.
Missouri enters the bye at 6-2 (2-2 SEC), with a true freshman now steering its postseason push.
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