Going into his third season as coach of the Missouri Tigers, Eliah Drinkwitz is still getting used to the challenges that come with being a part of the SEC East, one of college football’s toughest divisions.
“Obviously, I think it’s a strong league,” Drinkwitz said. “I mean, every time you turn on the tape you’re facing a guy that’s going to play in the NFL and probably get drafted in the first two rounds.”
Drinkwitz concluded his first season with a 5-5 conference record and a third-place finish in the division. Last year, his team ended with a 3-5 conference record and a fourth-place finish.
The overall toughness in opponents is what has continued to stump the Tigers. With the 2021 national champion Georgia Bulldogs, a potential new rivalry brewing with the Kentucky Wildcats and historic giants including Tennessee and Florida on its schedule, Mizzou is using this offseason to improve.
“Last year doesn’t matter,” defensive back Martez Manuel said. “Nobody cares anymore. Next year doesn’t matter. This year, I’m just trying to keep the faith alive and preach that faith to our team. I don’t really need to preach it because we all believe it. We know that our time is coming.”
One spot the Tigers look to progress is at quarterback. Four quarterbacks are competing for the starting job. One of the prospects is Sam Horn, who helped lead Collins Hill High School to the 2021 Class 7A state football championship in Georgia. Horn also is a potential MLB draft pick, but as Day 2 of the draft came to an end, Horn’s name was not called. It seems likely he will shift his full attention to his future at Mizzou.
“Sam is a really talented player that’s got a great opportunity to leave his mark on Mizzou football and Mizzou baseball,” Drinkwitz said. “We’re excited for him to come in and be the best version of himself.”
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