Eli Drinkwitz has a big decision to make regarding Missouri‘s starting quarterback. But, with the Tigers opening the 2025 regular season against FCS-level Central Arkansas, the sixth-year Mizzou coach kicked that decision down the road when he announced both Beau Pribula and Sam Horn would each play a half Saturday. When asked how he expects […]
Eli Drinkwitz has a big decision to make regarding Missouri‘s starting quarterback. But, with the Tigers opening the 2025 regular season against FCS-level Central Arkansas, the sixth-year Mizzou coach kicked that decision down the road when he announced both Beau Pribula and Sam Horn would each play a half Saturday.
When asked how he expects to ultimately come to a final resolution regarding the Tigers’ starting QB for the remainder of this season, Drinkwitz responded with familiar snark.
“I’ll probably just read everybody’s Twitter comments and then I’ll look at y’alls commentary and then based off that I’ll come up with a decision,” Drinkwitz deadpanned on Wednesday’s SEC coaches teleconference.
After having a good laugh at the media’s expense, Drinkwitz emphasized the importance of ultimately finalizing a decision ahead of Week 2’s rivalry with Kansas on Sept. 6 (3:30 pm ET, ESPN2).
“Yeah, look, at the end of the day I’ve got to make a decision. And I’ll take in the counsel of our staff, but ultimately I know exactly where they were going into this game and when they come out of it, we’ll have to make a decision,” Drinkwitz continued. “You know, somebody’s not going to like it, one way or the other. Not everybody’s going to agree with the decision, and that’s not the point.
“So, having all these criteria and trying to point to this that or the other, it’s really a waste of time in my opinion. We’re going to make a decision, we’ll go with it and time will tell if it’s the right decision or not.”
Earlier this week, Drinkwitz confirmed plans to play both Pribula, the high-priced Penn State transfer, and Horn, who is entering his fourth season in Columbia after missing the entire 2024 season following Tommy John surgery. Pribula will start and is scheduled to play the entire first half of Saturday’s season-opener against Central Arkansas, with Horn to start and play the entire second half.
Eli Drinkwitz breaks down plan to give each quarterback a half in season opener
Drinkwitz explained his thinking of splitting up quarterback duties earlier the Wednesday’s teleconference.
“I think both quarterbacks have done an excellent job of doing things that we’ve asked them to do,” Drinkwitz said Wednesday. “There wasn’t enough separation that I felt like there was a clear-cut starter, and so the next best evaluation is in a live football game to see how guys respond, not only to preparation and a gameplan, but also respond to a crowd, also respond to being tackled and being hit.”
Pribula transferred to Missouri this offseason after spending three seasons at Penn State, where he amassed 424 passing yards and nine touchdowns in 24 career appearances. Pribula is also a legitimate rushing threat. He tallied 571 yards and 10 scores on just 94 carries with the Nittany Lions.
With an NIL package ranging near $1.5 million, he was seen as the almost certain starter. But it’s been a close battle.
Drinkwitz broke down why he is opting to handle the battle at Missouri in the manner he is. He explained.
“I’ve done it before where you alternate every two series or each quarter, and I just didn’t feel like that was a healthy way,” Drinkwitz said. “We did it in ’23 where we played both halves and I felt like it gave our offense a chance to play with some rhythm and it gave our quarterbacks a chance to be evaluated.”
— On3’s Thomas Goldkamp contributed to this report.
Category: General Sports
