Missouri football will put its 2025 team on the field for the first time FCS-level Central Arkansas. Here's who should look dominant against the Bears.
Enough talking.
Missouri football returns to the field Thursday evening to kick off its 2025 season against Central Arkansas on Faurot Field. It’s been 241 days since Mizzou took down Iowa in the Music City Bowl to secure a second straight double-digit win season.
More than 20 new transfers have arrived in Columbia since the last time the Tigers played a game. Several fan favorites have moved on to the NFL and will be competing to play on Sundays.
We’ve watched position competitions play out across spring and fall camp and deliberated all through the blistering mid-Missouri summer about what it might look like when it all comes together.
And here we are. College football is back in Columbia.
There’s no more talking. Later Thursday, we’ll see what the 2025 edition of the MU squad looks like — and the players who might be new stars in the black and gold.
Here are five players we want to see have dominant days as the Tigers open their season.
Kevin Coleman Jr., wide receiver
With Beau Pribula taking on the first half duties, we expect Kevin Coleman Jr. to be heavily involved in the offense in the short passing game out of the slot. He had a tremendous season last year on an otherwise horrible Mississippi State offense, so we don’t have too many concerns about him being the quote-unquote guy.
But for Mizzou to be successful, if they’re going to run a lot of out- and- crossing routes, Coleman needs to be productive at utilizing motion, getting open and generating yards after the catch. He should put up some strong numbers against UCA.
Marvin Burks Jr., safety
With a year of experience under his belt, we’d like to see some concrete improvement from the free safety after he had issues in coverage in 2024. He was sometimes a little too quick to reach for the highlight-reel hit over a wrap-up.
It would be encouraging to see some tangible signs of year-over-year progression and maturity. Burks is a potentially excellent player, and Mizzou has bolstered its secondary with some strong and experienced players in the likes of Jalen Catalon and Stephen Hall.
Cayden Green, left tackle
One of the more intriguing storylines of preseason camp is now heading into the season. Green is moving from the interior, where he was a preseason All-American, to left tackle — the most important position on the line.
Mizzou is going to the you-know-what out of the ball with Ahmad Hardy. A new quarterback, especially, needs some security on his blindside.
Green is going to be massively responsible for making sure the offense hums. We can extend some grace as he plays his first game at left tackle in about two years, but he should have a dominant day against overmatched edge rushers.
Any defensive end
Take your pick. Damon Wilson II. Zion Young. Darris Smith. Nate Johnson. Any or all of the above.
We’ve been hearing all offseason how deep and potentially dominant this group of edge rushers could be. This Mizzou defensive front has the potential to be major problem if it operates at its ceiling.
Now, let’s see it, either with one player taking charge or with some by-committee backfield havoc.
Beau Pribula, quarterback
We’ve spent all offseason wondering, so let’s absolutely set the record straight here and then let events unfold as they may.
Nothing would be more of a positive for Mizzou than this quarterback race being over by halftime Thursday.
Drinkwitz is framing this as a competition, and as a head coach that’s what he should do. Between the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday and his Tiger Talk radio appearance Tuesday, he clarified his decision to play Pribula in the first half and Horn in the second half against UCA by saying “somebody had to go out there first” and that he didn’t want to alternate every couple series.
Sure. Understandable.
But don’t get it twisted: Mizzou would prefer a starter to emerge, and Pribula running out first gives him the most meaningful reps and the clearest path to being named QB1. If there is any doubt after his 30 minutes against UCA are done, that’s an unideal situation for the Tigers.
It shouldn’t get to that. The race ideally should be decided by the time Marching Mizzou is in position for its halftime performance.
Whether Thursday's order of operations means there is a frontrunner or not is now irrelevant.
It’s better for Missouri if there isn’t a decision to make and Pribula proves he’s the No. 1 option with a leave-no-doubt performance.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Five Missouri football players who should thrive vs Central Arkansas
Category: General Sports
