B&S preview series: Eye of the Tiger - All eyes on first Bowl win since 2014
Is Eliah Drinkwitz the guy in Columbia, MO? Pivotal year ahead for the Tigers.
By: The Waco Kid
By the time the Missouri Tigers take the field on Thursday to face the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, it will have been 7 months, 21 days, 20 hours, and three minutes since the last time SEC fans were engulfed in the historic ambience known best throughout the South. Yes, technically Vanderbilt played last week; but for starters Vandy (before turning Hawaii’s rainbow into dark clouds) has never been known for their success during the fall. And on top of that, most fans of the SEC that sit down with their cold beverage of choice, on a perfect Saturday afternoon, and say “hey let's watch the Commodores” probably live in Nashville and are watching the game by themselves. After last week’s game that may change, but for now Mizzou is the first SEC game of the season I actually plan on watching.
Since the departure of Gary Pinkel, the Black and Gold have found it difficult to qualify for a bowl game, only receiving a bid four times since 2014. But Eli Drinkwitz has led this squad in back to back bowl game seasons. Now the eye of the tiger is focused on not just being invited, but showing up and winning a bowl game for the University and proving their worth in the SEC. With the arrival of former Big 12 foes Texas and Oklahoma in 2025, this may be more crucial of a goal for Missouri than any other squad in the conference. They will want to show these former conference contenders that not only did they leave 13 years too late but that the Longhorns and Sooners are now the new kids on the block and even the teams they used to beat on are no longer the small kids on the playground.
The Tigers play five games they should be able to easily win, with one or two more that could shock the SEC, but that will all depend on the development of Sophomore quarterback Brady Cook. Cook is no novice to starting under center. He was chosen as the starter in the Armed Forces Bowl last year against Army and finished the game 27-of-34 for 238 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 53 yards and another score. Not bad stat lines for a guy whose first start was in a bowl game.
The Tigers will also need to establish a solid rush attack after losing Tyler Badie, a guy who rushed for over 1,600 yards last year. Right now it looks like it will be a three back committee composed of Elijah Young, Cody Schrader, and Nathaniel Peat. Many SEC teams have deployed this back by committee method very successfully, I mean just think about Georgia and Alabama. Now, Mizzou does not have the same talent but this system could keep fresh legs in the backfield and reveal the hot hand on a week to week basis. I personally think Elijah Young or Nathaniel Peat will end up taking the opportunity and running with it. Young was the second leading back on the team in 2021 and Peat is transferring in from Stanford, a school which has a pretty good tradition of running back growth.
Missouri returns five out of their six leading receivers from last year, making for a well rounded and seasoned offensive group. If there was any abundance of talent on one side of the ball it would have to be the WRs. This means they will rely heavily on Brady Cook and the passing attack to get the job done and with as much talent as they have returning, this should not be an issue. As long as Cook can stay cool under pressure and the O-line can hold some resemblance of a block, do not be surprised if the boys from Columbia are able to move the ball down the field rather quickly this year.
QB 1 Brady Cook. Photo via Megan Matty, The Missourian
Defensively there is good news for Drinkwitz’s squad, they cannot get much worse than they were last year. Out of 130 FBS schools, the Tigers ranked 125th in rush defense, allowing 229 yards per game. Their pass defense was a little better, and almost impressive, ranking 44th in the nation. Finally, they ranked 104th in total YPG and just in the SEC alone ranked 13th in scoring defense. You can’t host Georgia with the 125th ranked rush defense and expect Kirby Smart not to run it straight down your throat. And you sure can’t face a high powered Arkansas offense and expect them not to put up at least 40 on a team ranked 104th in total YPG allowed. The only part of this unit that showed up to play in 2021 was the pass defense and if Mizzou has any shot at not only a bowl berth but a win, they have to solidify a defensive line and linebacking corps that can compete not only in non conference games, but against the best of the best in the SEC.
Like previously mentioned, there are at least five games on this schedule I think Missouri should be able to escape with little to no harm done. Kansas State, Abilene Christian, Vandy, South Carolina, and New Mexico State. Louisiana Tech should be an automatic W on the board, but they are always sneaky good. In their first game last year, they took a much better Mississippi State team down to the wire before losing by one point. Throw in transfer QB Matthew Downing who has taken snaps as both a Georgia Bulldog and TCU Horned Frog and you have a trap game waiting to happen. Mizzou will have to show up and start fast to put some distance between them and the Bulldogs if they have a shot at winning their home opener. If they were to fall to LA Tech in their Columbia debut, it could be a long season for the Black and Gold faithful. I personally would bet the spread in LA Tech’s favor in this one, especially since right now the spread is Mizzou -19.5.
Mizzou 2022 Schedule
Sep1: Louisiana Tech
Sept 10: @ Kansas State
Sept 17: Abilene Christian
Sept 24: @ Auburn
Oct 1: Georgia
Oct 8: @ Florida
Oct 22: Vanderbilt
Oct 29: @ South Carolina
Nov 5: Kentucky
Nov 12: @ Tennessee
Nov 19: New Mexico State
Nov 25: Arkansas
This year has to be a statement year for Mizzou, the only problem is their schedule does not seem to understand that. With a three game stretch of Auburn, Georgia, and Florida followed by another stretch later in the season of South Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee, the Tigers have to win all non conference games as well as 2-4 conference games to show improvements from last season. I can see an upset at Neyland or over the Kentucky Wildcats at home, but wins over Auburn, Georgia or Florida seem too farfetched to predict this early in the season. If they can pull off wins against either the Vols or Wildcats and win the other games they should, Drinkwitz may live to coach another season and the Tigers just may be able to pull off that coveted bowl game win that has eluded them since 2014.