Drinkwitz's approach to QB question will shape the future

I don't want to say Missouri has a quarterback controversy on its hands. That's going too far. I'm not sure either Brady Cook or Tyler Macon did enough in Saturday's 43-6 loss to top-ranked Georgia to convince me he should start over Connor Bazelak if and when Bazelak is healthy enough to start again. But make no mistake that Eli Drinkwitz at least has a quarterback question on his hands going forward. And it goes beyond the next three weeks.

How he answers it will not only impact the short-term future of his Missouri program, but very possibly its long-term prognosis as well.

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Let's be clear off the top: This isn't a hot take fest. I don't have answers for Drinkwitz. I don't have a clue how he will handle the quarterback position going forward and I don't have a clue how he should handle it. I only know that it's going to require some handling.

Coming into Saturday's game, the only sure thing was that the fanbase wanted to see someone play quarterback that wasn't named Connor Bazelak. They got to see that because--and almost certainly only because--Bazelak wasn't healthy enough to play.

Facing the best defense in the country--and maybe the best college defense in many years--isn't exactly a fair test for a quarterback who had taken fewer than 35 snaps in the last two years (Cook played 20 last year and 13 so far this year, Macon had 20 this year but didn't play a game last season as a senior in high school). The rookies were going to have to be graded on a curve for what they did in Athens.

The results were...inconclusive. Macon showed mobility and gave Missouri a spark early. He got the start and picked up 36 yards rushing on his first four carries, moving Missouri into position for a Harrison Mevis field goal that gave the Tigers a short-lived 3-0 lead. He ended the day 6-for-13 passing (mostly on two jump balls to Tauskie Dove late) and added 42 yards on the ground. Cook saw most of the second-half action, going 14-for-19 for 78 yards through the air and running ten times for 32 yards himself. He drove Mizzou for a field goal as well. Each quarterback also got Missouri into scoring position on one other drive that didn't end up in points.

Both quarterbacks showed mobility that Bazelak has so far been either unable or unwilling (maybe both) to show so far this season. That's worth something. But both averaged fewer than six yards per attempt and neither definitely showed that he is an upgrade over Bazelak and should be Missouri's man going forward.

The key question for the immediate future is Bazelak's health. Drinkwitz closed practice this week, so it's unknown if Bazelak has even been able to practice. He was in attendance Saturday in street clothes. He was listed on this week's injury report as questionable, a status that is unlikely to change over the final three weeks of the regular season. The only definition of his injury has been "a soft tissue" injury.

After Drinkwitz knows if Bazelak can play, he then has to decide if he will. As I said, neither Macon nor Cook clearly took the job away from Bazelak. So if he's healthy, it's relatively likely he resumes the role as Missouri's starter for the rest of the season.

But what if he's not? Or at least not next week? If Cook or Macon can beat South Carolina, does that change the calculus against Florida and Arkansas? Even if Cook or Macon isn't the starter, did they do enough to merit some playing time in certain packages or situations, particularly if the Tigers need the threat of the running game from the quarterback position? And how does a redshirt factor into this? Both players still technically have one available. Cook has played in two games and Macon in three. Do you burn the year of eligibility if either one or both is just a part-time situational player? Can you pick and choose and play Cook in two games and Macon in one to preserve the year for both? Should that even matter?

Like I said, I don't really have answers to those questions. My opinion coming out of Saturday is that Macon is a guy who can be valuable in certain spots, but if you need an every down quarterback it should be Cook right now. He's a better passer. His running ability is closer to Macon's than Macon's passing prowess is to Cook's. So overall, if Bazelak can't go, I'd lean to Cook, but I'd have some plays in for Macon and I wouldn't worry about the redshirt.

The real intrigue here goes beyond this season. If you're Drinkwitz, you do what needs to be done to give yourself a chance to win six games and make a bowl game. But the impact of the decisions he makes in the next three weeks could shape the future of the position and the program well beyond this month.

Earlier this week, Drinkwitz was asked if you have to be cautious about how you handle playing time at quarterback because of the increased threat of transfers in today's game.

“Wow. You know, yes and no," he said. "I think the toughest thing about quarterback is usually you just play one and then there’s an old saying if you have two, you don’t have any. You’ve got that. Then you look at the portal, people are jumping in all the time based off of whatever it is their situation is. I don’t think you can operate a program based out of fear. I don’t think you can operate a program based out of fear of what players on your team are going to do if they don’t like the decisions that you make. You have to make decisions that are in the best interest of the team. Our number one rule, number one is be on time. Number two is the team, the team, the team comes first. And so every decision that we make in regards to who we are and what we’re about is what is in the best interest of our football team at the University of Missouri? And I try to operate with that every decision I make from personnel changes to players to uniforms, everything. What is going to be the best for our football team? So I don’t really operate out of a sense of fear or how is this going to affect one person. How is this going to affect the team? And if our team is not the right fit for somebody in the locker room because of that, then all power to them, bless them, wish them well on their journey."

It's a long answer, but I think it's important to include the whole thing. The sentiment is great. And for the most part, I think Drinkwitz believes it. At the same time, he's going to need a deft touch dealing with his quarterbacks over the next few months and the reality is that sometimes circumstances impact your decisions.

Bazelak technically has three years of eligibility remaining after this one due to the COVID season that didn't count. Cook and Macon will each have three or four. And looming is Georgia four-star Sam Horn who will sign with the Tigers in December and hit campus next summer.

That's four quarterbacks who could be within a year or two of each other eligibility wise. That's a bit of a logjam. The reality is, there's almost no way all four finish their eligibility at Missouri. There's just not enough playing time. Realistically, at least two of them will probably transfer out at some point.

But Drinkwitz has to make sure that doesn't happen too soon. Bazelak is probably the leader in the race to be the 2022 starter, but he's struggled enough this season that it's not a slam dunk. If Macon or Cook plays well in the next three weeks and if he thinks one or both has surpassed him--either during the season or in spring football--it's not out of the question Bazelak could seek greener pastures. Either Cook or Macon is likely to emerge from spring ball as the third-string quarterback. And that makes it possible one of them leaves.

Missouri can afford to have one of them leave before next season. It's the nature of the position. But there's no way the Tigers can afford to have two of them leave. That would leave Drinkwitz going into next season with one quarterback with any college experience on the roster in a year he's going to need to show progress on the field to have fans feeling confident about the direction of the program.

Again, I'm not making a recommendation here. You simply play the best player(s) and let the chips fall where they may. And I'm not trying to push any of Missouri's quarterbacks out the door either. But in today's game, you've got to be aware of the likelihood that quarterbacks want to play and that only one or two of them is going to have that opportunity.

So I don't know how Drinkwitz should handle it. He gets paid four million bucks a year to handle it and I'll leave it up to him. But he's facing a situation that will require a deft touch over the coming weeks and months. And what he does will go a long way toward determining the direction of his program at Missouri.