Missouri will have a new starting quarterback in 2021 than it did for most of the past two seasons.
Connor Bazelak announced via his Twitter account Thursday that he will enter the transfer portal. Bazelak started 19 games across the past two seasons for Missouri, including 11 this season. Bazelak did not play in the team’s Armed Forces Bowl loss to Army as Brady Cook replaced him behind center.
Bazelak, a former three-star recruit out of Dayton, Ohio, will have three seasons of eligibility remaining. He took over for Shawn Robinson during the second game of Missouri’s 2020 campaign and maintained the starting job through the end of the 2021 regular season. In 2020, he was named the SEC co-freshman of the year after completing 67.3 percent of his passes and throwing for 2,366 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions.
Bazelak started this season well but faltered down the stretch. During his final seven starts, he threw six touchdowns versus eight interceptions. He bottomed out by completing just 10 of 26 passes for 65 yards and a pick during Missouri’s loss to Arkansas. Following that game, head coach Eli Drinkwitz opted to hold an open competition for the starting quarterback spot for the bowl game. Cook won it and played well, completing 27 of 34 passes for 238 yards and a score, plus rushing for 53 yards and another touchdown.
Some of Bazelak’s struggles might be attributable to injury. Bazelak appeared hobbled for much of the season, and he missed Missouri’s loss to Georgia due to a hamstring injury. However, Bazelak and Drinkwitz continually maintained that Bazelak was healthy enough to play.
After the departure of Bazelak, Missouri has just two scholarship quarterbacks on its current roster in Cook and East St. Louis freshman Tyler Macon. Cook has three years of eligibility remaining, while Macon has four after redshirting this year. Each has made one career college start. Four-star signee Sam Horn will join the roster in June.
Bazelak is the sixth Missouri player to enter the transfer portal since the conclusion of the regular season. More attrition is expected now that the Tigers' season has come to a close.
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