Review and Preview: Quarterbacks
The 2018 football season is officially in the books. In this series, PowerMizzou will go position-by-position to look back at the Tigers' 8-5 2018 campaign while also previewing the depth chart for the 2019 season. We start, of course, with the quarterbacks.
2018 recap
After Drew Lock decided to spurn the NFL Draft to return to Missouri for his senior season, his year in many ways mimicked his entire college career. Lock started well, living up to his potential Heisman trophy billing in non-conference wins over Tennessee-Martin, Wyoming and Purdue. Then, when conference play began, Lock struggled. He completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes and threw one touchdown versus five interceptions in losses to Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Kentucky. Ultimately, however, Lock and the entire offense grew into Derek Dooley's offensive system. Lock had perhaps the best game of his career in a road upset of Florida, and even though he didn't always put up massive stats, he played well in each of the last five games of the season. He finished his college career having thrown for 12,193 yards and 99 touchdowns, both of which rank second in school history.
Looking ahead
Departing: Drew Lock
For the first time since early in the 2015 season, someone aside from Lock will start under center for Missouri next season. Lock made 46 starts in his college career. He’s expected to be a first-round pick in this spring’s NFL Draft.
Returning: TBD
Right now, Missouri has four quarterbacks on its roster with eligibility remaining: Jack Lowary, Micah Wilson, Taylor Powell and Lindsey Scott Jr. With graduate transfer Kelly Bryant all but assured the starting spot, the chances that all four return next season are next to zero. Scott, who transferred to Missouri from Eastern Mississippi Community College last offseason, fell to the bottom of the depth chart prior to the season, so he appears most likely to leave. Powell, a redshirt freshman, served as Lock’s primary backup on the rare occasion that Lock left the game this season, though Wilson, a sophomore, also saw a few snaps. Lowary appears to be studying for a career in coaching, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him take on a non-playing position with the team this offseason.
In short, we expect at least one and as many as three of the above players not to be back on the roster next season. If for some reason all four leave, Missouri would find itself in a difficult spot, since Shawn Robinson (more on him in a moment) will not be eligible next season. That would make incoming freshman Connor Bazelak the immediate backup.
Incoming: Kelly Bryant, Shawn Robinson, Connor Bazelak
Entering the 2019 recruiting cycle, one of the biggest questions facing Barry Odom and his staff was their ability to find a quarterback to succeed Lock. They might have found the next three starters at the position. Bryant, who threw for 2,802 yards and 13 touchdowns and added another 655 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground as Clemson’s starter last season, caused the biggest splash when he announced on Dec. 5 that he would transfer to Missouri. He will replace Lock at the helm of what figures to be a run-heavy offense next season. Robinson will sit out one season and then have two seasons of eligibility remaining after transferring from TCU. Robinson completed more than 60 percent of his passes but threw eight interceptions versus nine touchdowns in seven games for the Horned Frogs this season. Bazelak, a three-star prospect from Ohio, appears likely to redshirt this year.
Projected 2019 starter: Kelly Bryant
Injury is the only reason Bryant wouldn’t be under center when Missouri kicks off the 2019 season at Wyoming. Missouri will hope he can recreate his successful junior season at Clemson even though he'll have a bit less talent around him.
Offseason storylines to monitor:
Who will back up Bryant in 2019? That will mainly depend on which of the quarterbacks currently on the roster opt to leave, but there could also be a competition during spring practice between, say, Powell and Wilson for the No. 2 spot. Powell appeared to pass Wilson on the depth chart last offseason, but given Wilson’s speed, he could benefit from an offensive scheme that utilizes the quarterback’s legs. One thing is for sure: The Missouri staff hopes one of the current quarterbacks stays so that Bazelak is not the only backup option as a true freshman.