Ten Thoughts for Monday Morning
It's football season. Pre-camp media day was yesterday. The first practice is this morning. You can find the full schedule here. So let's dive into it.
1) Yes, we're starting at quarterback. You have to. It's been discussed to death. The biggest news is that we're no more than 30 days away from having an answer and we can all quit debating it. Somebody's going to line up under center and take the first snap. I'll write in depth about the QB situation later today. I talked to Brady Cook, Jack Abraham and Bush Hamdan yesterday and we get Eli Drinkwitz after practice today. A couple of things were noteworthy to me from Hamdan yesterday: I asked if there was a timeline for when the coaches had to know who the guy was. He didn't want to put a timeline on it, but obviously they'd like to know before game week. They probably won't tell US before game week, but they'd like to know before then. I asked Hamdan if it was fair to say that since Cook and Tyler Macon have been in the system someone would have to come take the job from them this month.
"I think that's fair. I do. I just think in general, from a knowledge standpoint, those are guys that have already taken a bunch of those reps. I do think it's fair to say for Jack, for Sam, they're going to have to go take those reps. And they know that and they understand that."
2) The most intriguing part of the quarterback question is without a doubt Sam Horn. I don't think there's much doubt that he is expected to be Missouri's starter in 2023 (barring Cook or Macon winning the job this year and playing out of their minds). But what happens in 2022? I asked Hamdan if it was realistic to expect a kid who showed up in June to be able to see the field as a true freshman and he said absolutely. I understand that. They're not going to say he can't see the field. But I also have a hard time seeing him being ready to play. I don't think there's much chance that Horn takes meaningful reps before game five. He might see the field against Abilene Christian I guess. If you're blowing out Louisiana Tech, I guess it's not out of the question. But Eli Drinkwitz has been very clear that they want some experience with two Power Five road games in the first five weeks. Abraham is 25. Cook and Macon have both played SEC football. Horn hasn't. He's not getting thrown to the wolves in those early games. Mid-season (post-Georgia) if Horn has come along and whoever is playing hasn't taken clear control of the job, I wouldn't be shocked to see Horn start to get a little bit of run and playing in up to four games and then reassessing where things stand. I don't think maintaining the redshirt is really a huge deal because the hope is that Horn isn't going to be here for five years, but you don't play him just to play him.
Missouri fans still go back to Chase Daniel getting a series in every game and think that should be the norm. It shouldn't. You should have a clear starting quarterback and the only way another guy should play meaningful time is if that guy gets hurt or the game is already decided. Daniel was the exception because he was quite clearly good enough to get a little time and was behind a graduating senior so you knew he was going to have to start the following season. Because of that, you wanted to get him a little bit of real game experience. That's not the case this year. You don't play Horn just to play him. If he's the best guy, cool, throw him out there. But you're playing 2022 for 2022. You're not worried about next year at this point. You're not giving meaningful snaps to any quarterback who isn't clearly the best option at that point in time because it might help him for next year. You worry about next year in (hopefully) bowl practices and spring football. If Horn plays this year it's because he earned it and he's the best guy. Again, I expect he's the starter next year. I think that's the plan. But that doesn't mean it can't change.
3) Let's move on to some other positions.
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