Eli Drinkwitz is hardly suffering from an identity crisis. From the bottomless bottle of Diet Coke that remains glued to his side to the visor that likely leaves a print in his forehead if and when he ever removes it from his head, Missouri’s second-year coach knows who he is.
The same goes for his team. And while Drinkwitz knows what his team is capable of, he knows Week 1 against Central Michigan marks a fresh slate for the Tigers, and a necessary opportunity for his group to prove who they can be — or who they already are — amid a heap of uncertainty.
“Your preparation, your work ethic, your ability to get ready and kind of recreate what your identity is going to be has to be part of your DNA, what you want to become,” Drinkwitz said. “And I think, whether it’s the veteran experience on the d-line or the offensive line or the quarterback position or the wide receiver position, those guys still got to go prove it. Nobody’s going to give them anything. We’re certainly not giving them anything. So we gotta go prove what we have, and we gotta show how much better, how much more we’ve improved.”
On offense, sophomore (redshirt freshman, still?) Connor Bazelak will see his first opener as the team’s undisputed first option at quarterback after proving his worth a season ago. Bazelak isn’t oblivious to the overwhelming anticipation for a stellar performance from him in Week 1. But he also isn’t shying away from the first chance this season to show that he’s one of the Southeastern Conference’s best quarterbacks.
“I started two games on the road,” Bazelak said when asked about how he feels starting in front of a full Missouri crowd for the first time. “One in Georgia, in front of about 90,000 (in actuality, Bazelak played in that game but didn’t start). I’ve played in front of big crowds. I’m really excited to have fans here and I think that’ll be a big advantage for us to have fans out supporting."
GET THE INSIDE SCOOP EVERY DAY WITH YOUR PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION!
Drinkwitz doesn’t foresee any jitters from his QB1, saying that “he’s had an offseason of everyone telling him how good he is and patting him on the back, so we’ll find out how much Kool-Aid he drank and how much focus he has. I think he’s got the right stuff.”
While Saturday isn’t one of the country’s marquee games, it’s a chance for new starters and returning starters alike to show that they always were meant for full crowds and the different atmosphere that comes with this season.
On defense, Martez Manuel is taking the reins of the secondary, embracing his role as one of the Tigers’ new captains. Manuel is prepared for Week 1, no matter the opponent, and retains a mantra that keeps him ready.
“The way I handle the approach to the first game would just have to be constant reminders to myself that I’m not here by accident,” Manuel said. “It’s something I talk to myself about often. And I also remind myself of all the extra work that I put in while no one was watching, alone, or with my friends. Just the constant reminder that everything that I have in front of me I’ve earned or really worked for.”
Starting safety Jalani Williams is in the same boat. Williams, who endured a position battle throughout the offseason with cornerback-turned-safety Jaylon Carlies, earned the start with Carlies forced to sit out the first half of the Central Michigan game due to a targeting penalty from the previous season. Though Williams knows his days as a starter may be short-lived he isn’t approaching the first game any differently.
“I was always told that even if you’re the backup, whatever position or role you have, always prepare as if you’re the starter so that nothing surprises you,” Williams said. “Any time, any given moment you’re a second from being that guy, so you always got to stay ready.”
Williams believes h his ability to compete under pressure in Week 1 goes beyond his individual preparation. He credited the team’s work from January to now to being ready. The early mornings, the long nights, the countless walkthroughs. Everything has culminated into this moment for him.
With all the questions about the season that seemingly overlook Central Michigan, Drinkwitz wants to make sure the focus is on this weekend. For his players that are inordinately anxious about the first game, he reminded people of the philosophy he relays to his teams in order to keep them in this moment and prepare them for Saturday’s game.
“I think what happens, whether it's game one, game six, any game, big moments, you lose focus in the moment, whether it's the previous play or the worry about the scoreboard or worried about what people might say, or what the fans’ reaction to it is,” Drinkwitz said. “You know, we have a ‘this play’ philosophy where the only thing that matters is this play, and focusing on executing this play.
“Cannot do anything about the previous play and you've got no control over the final score. The only thing that really matters is this play. And it kind of ties into us on our 1-0 mentality. You know, you’ve got 12 games on the schedule, but the only one that really matters is this week, this one. And you’ve got to focus all your energy, all your effort on this game.”
It’s time. Game one is here.
Talk about this story and more in The Tigers' Lair
Make sure you're caught up on all the Tiger news and headlines
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for video and live streaming coverage
