Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz met with the media on Sunday to discuss the challenge of preparing for Murray State, the sluggishness teams face to start the season and more.
On preparing to face Murray State in Week 1:
What Drinkwitz said: "It's going to be a difficult challenge, probably the most difficult opening game that we faced since I've been here. They have a whole new staff. Around 60 new players that they acquired, whether they were from high school or through the transfer portal. So, it's a real challenge to have any idea of what they're going to do schematically, whether we're talking offense, defense or special teams."
What it means: When Drinkwitz first said it was the most difficult opening game that they've faced in his tenure, someone who is a fan or familiar with Mizzou's Week 1 opponents over the years would say what about Alabama in 2020?
But Drinkwtz provided the much-needed context that the quote needs. Murray State head coach, Josh Wright, has never been a head coach or coordinator. The Racers' co-offensive coordinator, Jimmy Ogle, hasn't coached college football since 2021. Mizzou has been using Hudl to get tape on the Racers' starting quarterback, Jayden Johanssen, who transferred from South Dakota Mines.
At least when the team prepared for Alabama there was something to build a gameplan on. This isn't the most difficult team to play necessarily because of the challenge but because the Racers have the element of surprise.
On the early woes college football teams face early on in the season, and what he's trying to prepare his teams for:
What Drinkwitz said: "I think as coaches, we have to do a great job making sure we leave no stone unturned, knowing that at any moment you're going to have to be thinking about a play call or be able to manage the situation, knowing who's in the game and if this guy's injured, who's next up. So, I think penalties, special team situations, turnovers and tackling are usually things that show up the most, and that's typical from any extended delay in playing the game."
What it means: The start of the season is not easy for many teams. There are a lot of fundamental errors that happen such as penalties, poor tackling, turnovers, etc. That's not tape Drinkwitz wants his team to have. So, he wants his coaching staff to ensure the team is thoroughly prepared and disciplined.
Last week, Drinkwitz said that this fall camp was the hardest training camp he's ever put together. There were more reps and tackling this year than any other fall camp he's had since being Mizzou's head coach. That may help the Tigers, but a little sloppiness will naturally happen. He wants to control what he can control and mitigate how much of that sloppiness appears on Thursday.
On if the coaches will hold back some plays vs. Murray State similarly like it did to start the season versus South Dakota and MTSU:
What Drinkwitz said: "No, we're trying to win. Week 1 is the most important game that we have on our schedule, period. So, there's no guarding, there's no hiding. We just want to win. To win, you've got to call what you know your guys can execute, and what you guys have had consistent reps at. So, that doesn't mean that your playbook is going to be wide open. It means that you're going to call what you have repped in the 25 previous practices. So in key situations, your guys can execute. I don't think our playbook will be limited. There won't be anything we won't call. It's just we won't call it because we don't have confidence that we get executed at a high level."
What it means: The Tigers did this to start last season so they could fully unleash the playbook in Week 3 versus Kansas State. Mizzou won that game, and the two games before it. So, it has success and experience with that experiment but Drinkwitz says that's not the same approach they'll go with this year.
That's true but also not true.
Missouri won't unleash its full arsenal against Murray State because it shouldn't have to. The Tigers should win the game handily.
There's truth in not calling plays he doesn't think the team can do well, yet. There's no need to put his team in a position to fail, but the plays in the playbook are there for a reason.
Maybe there's a trick play or something they are working on that Mizzou isn't confident about doing in Week 1 but will be in Week 13. But, a coach won't put stuff on film if he doesn't have to. It's pointless to put anything on film that the Tigers would want to save for another opponent down the line. So, inevitably the Tigers will be holding back some of their plays, but they won't be vanilla and they won't reserve them if they're in a closer game than they expect to be in.
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