We talked to all the offensive and defensive coaches and a few players after head coach Eli Drinkwitz spoke.
Honestly, the coaches didn't steer off too far from what they said in the spring and neither did most players we talked to, but we did get to talk to Brady Cook, Sam Horn, and Jake Garcia.
I'll be at practice all fall, so there'll be things I refer to from players we got to talk to on Sunday, but here are some of my takeaways from the team's last media day before fall camp begins tomorrow (it's a lot of quarterback stuff).
1. Drinkwitz identifies what he believes his starting quarterback will need to have
If Cook, Horn, Garcia, or anyone else wants to be the Tigers' starting quarterback this season this is what they're going to need: toughness, preparation, decision-making, accuracy, and leadership.
Those were the five qualities Drinkwitz said his quarterbacks must have if they want to win the starting quarterback job.
Drinkwitz also made note of some of the strengths and weaknesses each of his quarterbacks has starting with Cook and his experience as the starter last year, his toughness 一 mentally and physically 一 that he showed last year, and speed.
In regards to Cook's weakness, he said, "he has to improve on the question mark from last season."
This probably translates to being more accurate (especially on deeper throws) and his decision-making.
He said Horn is a big athlete who runs better than what people would expect, throws an accurate ball and has playmaking ability. However, Horn lacks the experience his fellow quarterbacks have.
Drinkwitz said Garcia is more athletic than people give him credit for and has the arm talent and has some experience. He said Garcia right now needs to continue to get comfortable with his receivers.
These are by no means all the strengths or all the weaknesses that these quarterbacks have. Just the ones that immediately came to mind for Drinkwitz.
More on what Drinkwitz wants to see out of his quarterbacks in the notebook coming out later.
2. Brady Cook seems to be healthy and happier.
I know this part isn't a quote but the first thing I noticed was Cook seemed happier. Last season, especially right after he got hurt versus Kansas State you could tell he was pushing through some things and it wasn't just the torn labrum.
So, I'm sure some of the happiness is about being healthy again.
He talked to me about rehabbing from the torn labrum injury and how his hunger to rehab was partially due to being inactive during spring ball.
"I really started (rehabbing) in January, and after you get out of that sling it's pretty much full go," Cook said happily. "I probably worked on it three and a half to four hours of the day. February and March were probably the hardest months just strengthening, stretching, mobility range of motion, and then easing into throwing.
"About halfway through spring ball I was going hard and I started throwing a little bit. I was asking the trainers can I hop in on some seven-on-sevens. I wanted to get out there for some I ended up strapping it up for some of the spring ball practices, not in team reps obviously, But I was making a couple of throws that they didn't want me making (for fear of aggravating the injury), and I was definitely hungry to get out there."
Some of the exuberance Cook displayed during the interview is in part from the confidence he has by being named the incumbent starter. He knows in the long term, entering fall camp as the starter amounts to very little but it does provide a boost considering he didn't get any live reps in the spring.
"I think that definitely brings the confidence aspect to it," Cook said. "I've got experience now. I've got games under my belt, and I think that's definitely going to help moving into fall camp. Obviously, it's a competition like any other fall camp but that confidence is going to help me perform."
Cook said he's trying to work on his accuracy, especially his deep-ball accuracy. He wasn't using the injury as an excuse, but he did say it made it much harder to be accurate last year.
"It was tough, Cook said. "It was definitely a battle every practice and every game. You know, that was the battle I chose to make though."
Cook finished the interview by saying he wanted the fans to know he's willing to put it all on the line again to win.
"It's a new year," Cook said. "I'm going put everything I have into Mizzou football like always. My heart is going to be in the game and I'm going to do everything I can to put us on top to win Mizzou football games."
I'll have more on Cook in tomorrow's notebook.
3. Jake Garcia was a little more serious
When I say Garcia was more serious I mean so in the way that he answered a particular question. For the most part, Garcia had a smile on his face until he was asked what does he want the fans to know about him.
"I'm going to do whatever it takes to win," a straight-faced Garcia said. "Whether that means me handing the ball off and chasing the running back after I carry out my fake and I'm going to try and get the lead-block. I'm going to do everything in my power to win and I feel that's a relentless effort that rubs off on my teammates."
This isn't to say Cook and the other quarterbacks are not taking the competition, but there was something to Garcia saying he will do whatever it takes to win the competition.
I attribute that serious tone for that question to being the healthiest quarterback among Cook, Horn, and himself in spring ball and not being named the incumbent for fall camp.
But Garcia was complimentary of his fellow quarterbacks and he said at the end of the day they all want to see each other win, but there can only be one starter.
"We're all trying to take each other's job right," Garcia asked rhetorically. "That's what football is. I say it all the time, especially as a quarterback, there's only one of us. We're all trying to take each other's spot but we're all trying to see each other win. At the end of the day, it's about the team. So, regardless of how anybody feels or whatever anybody's going through, we're trying to win. So, that means that you've got to pull each other and push each other in the right way and just be able to help each other out when he's needed."
More on Garcia in the notebook.
4. Sam Horn is taking it one day at a time
The story out of SEC Media Days for Horn was that he has the talent, but it was the off-the-field stuff and adjusting to college that was throwing Horn for a loop last year. With a year under his belt, Horn appears to be in a better mental space adjusting to college.
"Being 14 hours away from home took a toll on me for a little bit but I had to get through it and I really feel like I found a home here," Horn said. "It's really about the brotherhood but those guys have taken me in, and not just the football team but the baseball team. Honestly, two teams has helped me tremendously for me just having multiple guys to reach out to find anything."
Horn did say he feels good physically (which is what we expected him to say). So, the forearm strain he suffered earlier in the year shouldn't be something that comes up down the line as something that hampers him.
Horn was also complimentary of his fellow quarterbacks and how the group is growing together, but his approach for the quarterback competition is to just focus on the task in front of him for that day.
"They're great guys," Horn said. "I really can't say enough about all of them. It's not just Brady and Jake, I mean there are all sorts of guys in there and we all kind of bond together in the quarterback room. So, it's just being able to build off each other and just learn from everybody's mistakes because at the end of the day, we all make mistakes, and we're all trying to learn.
"I'm just approaching it (the quarterback competition) one day at a time," Horn said. "I'm not really worried about the other guys because they're going to do their thing and I've just got to do my thing. So, it's just one day at a time for me and I've just got to ball every day."
To keep up with the theme of the emotions I noticed while talking to the quarterbacks, Horn seemed chill. Whether he's nervous or not or super amped up about the competition he didn't really show it. He seemed composed.
Honestly, the coaches didn't steer off too far from what they said in the spring and neither did most players we talked to, but we did get to talk to Brady Cook, Sam Horn, and Jake Garcia.
I'll be at practice all fall, so there'll be things I refer to from players we got to talk to on Sunday, but here are some of my takeaways from the team's last media day before fall camp begins tomorrow (it's a lot of quarterback stuff).
1. Drinkwitz identifies what he believes his starting quarterback will need to have
If Cook, Horn, Garcia, or anyone else wants to be the Tigers' starting quarterback this season this is what they're going to need: toughness, preparation, decision-making, accuracy, and leadership.
Those were the five qualities Drinkwitz said his quarterbacks must have if they want to win the starting quarterback job.
Drinkwitz also made note of some of the strengths and weaknesses each of his quarterbacks has starting with Cook and his experience as the starter last year, his toughness 一 mentally and physically 一 that he showed last year, and speed.
In regards to Cook's weakness, he said, "he has to improve on the question mark from last season."
This probably translates to being more accurate (especially on deeper throws) and his decision-making.
He said Horn is a big athlete who runs better than what people would expect, throws an accurate ball and has playmaking ability. However, Horn lacks the experience his fellow quarterbacks have.
Drinkwitz said Garcia is more athletic than people give him credit for and has the arm talent and has some experience. He said Garcia right now needs to continue to get comfortable with his receivers.
These are by no means all the strengths or all the weaknesses that these quarterbacks have. Just the ones that immediately came to mind for Drinkwitz.
More on what Drinkwitz wants to see out of his quarterbacks in the notebook coming out later.
2. Brady Cook seems to be healthy and happier.
I know this part isn't a quote but the first thing I noticed was Cook seemed happier. Last season, especially right after he got hurt versus Kansas State you could tell he was pushing through some things and it wasn't just the torn labrum.
So, I'm sure some of the happiness is about being healthy again.
He talked to me about rehabbing from the torn labrum injury and how his hunger to rehab was partially due to being inactive during spring ball.
"I really started (rehabbing) in January, and after you get out of that sling it's pretty much full go," Cook said happily. "I probably worked on it three and a half to four hours of the day. February and March were probably the hardest months just strengthening, stretching, mobility range of motion, and then easing into throwing.
"About halfway through spring ball I was going hard and I started throwing a little bit. I was asking the trainers can I hop in on some seven-on-sevens. I wanted to get out there for some I ended up strapping it up for some of the spring ball practices, not in team reps obviously, But I was making a couple of throws that they didn't want me making (for fear of aggravating the injury), and I was definitely hungry to get out there."
Some of the exuberance Cook displayed during the interview is in part from the confidence he has by being named the incumbent starter. He knows in the long term, entering fall camp as the starter amounts to very little but it does provide a boost considering he didn't get any live reps in the spring.
"I think that definitely brings the confidence aspect to it," Cook said. "I've got experience now. I've got games under my belt, and I think that's definitely going to help moving into fall camp. Obviously, it's a competition like any other fall camp but that confidence is going to help me perform."
Cook said he's trying to work on his accuracy, especially his deep-ball accuracy. He wasn't using the injury as an excuse, but he did say it made it much harder to be accurate last year.
"It was tough, Cook said. "It was definitely a battle every practice and every game. You know, that was the battle I chose to make though."
Cook finished the interview by saying he wanted the fans to know he's willing to put it all on the line again to win.
"It's a new year," Cook said. "I'm going put everything I have into Mizzou football like always. My heart is going to be in the game and I'm going to do everything I can to put us on top to win Mizzou football games."
I'll have more on Cook in tomorrow's notebook.
3. Jake Garcia was a little more serious
When I say Garcia was more serious I mean so in the way that he answered a particular question. For the most part, Garcia had a smile on his face until he was asked what does he want the fans to know about him.
"I'm going to do whatever it takes to win," a straight-faced Garcia said. "Whether that means me handing the ball off and chasing the running back after I carry out my fake and I'm going to try and get the lead-block. I'm going to do everything in my power to win and I feel that's a relentless effort that rubs off on my teammates."
This isn't to say Cook and the other quarterbacks are not taking the competition, but there was something to Garcia saying he will do whatever it takes to win the competition.
I attribute that serious tone for that question to being the healthiest quarterback among Cook, Horn, and himself in spring ball and not being named the incumbent for fall camp.
But Garcia was complimentary of his fellow quarterbacks and he said at the end of the day they all want to see each other win, but there can only be one starter.
"We're all trying to take each other's job right," Garcia asked rhetorically. "That's what football is. I say it all the time, especially as a quarterback, there's only one of us. We're all trying to take each other's spot but we're all trying to see each other win. At the end of the day, it's about the team. So, regardless of how anybody feels or whatever anybody's going through, we're trying to win. So, that means that you've got to pull each other and push each other in the right way and just be able to help each other out when he's needed."
More on Garcia in the notebook.
4. Sam Horn is taking it one day at a time
The story out of SEC Media Days for Horn was that he has the talent, but it was the off-the-field stuff and adjusting to college that was throwing Horn for a loop last year. With a year under his belt, Horn appears to be in a better mental space adjusting to college.
"Being 14 hours away from home took a toll on me for a little bit but I had to get through it and I really feel like I found a home here," Horn said. "It's really about the brotherhood but those guys have taken me in, and not just the football team but the baseball team. Honestly, two teams has helped me tremendously for me just having multiple guys to reach out to find anything."
Horn did say he feels good physically (which is what we expected him to say). So, the forearm strain he suffered earlier in the year shouldn't be something that comes up down the line as something that hampers him.
Horn was also complimentary of his fellow quarterbacks and how the group is growing together, but his approach for the quarterback competition is to just focus on the task in front of him for that day.
"They're great guys," Horn said. "I really can't say enough about all of them. It's not just Brady and Jake, I mean there are all sorts of guys in there and we all kind of bond together in the quarterback room. So, it's just being able to build off each other and just learn from everybody's mistakes because at the end of the day, we all make mistakes, and we're all trying to learn.
"I'm just approaching it (the quarterback competition) one day at a time," Horn said. "I'm not really worried about the other guys because they're going to do their thing and I've just got to do my thing. So, it's just one day at a time for me and I've just got to ball every day."
To keep up with the theme of the emotions I noticed while talking to the quarterbacks, Horn seemed chill. Whether he's nervous or not or super amped up about the competition he didn't really show it. He seemed composed.
