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FOOTBALL TALKING TO ELI DRINKWITZ, KRIS ABRAMS-DRAINE, DARIUS ROBINSON, AND JAVON FOSTER

JHamilton23

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Jun 18, 2022
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A lot of info still being added to this, so I'll continue to update as I go.

Head coach Eli Drinkwitz wouldn’t give a starter of course but he confirmed what we were thinking and that is Brady Cook is entering fall camp as the No. 1 but he said it's still in open competition. He said Cook attacked his rehab and not being able to compete in spring ball is what probably motivated that.

Drinkwitz is in no rush to name a starter and said that the QB battle can go into the first couple of weeks of the season if it has to. It's also possible multiple quarterbacks play week one.

Drinkwitz said that they’ve “divided the special teams responsibilities.” So, Erik Link is still leading the charge for the group but Drinkwitz and defensive coordinator Blake Baker will be in charge of the kickoff team and cornerbacks coach Al Pogue will be in charge of the kickoff return team “to try and add more voices and emphasis on those specific phases of the game.”

“And then obviously, offensively, we've got to score more points,” Drinkwitz said. “You know, I felt like the first two years offensively we were we were where we needed to be. But last year was obvious to me that I wasn't providing the benefit that we needed to on the offensive side of the ball. And so wanted to embrace my role as the head coach and give, give up the play calling and the coordinating responsibilities, and I’m excited about what Kirby is going to do and what that offense is going to look like.”

Kirby Moore will be calling the plays. Drink says he's most excited to "being more attacking."

Running back will still be a by-committee approach although he’d like a 1,000-yard rusher. Drinkwitz did say Nate Peat had a good spring.

Drinkwitz, defensive lineman Darius Robinson and offneisve lineman Javon Foster all raved about sophomore Armand Membou. Foster said Membou will be at SEC Media Days as one of the better players on the team. I think Robinson called him special or alluded to that.

Whenever a question about the offensive line was brought up only Membou really was talked about as a standout (not including Foster himself).

Drinkwitz said the wide receiver position is the deepest on the team. He’s excited about Luther Burden going to the slot and Theo Wease being the x-receiver on the outside.

Robinson will play EDGE or defensive tackle based on the matchup that week.

Drinkwitz said Johnny Walker has been doing a good job. So, I’d imagine as of now he’s one of the starting defensive ends. I’d imagine maybe they’d have three guys they name a starter-level player (Robinson, Walker and someone else). If Robinson will only play EDGE sometime then there needs to be another person to start at EDGE or play a healthy amount of snaps at the position when Robinson is off the field or on the inside.

DJ Wesolak has moved back to defensive end in what Drink called “a more natural position for him.”

Drinkwitz mentioned the other defensive ends but said they were all fighting and hungry. But he didn’t mention any of them by name.

Someone asked me to ask about Nyles Gaddy not being on the mutigers roster. The SID told me that was his mistake and Drink said that Gaddy is fine. The only changes are wide receiver Chance Luper and Xavier Simmons have been moved to “medical scholarships.”

Drink was talking as if Xavier Delgado will enter camp as starting left guard. The position is up for grabs but it just seems like Delgado is the de facto one.

The line entering camp seems to be LT Javon Foster, LG Delgado, C Cam’Ron Johnson, RG Armand Membou, RT Marcellus Johnson

Because of the players in the middle at defensive tackle, linebacker and safety, Mizzou doesn't worry about putting a bigger load on the secondary. So, its still looking for DEs but its not too worried about the defense.

Cornerback Dreyden Norwood is a guy that the Tigers continue to feel comfortable as the No. 3. He was the No. 3 guy last year, but it just seems he’s gotten better and Drink and KAD alluded to being able to play more aggressively because the Tigers have Norwood.

Wide receiver Mekhi Miller will be getting slot snaps and the way Drinkwitz talked about him it seems like he will be one of the first off of the bench.

Robinson said he's still talking to former Mizzou defensive ends Isaiah McGuire and Trajan Jeffcoat as he learns the defensive end position. He's also gained a mentor in former NFL head coach Rod Marinelli.

Kris Abrams-Draine called Triston Newson a "playmaker" and a "ballhawk." Words that's been associated with Newson since he got here.

All of the players who were here in Nashville said they came back because they want to help the team win.

KAD said three-star signee cornerback Shamar McNeil "is the future of Mizzou football." He called him coachable.

KAD called four-star safety Marvin Burks a "dog"and said they call him
"Starvin Marvin." Both McNeil and Burks have been rumored to break the rotation as true freshmen.

Javon Foster's impression of the new center Cam'Ron Johnson was really simple. He shook his head and said "great player. He said Johnson works hard and does what's asked of him.

Foster alluded to Marcellus Johnson coming in and immediately fitting in with the guys.

He said last year the offensive line left a lot on the table and said that the motto for the group and team as a whole is "STP" which means something to prove.
 
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