Mizzou tackles the unofficial start to the college football season

DALLAS, Texas (KMIZ)

The Mizzou football team is now one step closer to kickoff.

The Tigers tackled the 2024 edition of SEC Media Days in Dallas, on Tuesday. MU came into the event off of the best season its seen in the head coach Eli Drinkwitz era, capturing 11 wins in 2023. However, the team made it clear that the page has been turned.

“No one’s going to be talking about the Cotton Bowl versus Ohio State anymore moving forward," quarterback Brady Cook said. "It’s in the past.” 

You can watch the full local media session with Cook, as well as wide receiver Luther Burden and defensive lineman Kristian Williams in the video players below.

Mizzou is focusing on the present. In the here and now, there's one thing that's clear to Coach Drink: this team needs leaders. Following the standout 2023 campaign, several of his top talents, including defensive lineman Darius Robinson, running back Cody Schrader and others, graduated. He said it's not so much about losing their playing abilities, but losing those guys' ability to lead a football team.

“I’m not worried about replacing the talent. I’m worried about replacing the competitive character, the competitive spirit, the physical toughness that each one of those guys uh presented on a daily basis," Drinkwitz said.

You can watch the full local media session with Coach Eli in the video player below.

Drinkwitz said that the three guys he brought with him to SEC Media Days - quarterback Brady Cook, wide receiver Luther Burden and defensive lineman Kristian Williams - are the ones he will expect to step into those leadership holes.

The team is well-aware that the fan base has higher expectations than ever after last season, but Cook said that their standards, inside the building, are even higher.

"As long as that standard matches the expectations and we can kind of block that out, while still doing the work like we need to do, still staying focused like we need to do and just taking it week-by-week, I think we'll be in a good spot," Cook said. https://youtu.be/XAIfvqL2FpY

Mizzou will kick off the season on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. against Murray State.