Mizzou football moves into final full week of fall camp
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Mizzou football is in the home stretch of its preparation for the 2026 season.
On Monday, the Tigers will enter their final full week of fall camp, as head coach Eli Drinkwitz and company are now less than 20 days away from opening up the season against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday, Sept. 3.
This is the point where camp really start to feel real, as the depth chart is beginning to take shape. To that end, Mizzou held its first scrimmage of fall camp, on Saturday.
"A lot of good and I'm sure there'll be a lot of bad," Drinkwitz said. "I'm sure there'll be a lot of stuff that we can take off the tape. Just trying to get a measuring stick where we're at after two weeks."
That scrimmage was a good opportunity for Coach Eli to also see where his new starting quarterback is at with his new system. Ole Miss transfer Austin Simmons is hoping to help take the Tiger passing attack to the next level in 2026, but that process doesn't come without some growth and adversity.
"He threw an interception the first drive today and then came back and threw a touchdown, so you know I think that's growth I think it's emotional consistency and maturity," Drinkwitz said. "He's very coachable, he learns from his mistakes, he doesn't let a mistake bother him."
Of course, the quarterback position is one that we came into fall camp with zero questions around, as Coach Eli named Simmons the starter, following spring camp. However, there were still lingering questions in other position groups.
Tiger fans got the answer to one of the big starting jobs open on offense, on Saturday. After the scrimmage, Drinkwitz told local media members that he feels pretty comfortable with Mississippi State transfer Luke Work sliding into the starting right tackle job, as he will be tasked with protecting Simmons', a lefty quarterback, blind side.
Now, the biggest question mark hanging over Mizzou this preseason is the status of All-American running back Ahmad Hardy. Of course, the Mississippi native is in return-to-play protocol, as he's been rehabbing from a gunshot wound he suffered to his leg in a shooting a concert in early May.
Hardy has not been practicing in fall camp, but is able to participate in walk-throughs. Coach Drinkwitz said that he will have an update on where Hardy is at at the end of his first 'five-week block,' of rehab, which will be on Aug. 22.
Until then, the Tigers will continue on with fall camp with the season opener looming on the horizon.
