Mizzou football begins position battles on day one of fall camp
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Mizzou football team kicked off the 2022 edition of fall camp on Monday morning, as the battles for starting spots begin.
You can watch extended highlights from the first day of fall camp in the video player below.
"I've been practicing some of my dad jokes most of the summer for these guys. I've been breaking them out," head coach Eli Drinkwitz said.
One position battle to focus on, for the second year in a row, is who will start behind center. The starting quarterback position is up for grabs between Jack Abraham, Brady Cook, Tyler Macon, and Sam Horn.
"My goal is to help us win," Drinkwitz said. "Whatever that takes. If we feel like in the first game we need to play multiple people at quarterback, that's what we'll do. If we feel like it gives us the best advantage to play with one quarterback, we'll play with one. We're not here to make everybody happy. This is isn't happiness camp, it's not club med, this ain't participation trophy, it's about winning."
Whichever quarterback wins that battle will have plenty of options on who to send the ball to. Wide receiver Chance Luper said there are a bunch of guys who can make plays.
"We're like three or four deep, talent that has not been here in a long time," he said. "Everybody has real high confidence in our receiver room and everybody knows that we are going to make plays."
Watch the full interview with Luper in the video player below.
Also for the second-straight year, the MU defense will adjust to a new defensive coordinator. Blake Baker began implementing his scheme in the spring, but has said he wants to hit the ground running in fall ball.
"Basically just come together as a unit," said Mizzou linebacker Chad Bailey. "You know what I'm saying, hold each other accountable. I think that's the real mindset, you know, yeah we got a new scheme going in, but the more we work the easier it is going to be to get it right."
Watch the full interview with Bailey in the video player below.
Which position has Drinkwitz been keeping his eye on? The answer might surprise you.
"That punting competition," he said. "Started with punt today, starts with handling the punt, and we've got, obviously, directional kicking and you got to match the hang time with coverage. All three of those guys have got big legs, but it's got to be consistent. You can't out-kick your coverage, you can't miss the ball inside the hash. So, that's going to be something to watch."
