Mizzou football kicks off fall camp with a high-energy day one
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The 2024 edition of Mizzou fall camp officially got underway on Monday morning, as head coach Eli Drinkwitz and his team held practice No. 1 in the Stephen's Indoor Practice Facility.
The team allowed media to observe practice for the opening periods and, during that time, it was a high-energy ordeal. You can watch extended highlights from the first practice of the fall in the video player below.
Monday was the first step in MU's goal to follow up the success it found one season ago. Mizzou coaches and players have made it clear that they are turning the page from 2023's 11-2 finish and Cotton Bowl win. In the words of quarterback Brady Cook, all that matters is the 2024 record.
Wide receiver Luther Burden will be a big part of the Tigers' hope for more success. He's a part of a stacked receiver room, led by assistant Jacob Peeler.
Burden, an East St. Louis native, has not announced if 2024 will be his final season in Columbia or not, as he is now eligible for the NFL Draft, but fans can count on him making it one to remember, either way.
"I can't wait to, you know, get back out there," he said during Sunday's media availability. "It's a lot of excitement, you know, a lot of hype around this team and I just can't wait to go back out there and show why we are the best."
Coaches and teammates alike said one of the singular most impressive things about Burden's growth over his now three season in Columbia has been his unselfishness. The wide receiver will be the first one to be a cheerleader for his teammates' accomplishments, something that Coach Drink will take him far.
"His first year, after a game where he didn't have as many catches as he would like, you know, we took all of our stuff off of social media and created a story about that. Then, fast forward to a year after the Tennessee and Arkansas games, when the conversation comes about Cody Schrader, Luther Burden is his biggest cheerleader," Drinkwitz said. "To me, that's the biggest growth. He's a great player, who's very gifted and can change the game, but he's more concerned about the team."
Drinkwitz and company now have one fall camp practice in the books, with 16 more to go.
