Report: Mizzou quarterbacks will split snaps by half in season opener
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
According to a report from college football insider Pete Thamel, Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz plans on having his two quarterbacks split up reps in the season opener by half, as the battle to be the starter rages on. That report said that graduate transfer Beau Pribula will get the start in the first half, followed by returner Sam Horn in the second.
The news comes after Coach Eli said he needed to see each QB in a game-day situation, before making his final decision on a starter. He added that the competition will not bleed into week two's game against Kansas, as he expects to have a decision with the conclusion of Thursday's game against Central Arkansas.
It's not the first time that Drinkwitz has had quarterbacks split up a game by half in the midst of a competition. In fact, this exact situation involved Horn just a couple of seasons ago. In 2023, the Tigers started former quarterback Brady Cook in the first half and let Horn take the second half. Of course, that competition ended with Cook as the starting quarterback.
When asked what he needed to see from each of his quarterbacks in the season opener, in order to make his decision, Coach Drink did not get into specifics, but said it comes down to each guy's ability to effectively lead the offense.
"I feel like both of them need to play football. I think they both demonstrated the ability of toughness, preparation, decision-making, accuracy and leadership in a practice setting, but that doesn't mean they've done it in a game setting for us," Drinkwitz said, on Saturday. "I know both of them have played college football before, but they haven't played it in this situation before and so they'll get to demonstrate that this week."
The story of fall camp has been just how tight the quarterback battle between Pribula and Horn has been. Drinkwitz hammered home just about every press conference that the two guys were neck-and-neck, but leadership will be the thing that puts one of them ahead of the other.
Now, only time will tell what Coach Drinkwitz's decision will end up being.
Pribula and Horn will kickoff the 2025 season and decide the QB competition on Thursday, Aug. 28 at 6:30 p.m. against Central Arkansas.
