Missouri’s latest practice was anything but light. Players circled through drills with the intensity you’d expect from the final stretch of fall camp. Special teams working onside recovery, Brett Norfleet slicing through one-on-ones with crisp routes, and Logan Muckey dancing through the end zone after a long grab. It was practice No. 14, the point in camp where the grind and the goal start to collide. Every coach’s voice was sharper and every player’s urgency more obvious. The Tigers are in “execution week,” Eli Drinkwitz‘s term for the period where mistakes shrink and attention to detail grows. And with Saturday’s road scrimmage at Lindenwood University looming, the physical and mental load was at its peak. Then came a much needed break.
After the final whistle, Eli Drinkwitz gathered the Tigers and gave them a piece of news no one saw coming. A timely day-off before the final push. On August 13, ABC17NEWS reported that Beau Pribula and co. will have an off day on Thursday. A complete reset before getting back for the final practice on Friday ahead of the second scrimmage.
Credits: Eli Drinkwitz Instagram
It’s more than just a gift to tired legs. Eli Drinkwitz has been vocal about wanting his team fresh and focused for Lindenwood, a road trip simulation designed to correct last year’s shaky away-game record (2-3 compared to 7-0 home games). The scrimmage will have all the trimmings of a real Saturday with travel schedule, crowd noise, sideline management, and game-speed execution. For veterans, it’s a chance to fine-tune habits. For younger players, it’s a preview of the stage they’ll have to own.
The timing of this rest couldn’t be better. Camp is a war of attrition, and bodies start to betray players in the final week. It’s not unusual for hamstrings to tighten, reaction times to slow, and decision-making to dip. A day off now doesn’t mean pulling back. It means ensuring Friday’s practice and Saturday’s scrimmage are at full intensity. And for at least one position battle, that freshness could decide who wins the job.
Does Eli Drinkwitz have a clear QB1?
For the first time since 2020, Missouri will open without Brady Cook at QB1. But the locker room isn’t sweating it. The Horn vs. Pribula race has been too good to induce panic. Sam Horn, the redshirt junior with the cannon arm, has looked sharper with each practice, showing improved decision-making in scrimmages. Beau Pribula, the Penn State graduate transfer, brings a mobile, improvisational style that’s quickly won over teammates. In the Tigers’ second scrimmage, both led scoring drives, with the latter capping one with a touchdown.
Still, Eli Drinkwitz isn’t declaring a winner saying they “don’t have a starting quarterback yet.” After last Saturday’s scrimmage, he didn’t mince words, “Was really looking to see some separation today, and I honestly just didn’t see it. They’re both playing really good football right now. So, we’ll go into next week and keep the battle going.” Still, PowerMizzou’s Gabe DeArmond believes the coach already knows who his QB1 will be. “It is my belief that Beau Pribula will likely start the Central Arkansas game,” he said on his show. Still, uncertainty hangs thick. “This is not a guarantee that Beau Pribula is the starter. I can’t say that because Eli Drinkwitz isn’t saying it,” he added. But history shows the opener’s snap counts will tell the real story.
If both QBs play meaningful minutes with the game still alive, the battle’s legit. If not, the decision’s been made. That off-day might just look like a rest on paper. But in the heat of camp, it could be the margin that decides not just jobs but wins.
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