Drinkwitz Updates Where Things Stand at QB for Mizzou After Fall Camp

A plan for the starting quarterback is coming soon, per the Tigers head coach.

Aug 18, 2025; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterbacks Sam Horn (21) and Beau Pribula (9) jog to a drill at a fall camp practice at Stephens In | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

Eli Drinkwitz is looking for closure for a decision that's kept him up "every night" over the last three and a half weeks.

With the Missouri Tigers' season opener less than a week away, the pressure is on for Drinkwitz to make the decision on who will be the starting quarterback for the 2025 season. The Tigers' quarterback battle during fall camp has featured returner Sam Horn and Penn State transfer Beau Pribula dueling for the starting position.

"Those guys have played really good, both of them, really well," Drinkwitz said while addressing the media Tuesday following the final practice of fall camp. "In fact, the two-minute, four-minute (drill) just kind of sealed it in my mind, like, 'My gosh, these guys both can play at a high level and win.'"

Throughout fall camp, Drinkwitz has repeatedly emphasized how close the competition is and that both players have inspired the other to give it their all. But that is only making the head coach's decision harder.

"You wish it was easy and that there would be something definitive that you could point at and say, 'Hey, this was the reason why,'" Drinkwitz said. "But it's not gonna be the case. So we'll figure it out from there."

With Missouri beginning preparation for its Week 1 game Wednesday, Drinkwitz said the coaching staff will make a decision at the quarterback position by Wednesday afternoon. But he declined to elaborate on whether or not that meant they'd name a starter for the season, or just create a plan for the Week 1 game where both Pribula and Horn would split playing time.

This isn't the first time Drinkwitz has been undecided on who to name as the starting quarterback going into the start of the season. In 2023, Horn competition with Brady Cook extended into Week 1 of the season, with both players getting a half of playing time.

But Drinkwitz has said this competition is very different than the one in 2023, since Cook was an incumbent starter. With both Horn and Pribula never before starting a game, the uncertainty is much greater.