Mizzou Offensive Players Talk Adjustments of Playing With Austin Simmons

Key returners on Missouri's offense are getting their first impressions of, potentially, their new starting quarterback.

Jan 8, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Austin Simmons (13) against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It feels like Austin Simmons is bound to be the starting quarterback for the Missouri Tigers in 2026, despite head coach Eli Drinkwitz stating there will be a competition.

Before that can happen, Simmons must get acusotmed to the returning players, along with the new guys around him. The leaders on Missouri's roster that were in Columbia last season are, for the first time, getting their first impressions of Simmons on the practice field.

The addition of Simmons was an exciting one for various reasons, including entering the 2025 season for Ole Miss as the starting quarterback. He has flashes on his game film that make it clear why he can start for the Tigers right away.

There will be some differences if Simmons at the helm, however. It's no secret that Simmons is left-handed, which can flip an offense around and make it different compared to having a righty.

This is a change that sophomore wide receiver Donovan Olugbode has noticed already. It took some adjusting for Olugbode to figure out how to catch a ball from a left-handed quarterback, but he's starting to figure it out with more reps.

Oct. 11, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers Wide Receiver Donovan Olugbode catches a 27-yard pass from Beau Pribula. | Sam Simon/MissouriOnSI

"At first it was weird, because that was my first time catching it from a left-handed quarterback," Olugbode told the media at a spring practice availability on Tuesday. "It takes time to get used to, but I got used to it pretty fast. So it's solid."

The life of left tackle Cayden Green won't change much, though there are slight differences. For Green, his main task remains the same: not allowing Simmons, or whoever is behind him at quarterback, to get hit.

"I don't know if it changes much for me, per se," Green said. "My job is still to stay in front of the man in front of me, but it definitely looks a little different on film when it's coming out with a left-handed quarterback versus a right one."

Simmons is also getting to spend time with his offensive teammates off of the football field. Simmons and sophomore quarterback Matt Zollers will frequently spend time with Green and other offensive linemen with the hopes of creating an off-the-field connection that could translate to games.

"Him and Matt, they're really cool," Green said. "They come over the house sometimes, kick it with the O line. So, yeah, they're both dope."

Along with Simmons, the Tigers added five new offensive linemen in the transfer portal, along with five incoming freshmen. Despite Green, Dominick Giudice and Curtis Peagler being returning starters, there is still plenty of continuity on the entire position group.

Though it's very early into Missouri's spring practice schedule, Green is already seeing some initiative from those who haven't been with the team for that long.

"You look out there, everybody's still out here getting sets working, on stuff they're bad at," Green said. "So we did a really good job of getting guys to fit the culture here. Just a bunch of blue-collar guys."