The Biggest Question Facing Mizzou's Quarterback Room in 2026

The quarterback position as a whole didn't go the way Missouri planned in 2025.

The Tigers entered Week 1 with their starter still undecided, planning to split snaps between two candidates in the season opener. That plan was ruined when one of the contenders, Sam Horn, went down with a season-ending injury when taking a carry in the first quarter. Then, the de-facto starter, Beau Pribula suffered an injury late in the season that sent true freshman Matt Zollers into action for three games, plus the bowl game.

Missouri took the first step in changing the fate of the position for 2026 by naming a starter immediately after spring practices, giving the nod to Austin Simmons. Making the decision early was a strategic move for head coach Eli Drinkwitz.

"I think one of the things that I went back and looked at where last year didn't go the way we wanted it to was the error in not naming a starting quarterback soon enough and allowing leadership to take hold within our team," Drinkwitz said in April.

Simmons is full of potential, but has attempted just 107 passes across his collegiate career, leaving plenty of questions.

Quarterback is the first on the list for a series from Missouri On SI breaking down the biggest question that each position group on the Tigers' roster will face in 2026.

Is Austin Simmons capable of being a SEC starting quarterback?

Sep 13, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Austin Simmons (13) passes the ball during the second quarter against the Arkansas Razorback at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The question really is that simple. There's no doubt that Simmons has the tools to do so. There's also no question that he has the potential to be elite at it. He'll have to turn in an answer in 2026 though.

Simmons, a transfer from Ole Miss, was named the starting quarterback immediately after spring practices. Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss also had confidence in Simmons to be the starter entering the 2025 season, but he suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 of the season that opened the door for Trinidad Chambliss to take over the starting job.

2026 should finally be the opportunity for Simmons to show what he's capable of with his elite arm strength and mobility in the pocket.

"I think he's very competitive in nature, and he's got natural talent as a quarterback, obviously, very good arm talent, decision maker, has the ability to run, " Drinkwitz said of Simmons ahead of spring practices. "Obviously, hasn't played a ton of football because of the injury last year, but when he has gotten his opportunity, has played at a really high level and high clip."

This question is undeniably one of the top that the team faces in general. In 2025, one of the biggest things holding the Tigers back was the lack of a passing game. Pribula, a former Penn State transfer, faced the same question Simmons now does, and the answer was mostly no.

Missouri had a rushing unit that ranked seventh in the country, and a defense that ranked in the top 10 in yards per game and in the top 20 in points per game. Its passing offense, however, was dead last in the SEC.

Simmons needs to not be what holds Missouri back in 2026. As was the case in 2025 for the Tigers, there's plenty of talent elsewhere. He can't be the one that holds the rest of the team back.

But the quarterback position certainly wasn't the only issue on Missouri's offense in 2025. The passing game as a whole lacked fuel and consistency.

Simmons, however, will lead an almost completely new passing offense for Missouri. There's a new offensive coordinator, with Chip Lindsey being hired to fill the role after holding the same position at Michigan in 2025. Former Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley was also hired as a quarterbacks coach.

Missouri's pass catchers will be almost entirely different, with just one of four starters at wide receiver, Donovan Olugbode, returning.

While learning the new scheme and new faces, Simmons has remained poised, according to Riley.

"There's not a lot of panic in him, learning a new system, learning his new teammates, just all those things combined, it's definitely been one of the highlights as we evaluate him," Riley said of Simmons after a spring practice.

It's a sign of Simmons' maturity — he graduated with his bachelor's degree at 19 years old. How ready the 20-year-old will be come August will be one of the biggest determining factors for the Tigers' season.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google