The Similarities, Differences of Beau Pribula, Sam Horn: The Extra Point

Analyzing the Venn diagram of playing styles of the two players competing for Missouri's starting quarterback job.

Aug 31, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Sam Horn (21) hands off to running back Nathaniel Peat (8) against the South Dakota Coyotes during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Watch the video below as Missouri On SI football reporter Joey Van Zummeren breaks down the venn diagram of playing styles between Sam Horn and Beau Pribula, the two players vying for the Tigers' starting quarterback spot for 2025.

Welcome to Missouri Tigers On SI's "Extra Point," a video series featuring the site's Missouri beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers provide analysis on a topic concerning the Tigers or the landscape of college sports.

Sam Horn and Beau Pribula come from very different parts of the country, and stand on opposing sides of the Missouri Tigers starting quarterback battle for 2025. But on the field, the two do have some similarities.

Horn is a two-sport athlete, also pitching for Missouri baseball. And you wouldn't have to even see him take the baseball diamond to know based on watching his football throwing style that he has a baseball background.

In high school, playing with Travis Hunter, Horn excelled on off-platform throws. His throws, even on deep balls, almost look effortless.

READ: 'That's My Quarterback': Travis Hunter's Relationship with Mizzou's Sam Horn

Horn's had an interesting career arc so far with Missouri. The ability to play both football and baseball was one of the top reasons he chose the Tigers as a four-star prospect in the class of 2022.

He competed with Brady Cook for Missouri's starting quarterback job in 2023, but lost that battle. He was sidelined all of last year as he recovered from Tommy John surgery stemming from a baseball injury. Still, the year off the field was valuable for Horn.

"Sam was present every day here for meetings, practices, would alternate on which days, he could throw three days a week and just kinda build up his arm," Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said at the end of MU's regular season.

Three years of experience learning Missouri's playbook and establishing chemistry within the lockeroom is an undeniable advantage Horn has over Pribula in the competition.

But, Pribula has the undeniable advantage of collegiate playing experience. He has seven times the amount of pass attempts of Horn, throwing 56 times at Penn State. He completed 37 of those attempts for 149 yards and four touchdowns, often filling in as a change-of-pace option to starter Drew Allar. He also rushed for 571 yards on 94 carries at Penn State.

Like Horn, Pribula can operate efficiently on the move, but in a different way. He's a bruising runner, using his stocky, 6-foot-2, 212-pound frame as a bowling ball downhill. Unlike Horn though, Pribula doesn't move around as much in the pocket as a passer.

And despite being new to the Missouri offense, Pribula made up for a lot of time during spring practices.

"I knew Beau would have a little bit of a learning curve still with the offense, but I was impressed with how much he’s already understanding it and knew it and grabbed a hold of it," Drinkwitz said after spring practices.

No matter who ends up winning the starting competition, Missouri's offense will feature a first-time starter who poses a threat outside the pocket and holds unknown potential.