The Three Most Important Quotes from Eli Drinkwitz to Close Mizzou's Fall Camp

Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz addressed the media after the Tigers' scrimmage Saturday, detailing injury updates, takeaways from the scrimmage and notable performances from fall camp. Heres' the three most important quotes, along with everything else the head coach said.

As for the headline item, Drinkwitz provided an injury update on star running back Ahmad Hardy. I'm taking the liberty of excluding the quotes on Hardy, because it would be all three quotes. You can read up on all those details at the link below.

Onto the remaining segments.

Jamal Roberts is a team captain

“Jamal's been phenomenal," Drinkwitz said of Roberts' response to Hardy's injury recovery. "Was voted a captain by his teammates yesterday, and I think he's responded the right way.”

Roberts is one of the longest-tenured Tigers on the roster, entering his fourth season with the program. The St. Louis product took on an increased role in 2025, rushing for 753 yards and six touchdowns, and is now set for an even bigger role in 2026, given Hardy won't be available at the start of the season.

Sept 13, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Jamal Roberts rushes during a play in the second quarter at Faurot Field. | Cal Tobias

Roberts is the first publicly-named captain this season. You can make a few strong guesses for whom the rest may be, but Roberts is the first.

His awarding of the title speaks to the leadership he's taken in the running back room and in the offense.

Players who made jumps

Drinkwitz highlighted a few players that he believed had made jumps and what specifically they improved on. Four are on the offense and two on defense.

"Donovan Olugbode is a guy that we expected to make a jump and continues to impress as a receiver to play every down and add more to this game of just back shoulders," Drinkwitz said. "Wanted to see Austin Simmons make a jump from the spring and understanding the offense and spread the ball around. I think tonight was was his best scrimmage opportunity that he's had. I thought he played really well. I think about Whit Hafer and Jack Lange, both those guys at the tackle positions have done excellent job. I kind of already highlighted the defensive guys, but Darris Smith and (Daeden) Hopkins have just really been really good at the edge position for us.

Austin Simmons at Fall Camp | Killian Wright/Missouri Tigers On SI

Drinkwitz highlighting that the most recent scrimmage was Simmons' best outing is nice to hear — the first-time Tiger catching his stride right before the season starts is ideal. Olugbode will be one of Simmons' top receivers, so hearing that the sophomore continues to add elements to his game is another positive sign for the growing versatility of a Missouri offense that was quite simple a season ago.

Whit Hafer and Jack Lange being highlighted as big improvers is a good sign for the offensive line. Lange, a four-star prospect in the class of 2025, is talented but raw. He'll likely be the third offensive tackle this season, so as the next man up, his level of play is important.

Hafer has shined as a utility player throughout camp. He transitioned from tight end to offensive line ahead of the 2025 season and has spent time both on the outside and the interior during camp.

Smith, who bulked up from 240 to 265 pounds over the offseason, is set to take over in the long line of dominant Missouri edge rushers. Hopkins, a sophomore, has a freakishly-athletic profile and potential to turn into a contributor in 2026.

Non-Hardy injury updates

Four Tigers suffered nick-nack injuries throughout fall camp. Drinkwitz provided updates on the quartet.

Monarch High School wide receiver Jabari Brady on an official visit to Columbia, Missouri on Sunday, June 1, 2025. | via @_jbrady1 on Instagram, Mizzou Athletics

"Donta Simpson had a medical condition that prevented him from practicing until about the 11th of August, and then he was in a return to play protocol. He's been totally cleared. He's ready to go. He took every rep tonight that he was supposed to take," Drinkwitz said. "Gavin Hoffman kind of nicked up a hamstring. It was a grade-one strain. We anticipate by Monday he'll be back to full speed. Jabari Brady hyperextended his knee, had a little bit of a bone bruise, his back recovering and rehab. I don't know if it'll be Monday, but I anticipate by the end of the week he'll be back in. And then really the only other injury was Braylon Ellison had an injury on the first Wednesday, but his rehab's going well. I don't know if he'll be back this week, but I anticipate by the by the first game he would be close."

Brady and Ellison are three-star true freshman, both of which are in talented rooms but are set to be contributors down the line and could see action in Missouri's nonconference slate.

Simpson is a sophomore transfer from Miami that joins a talented defensive tackle room with three fifth-year seniors. Hoffman is entering his second year with the Tigers after transferring from Iowa ahead of the 2025 season. He did not record a reception in 2025.

Everything else Eli Drinkwitz said

On what he's learned from his team since the start of fall camp

"I think Langden Kitchen's done an excellent job of being a field man and being a pass rush guy," Drinkwitz said. "I think Marquis Gracial and Jalen Marshall are two big physical guys. Been great to get started with back. Jason Dowell's had excellent camp. Donta (Simpson's) going to be a pass-rushing ability from the inside for us. Robert Woodyard is playing some really fast downhill football right now in the Mike linebacker position. I think you know Chris Graves had an interception tonight. Sione's length is is really a challenge for us to to throw the ball up, and it's really impressive in the corner. I think Jahlil Florence had an interceptino. No, yeah, (Kensley Louidor-Faustin) and Jahlil had interceptions tonight too. So you know I've been impressed with the way those guys have played offensively, just seeing the offensive line really come together. Austin had a couple of really big-time throws tonight, which was good to see pushing the ball down the field. So, yeah, I think all those things were kind of questions answered."

On the progression from the tight ends

"I mean, there's been some really good plays. I think Brett had about a 45-yard catch tonight that was really good to see, and had a 50-yarder last week on the scrimmage game. So it's good to see the ball in the air a little bit further down the field. Tonight was a was a seed ball that that had to get elevated. He went up, made a big time catch with his catch rates and elevated over a safety that was down cover three. So that was good to see for sure."

On Austin Simmons' scrimmage performance

"I thought tonight was just he started really fast. I mean, the first drive, I think he was no incompletions and threw about a 35, maybe a 40-yard touchdown to Caleb Goodie down the middle of the field, which was awesome. Came back next drive, threw a back shoulder to Donovan for a touchdown, which was really good. You know, we trailed a little bit after that. Didn't quite have the same attention to detail with the entire offense. Had a couple of ball starts that hampered some drives, but overall, I thought he did a nice job of just learning his teammates, knowing the football team, or knowing the situation, being comfortable within the offense, understanding checks, you know, and delivering the offense the way we need to. Now it's really about defining for game plans and getting specific and being able to execute high level."

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