Why Eli Drinkwitz was Quick to Name Mizzou's Starting Quarterback

Missouri didn't name a starting quarterback until after its Week 1 win over Central Arkansas last season. Even then, head coach Eli Drinkwitz wasn't given much of a choice — his hand was forced by circumstances beyond his control.

Transfer Beau Pribula, who had never started a game in his previous three seasons at Penn State, was competing throughout the offseason with returning signal-caller Sam Horn, who'd thrown eight passes in his collegiate career ahead of the 2025 season. The battle for QB1 extended past the offseason and into Week 1, when Drinkwitz decided Pribula would start the first half, and Horn would start the second.

The end of the battle never came to fruition, though, as Horn suffered a season-ending meniscus tear on his first play of the game. Missouri then had eight days between that game and its highly-anticipated rivalry matchup against Kansas. Drinkwitz believed the delay in naming a starter was a root of last season's shortcomings.

"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.

Who's Missouri's starting quarterback in 2026?

There won't be a last-minute quarterback debacle this season. Drinkwitz was quick to decide on his top option this offseason, naming Ole Miss transfer Austin Simmons as the starter at the conclusion of Missouri's spring practice. Simmons possessed traits that outweighed Drinkwitz's concerns of naming a starter too rash.

"Austin had has the game experience," Drinkwitz said. "He was better in managing the team in two-minute drills and in the game situations, which I think has been a real positive. And so, you know, to allow him to develop relationships with our wide receivers, timing with the wide receivers and tight ends, and allow him to really establish himself as a leader, I thought was more beneficial than waiting to be 100% for sure."

Simmons spent the last three seasons at Ole Miss, starting two games in the 2025 season before suffering an injury and subsequently losing his starting spot to breakout star Trinidad Chambliss. The now-Missouri starter threw for 744 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 45 of his 75 passing attempts. He rushed for an additional touchdown and 71 yards on the ground.

Simmons now brings his dual-threat talent to Missouri, where he'll look to unlock Missouri's offense alongside wideouts Cayden Lee and Donovan Olugbode, running backs Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts, and a new-look offensive line helmed by All-SEC tackle Cayden Green.

The Tigers will open their season with a non-conference matchup against Arkansas-Pine Bluff before traveling to Lawrence to take on the Kansas Jayhawks in Week 2.

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