Why Mizzou 'Can't Promise' Playing Time to Transfers

Even with the transfer portal additions, the Tigers' head coach gives all players the same opportunity to compete for playing time.

Aug 18, 2025; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers safety Caleb Flagg (4), cornerback Stephen Hall (0) and defensive end Darris Smith (19) in fall camp. | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

No matter how many stars a transfer might have, or the worth of his NIL deal, head coach Eli Drinkwitz assures a key part of the Missouri Tigers' identity is built off of pure competition. According to Drinkwitz, playing time is solely based off of performances on the field.

"If we bring in a transfer, that doesn't mean we can promise them anything," Drinkwitz said in a press conference on August 19. "It just means we're giving everybody an opportunity to compete."

This talk is backed up by multiple decisions on Missouri’s depth chart to begin the season.

Most notably at quarterback, where Penn State transfer Beau Pribula was put in a competition with returner Sam Horn, even after Pribula was ranked as the 12th-best quarterback available in the portal and reportedly received a $1.5 million NIL package, per On3 The competition to find the starting quarterback will extend into Week 1 of the season.

Additionally, at cornerback, Washington State transfer Stephen Hall wasn’t guaranteed a starting spot with Missouri, despite starting in 14 games over the last two seasons with Washington State. Instead, he’s set to split playing time with incumbent starter Toriano Pride Jr.

READ: 3 Things to Watch in Mizzou's Season Opener Against Central Arkansas

For Drinkwitz, it’s not about giving a leg up to either transfers or returning players. But rather creating an even playing field.

"I think guys know they get a fair shot when they come in and transfer," Drinkwitz said. "I think the guys that stay know they get a fair shot. I think that when the guys come in, they feel a sense of respect from the locker room that allows them to grow."

When recruiting players through the portal, in addition to finding players who were talented, Drinkwitz and his staff were looking for culture fits. They must meld with the team. One of the most important aspects of Drinkwitz's team is the community he has built, known as the “brotherhood.” 

"Trust is earned through competency and character, but there's a level of respect that's going to be given to anybody that walks in this building because they believe that our coaches are going to pick guys that align with the values of our program," Drinkwitz said.

Drinkwitz knows adding in a new guy from the transfer portal could affect the chemistry, so he has to make sure the player is a good fit in order to preserve the team culture. They want to find people who blend well and make the team better.

"For me, I'm a big team guy," defensive tackle Chris McClellan, a returning starter, said Saturday. "I always love when I can see guys get better, because at the end of the day, if he gets better, it's just going to make the team better. So it makes me excited that we have such good players and good depth at that as well."

One of those transfers who embraced this competition was running back Ahmad Hardy, who joined the Tigers after one season at Louisiana-Monroe.

"He's one of those guys you love to have in the locker room because he's about his business when he needs to be," Drinkwitz said of Hardy. "But he's also about enjoying the journey, and I've been really impressed and pleased with him, and look forward to seeing him play."

With his resume of a 1,351-yard freshman season and being rated as the sixth-best running back in this year’s portal cycle, Hardy’s role as Missouri’s starter was solidified as soon as he joined the team. But, he still had to find his spot in the locker room, which was no struggle for the Mississippi native.

“(Hardy) has gotten Kevin Coleman on the back of a couple of horses,” Drinkwitz said during SEC Media Days. “He loves to go fish. He and Santana Banner go fishing all the time. … Really excited about that young man. He has a great burst, understands the scheme and how to run it.”

The Tigers transfers have been welcomed in by the returners, even by those that they are competing against. Despite fighting for the same role, Horn has been a part of helping Pribula assimilate by showing him the ropes of the Missouri program.

“Those two guys have had a really good competition — the right kind of competition,” Drinkwitz said. “I told both of them: our team is either going to thrive because of this competition or be divided because of it. That’s going to be reflected in how they handle it. I think both of them have done a really good job of cheering for each other, challenging each other and connecting as teammates.”

Aug 6, 2025; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterbacks Matt Zollers (5), Beau Pribula (9) and Sam Horn (21) walk back during a drill during fall camp at Mizzou Athletic Training Complex. | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

This fall camp might have seen the team remain together, but Drinkwitz has acknowledged that focus on connecting the new and old players was something he didn't used to do quite as good of a job of.

"It takes a while to create that trust, and I for one didn't do a great job early in my tenure here creating that trust within the locker room," Drinkwitz said.

Building the “brotherhood” is something that Drinkwitz has improved on over the years. He has taken lessons from his past mistakes and makes their bond more of a priority in order to preserve their cohesion.

 "I think over the course of the last four years, I think there's been a consistency to our approach,” Drinkwitz said.“I think there's been more trust and respect built, and then it goes back to core value No. 1 which is always compete."