Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III signs an autograph for fan Sylvan Borns, 20, a sophomore at Mizzou, after Missouri鈥檚 Black and Gold spring game on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo.
COLUMBIA, Mo. 鈥 The Missouri football program has had unprecedented stages set for upcoming seasons before Eli Drinkwitz, but never has a year been set up quite like this.
His first season coaching the Tigers, in 2020, had all the reworkings and tension of the pandemic, which made it an oddity for every program in the nation. And sure, an ever-changing mix of players on the roster each season makes variety the norm.
From the margin of an expected victory to depth players' roles to the aggressiveness of playcalling, there's plenty to follow as the Tigers kick off their season.聽
But the 2024 preseason has already shown that this year is different.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e all been a little bit different and unique based off of different coaches, different players,鈥 Drinkwitz said. 鈥淭his one鈥檚 uniquely its own just because of the opportunities that lie ahead of us.鈥
Atop any list of opportunities available to No. 11 Mizzou this season, which begins at 7 p.m. Thursday against Murray State, is a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
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Never before have the Tigers, on the doorstep of a season鈥檚 start, been considered a legitimate playoff contender.
Expectations were high in 2008 when MU earned a No. 6 spot in the preseason AP Poll after briefly holding the top spot late in the 2007 season. Missouri also made it into the preseason Top 25 in 2011, 2014 and 2015.
But the College Football Playoff itself has only been around since 2014, and only four teams have made the cut in each season until now 鈥 meaning a very select number of teams could consider themselves legitimate contenders.
Make that a dozen, put Mizzou among the initial group and there鈥檚 something to the Tigers鈥 chances.
Internally, Drinkwitz is adamant that expanded opportunity doesn鈥檛 change any goals.
鈥淔rom Day 1, our goal is to compete for the SEC and play for championships,鈥 he said, 鈥渁nd that really hasn鈥檛 changed at all.鈥
Conversely, earning a spot in the Southeastern Conference title game this year became more difficult for MU with the additions of former Big 12 opponents Texas and Oklahoma. The Sooners are on the Tigers鈥 schedule in what might be the most hotly anticipated game of the year, and while the Longhorns aren鈥檛, they鈥檙e among the favorites to finish atop the 16-team conference standings.
The differences for Missouri between the impending college football season and any other show themselves in subtle ways.
Drinkwitz, for example, continues to urge his players to avert their eyes and ears from preseason chatter 鈥 the timing and presence of that message are not unique at all. But look or listen closely, and something has changed.
鈥淚n the past, we had to ignore the noise and the naysayers,鈥 Drinkwitz said. 鈥淣ow, we鈥檝e kind of got to ignore the noise and the praise-givers.鈥
The differences are also visible in two players who occupy quite different roles on the roster: quarterback Brady Cook and defensive tackle Chris McClellan. They play on opposite sides of the ball, of course, and while the latter is only an inch taller than the former, McClellan outweighs Cook by 115 pounds.
That鈥檚 not the difference of note 鈥 rather, it鈥檚 that they鈥檙e on this team through very different circumstances.
Mizzou recruited both out of high school. Cook committed to the Tigers; McClellan didn鈥檛.
Cook鈥檚 journey led him from a backup role to a bowl game starter to an embattled starter to an embraced one. Beyond the use of a helicopter for his name, image, likeness promotional appearances, things are different for him on a personal level.
鈥淭he fact of the matter is, I have a lot more 鈥 whether you want to call it respect or love towards my name, whether it鈥檚 Mizzou fans or fans from St. 香港三级片,鈥 Cook said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 great. It鈥檚 a part of it, it鈥檚 a part of coming off a great season. But just as quickly, that can turn. I think it comes with the position, good or bad.鈥
McClellan, meanwhile, started his college career at Florida, where he played against MU before picking the Tigers out of the transfer portal. That鈥檚 a difference in itself 鈥 Missouri picking up a transfer from another SEC program.
The defensive tackle is aware of changes from his recruitment to the team he ultimately joined. The key to what he鈥檚 seen is that it didn鈥檛 surprise him.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a big difference,鈥 McClellan said. 鈥淛ust seeing the development, just watching Drink 鈥 literally everything he told me when I was in high school, he鈥檚 done step by step.鈥
The inherent, and at times beneficial, churn of college football rosters means there will be differences in who suits up for the Tigers this fall. The defensive end wearing No. 6 is not Darius Robinson, who was a first-round draft pick for the NFL鈥檚 Arizona Cardinals, but five-star freshman Williams Nwaneri. There are two new starting cornerbacks, and Thursday will be defensive coordinator Corey Batoon鈥檚 first game in charge of the defense.
And in another change felt acutely by Cook, Cody Schrader won鈥檛 be Mizzou鈥檚 tailback. Transfer rushers Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll will share that duty this season.
鈥淚 mean, Cody took a ton of reps,鈥 Cook said. 鈥淗e would hardly come out of the game. He鈥檚 full-go every single play, so I always knew Cody was there in the backfield. It鈥檚 a little different.鈥
Time will tell just how different Missouri鈥檚 2024 season will wind up being. Three nonconference home games and an SEC opener against Vanderbilt are a favorable start to the year. Mizzou might remain somewhat of a mystery until an October game at No. 20 Texas A&M.
But if proof can be in the pudding, the Tigers can find preseason validation in these differences 鈥 the kind that set the stage for a novel 2024 season.
