Missouri QB competition: Eli Drinkwitz offers update on battle, timeline for decision

On Tuesday, Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said the team will make a quarterback decision within the next 24 hours, per MizzouToday‘s Kyle McAreavy. Sam Horn and Penn State transfer quarterback Beau Pribula are currently competing for the QB1 title.

Horn is entering his fifth season at Missouri and is the only returning quarterback on the roster. Nonetheless, he still lacks in-game experience and has only made four career appearances.

Horn didn’t see any action last season due to an injury. His future with the team was uncertain after he heard his name called in the MLB Draft in July. Alas, Drinkwitz confirmed Horn will be on the team this fall.

In contrast, Pribula spent three seasons at Penn State, amassing 424 passing yards and nine touchdowns in 24 career appearances. Pribula is also a legitimate rushing threat. He tallied 571 yards and 10 scores on just 94 carries with the Nittany Lions.

Of course, Pribula doesn’t have nearly as much experience in Missouri’s offensive system, though. At SEC Media Days in July, Drinkwitz revealed what he’s looking for in Missouri’s next starting QB.

“We don’t need a celebrity quarterback,” Drinkwitz said. “We need somebody who, when the game is on the line, he’s going to make the best decision for our team. He’s going to take care of the football. He’s going to get our team in the end zone. It’s not about stats. It’s about production… Who learns the best from mistakes, right? You can’t consistently make the same mistake at the quarterback position and be the starting quarterback.”

Whoever lands the starting role will provide a fresh look for the Tigers. Quarterback Brady Cook was Missouri’s starter for the past three seasons, but moved on to the NFL this offseason.

Cook helped lead Missouri into a new era, guiding the Tigers to back-to-back 10-win seasons the last two years. Now, Missouri’s next QB will be expected to build on that momentum. Drinkwitz has been happy with the way his quarterbacks have performed in fall camp thus far.

“They’ve all done some really good things. Now it’s about seeing, do they continually make that same mistake, or can they self-correct?” Drinkwitz said. “I think both of them threw a pick, but then right there, in the next (period), both of them threw a touchdown. I think that’s exactly what you want to see. That’s how you want this quarterback battle to go.”

On Aug. 28, Missouri will kick off its 2025 campaign with a showdown against Central Arkansas at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on the SEC Network.