Mizzou’s first loss of the season left a clear message for the Tigers: There is plenty to fix, but no time to dwell on mistakes.
As Mizzou turns its attention to Florida, head coach Eli Drinkwitz repeatedly pointed to the same issues that contributed to the loss at Mississippi State — a slow start, a lack of capitalization on opportunities and an inability to finish.
Mizzou opened the Mississippi State game with opportunities but failed to make plays when it mattered most, including a turnover on downs
after a 10-play offensive drive. Drinkwitz contributed a lot of the stalled drives to offensive penalties that repeatedly put them behind the chains.
The solution isn’t necessarily dramatic.
“There’s not a whole lot of changes to be made about it,” he said. “But it’s something that you get what you emphasize. You encourage what you tolerate. You can’t tolerate those starts anymore.”
The Tigers will need that emphasis against a Florida team Drinkwitz described as talented in all three phases and playing behind the energy of first-year coach Jon Sumrall.
A Test Against Florida’s Physicality
Drinkwitz singled out Florida running back Jadan Baugh as a major challenge for a Mizzou defense that struggled with tackling against Mississippi State. Baugh is a downhill, physical runner who can be used in a variety of ways.
“We’ve got to do a better job getting guys on the ground,” Drinkwitz said.
Drinkwitz reported that both Darris Smith and Langden Kitchen are currently questionable, but are both listed as starters on this week’s depth chart. Mizzou defensive lineman Marquis Gracial acknowledged the Tigers have plenty of work to do, especially with two starting pass rushers potentially being limited.
“I don’t think we’re bad,” Gracial said. “I just think we got stuff that we got to work on, like tackling and things like that.”
The Tigers will also have to contend with Florida’s defensive front. Offensive lineman Dom Giudice said Mizzou has spent the week preparing for the different fronts and formations the Gators can present.
“They have a really good front,” Giudice said. “We’re excited to take on this challenge.”
Drinkwitz emphasized that last week’s loss does not define Mizzou’s season.
He pointed to the way the Tigers fought through the middle portions of the Mississippi State game, while acknowledging that execution to start and close was lackluster.
“In this day and age, everybody wants to be really quick to write people off and write chapters of a story or finality,” Drinkwitz said. “But seasons are long seasons.”
Mizzou’s defense has several emerging talents, but it’s yet to put things all together. Gracial praised Donta Simpson and Jason Dowell for their development and production on the interior, while Elijah Dotson highlighted cornerback Jahlil Florence’s continued playmaking.
Special teams remains another source of momentum. Drinkwitz praised punter Brunno Reus, whose ability to pin opponents deep has helped Mizzou overcome some of its slow starts.
“In the two games that we’ve been slow, his punts inside the five have really been what sparked us,” Drinkwitz said.
The way the Tigers respond will be a huge indicator of how the rest of this season could go. Florida presents a golden opportunity for Drinkwitz and this team to show they can weather the storm of what many believe is the toughest conference in college football.
“We got to speed up the response,” Drinkwitz said. “And we got to have a bounce-back factor for sure.”
