No one tell Sam Horn this, but we haven’t exactly been his keenest cheering section over at Rock M+:
This is a classic case of Drinkwitz trying to drum up a storyline ahead of the season
I’d be shocked if it isn’t Pribula.
… it’s got to be Pribula who can use his feet, right?
For a guy who was once considered the next great Mizzou gunslinger, that’s not a lot of high praise from the peanut gallery.
Then again, Mizzou fans have a lot of reasons to be skeptical about the prospect of “Sam Horn, Mizzou QB1”
these days. After coming to campus as the hot shot, blue chip recruit in 2022, Horn has been a largely anonymous presence. He failed to beat out Brady Cook in either of his first two seasons and then had Tommy John surgery prior to the 2024 campaign. He’s been a pretty good pitcher for both Steve Bieser and Kerrick Jackson, but since when has an SEC program with Mizzou’s CV had a starting quarterback with a better track record on the mound than behind center?
Then there’s the matter of the $1.5 million dollar man lining up next to him in the QB room. Drinkwitz and his staff publicly courted multiple transfer quarterbacks in the winter portal before signing Beau Pribula out of Penn State. The coveted dual threat playmaker with sneaky accuracy is bursting with potential and has an SEC-ready name ready to don the top of game day programs. Oh, and have we mentioned that Horn is looking likely to leave Mizzou after the 2025 season after signing a professional contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers?
So to add it up: you have a third year, formerly elite prospect with practically no game experience in college football, who is likely to leave after one potential year as a starter and would be blocking the seven-figure field general the staff fought so hard to get. Doesn’t sound like a winning platform for winning the starting job!
But then again… what if Sam Horn is the right guy for Missouri at this point in time? You have to squint a bit to see it, but I think I’m starting to get the picture.
When Horn was brought to campus, he was hailed in the mold of power arms of the past like Chase Daniel, Blaine Gabbert, and Drew Lock. While he’s got athletic ability, he’s no Brad Smith, James Franklin, or even Brady Cook in the running department. But what if that’s not what Mizzou needs right now? After all, the Tigers did just acquire the services of one Ahmad Hardy, who’s looking likely to be one of the country’s best backs over the next two years. They’ve also got a healthy crop of young receivers who need regular service. With the running game locked down and the talent to spread the ball around, does it make sense to go with the guy who may have the arm advantage? That’s not to say Pribula doesn’t have a good arm, but his obvious strength is his ability to put the ball in his own hands. With Ahmad Hardy in the fold and seemingly adapting well, maybe Pribula’s biggest selling point has become somewhat redundant.
There’s also the matter of program continuity. Say what you want about Horn, but he’s been with the program for three years and, by all accounts, has been a good teammate. When he came to Mizzou, he was excited about the prospect of playing both baseball and football for the Tigers, even if there was some doubt about his ability to do both well. Credit to him: he’s been a good enough QB to warrant consideration during most of his time here. Pribula may be the newest kid on the block, but Horn is a veteran when it comes to quarterback battles. He knows the system, he knows the coach, and he’s seen what it takes to win (and lose) the opportunity to start.
It’s also worth pointing out that Eli Drinkwitz has shown a keen eye for recognizing his own blind spots over the past few years. It took him three years to finally hire an offensive coordinator, but he got there. He’s had some turbulent hires on the defensive side of the ball, but we finally got to Corey Batoon and a modicum of staff stability. And he hasn’t been afraid to recognize when one guy works better than another who may seem like a better talent to the outside world. Think about how we wouldn’t have Cody Schrader if Drinkwitz had simply opted for Nate Peat because he was the scholarship transfer and Schrader was the Truman State walk-on.
Ultimately, the longer this quarterback battle goes on, one starts to wonder if there’s a little bit of Occam’s razor at play. Personally, I tend to lean that way in Pribula’s favor. Kirby Moore has hinted that Pribula is the favorite. The money and availability post-2025 suggests he’s the smarter long term play. And even if he’s a newcomer, he knows what it takes to win at the highest level. And we know Drinkwitz likes to play with opponents – what if he’s giving Lance Leipold plenty of guesswork to do ahead of that all-important Week Two Border War?
Then again, there’s another simple answer that’s been staring us in the face for the entirety of summer camp: That Sam Horn might be finally winning his spot. Drinkwitz is a bull, er, you-know-whatter, but not to the level where he would intentionally lie about player performance. And by all accounts – including the recent captaincy vote of the players – Horn and Pribula are both considered leaders and important members of the 2025 team. Drinkwitz has spoken glowingly about their competition, including Horn’s performance.
Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to accept Sam Horn as the once, future and (probably) short-term Mizzou QB1. If that’s how it goes, he certainly would have overcome the odds to get there. And if the last few years have taught us anything, the QB battle is only truly “won” when wins get put on the board. If Sam Horn is the guy to get Mizzou those wins in 2025, so be it.
