Mizzou football head coach Eli Drinkwitz and several players painted a picture of what to expect for the Tigers’ season this fall at the Southeastern Conference Media Days Thursday.
Drinkwitz was joined by center Connor Tollison, edge Zion Young, and safety Daylan Carnell Thursday morning to answer questions.
Leadership changes on the team
The Tigers leadership the past three season has in some capacity included quarterback Brady Cook, along with wide receiver Luther Burden III.
Burden was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 2025 NFL draft, and Cook signed with the New York Jets.
“I think it’s just time for other guys to step up their leadership,” Tollison said. “I think I’m in that position to do so, just lead the guys in whatever they need on or off the field.”
The 2025-26 football season will be Tollison’s fourth year as a starter.
The Tigers have never stacked three 10-win seasons in history but have the opportunity to do so this fall.
“Coach mentioned to me and Connor yesterday, me and him would be the most winningest class ever when we have 10-plus wins this season,” Carnell said. “That stuck out to me. So it was really about the leadership.”
The players brought up a common term: “alpha males.”
“You don’t want to date a cat,” Young said. “You’d rather want to date a tiger or a lion, something more manly.”
The players used the term “alpha males” in correlation to leadership and development in their team.
“That’s who we’re standing on, guys as alpha males, guys who is where their feet at, guys that are very vocal and want to compete, have an edge on them,” Young said.
Return of the Jayhawks
It’s been over a decade since the Tigers and Jayhawks faced off in football. The rivalry will return on Sept. 6when Kansas comes to Faurot Field.
“The origins of our football name, the Tigers, is based off the militia that was formed to protect Columbia from people from Kansas, the Kansas area,” Drinkwitz said.
With 130 years of history between the two schools, some of the players said it’s been made aware just how big this game will be.
The team is bringing in historians and alumni to share stories of the past and traditions that were made.
Is Sam Horn returning to the Tigers in the fall?
The quarterback competition between Penn State transfer Beau Pribula and two-sport athlete Sam Horn has been a discussion.
Horn was drafted in the 2025 MLB Draft to the Los Angeles Dodgers, leaving some uncertainties.
Those questions were answered at media days.
He’s going to play football for us in the fall and then go on and choose what he wants to do with baseball after that. But he’s committed to football,” Tollison said.
As far as who will be starting, that decision has not been made.
“Very excited about that room and know whoever ends up emerging as the quarterback is going to be in a really good position because he doesn’t have to do it all by himself,” Drinkwitz said.
