BenFred: Time for Mizzou QB Brady Cook to quiet his critics. Again.
The downside of a highly ranked college football team doing exactly what it should do against early season opponents it paid to pulverize is that it provides such little intrigue some start overexerting themselves in attempts to create some.
No. 6 Missouri is 2-0 after romps against Murray State and Buffalo. No parades needed. But it’s a lot better than, say, Notre Dame dropping 13 spots in the Associated Press Top 25 because it coughed up a home game to Northern Illinois. Ouch.
An under-examination Tigers defense stocked with new transfers and led by new defensive coordinator Corey Batoon has delivered consecutive shutouts, held opponents to a measly 18.5 percent success rate on third-down conversion attempts, and has allowed just one play that gained more than 20 yards. The biggest unknown about the team has been a positive, as positive as can be through two games against significantly overmatched opposition. So, naturally, the worry has to find a new place to land.
For some, that’s on quarterback Brady Cook. Again.
Mizzou quarterback Brady Cook throws a pass during the second quarter against Murray State on Thursday, August 29, 2024, at Faurot Field.
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
He’s overthrown some targets! He’s only completed one touchdown pass! Last week, he had an interception!
Please, relax.
Don’t take my word for it.
Listen to Boston College coach Bill O’Brien.
“Very athletic, tough quarterback in Brady Cook,†O’Brien said this week while previewing Mizzou. “Very, very good player. He can throw. And run.â€
Cook’s completion percentage (71.6 percent) is fourth-best in the SEC at the moment. His team was up 35-0 at halftime in Game 1 and led 24-0 at halftime of Game 2. He has overcooked some throws, sure. He’s also used his legs to smartly score three times, giving him the second-most rushing touchdowns for an SEC QB so far this season. Any analysis that goes beyond that after MU’s first two games feels like mountain making from molehills.
Saturday’s Game 3 is a little different, though. Credit to No. 24 Boston College and O’Brien for making it so. By stunning Florida State, BC has a buzz, a number by its name and a top-10 win beneath its belt.
Now, I’m not sure beating Florida State is going to look nearly as impressive by the season’s end, perhaps similar to how Mizzou got a big morale boost out of beating then “defending champion†LSU in 2020, a win that felt seismic in the moment, before that same LSU team went on to be a .500 team that fired its coach. But a college football season isn’t examined in reverse. It plays out weekly. Boston College has legitimate momentum and confidence, plus a talented quarterback in Thomas Castellanos.
This game has earned an elevated stage. It’s the first meeting of a ranked Mizzou team and a ranked non-conference opponent since Mizzou and Illinois kicked off the 2008 season at The Dome. It’s also the only game going down Saturday that features two ranked teams. College GameDay seemed to have picked the wrong SEC Columbia. That won’t stop the College Football Playoff shapers from scouting.
So, yes, it’s time for Cook to elevate again. Count me among those who thinks he can and will. We’re still talking about the same quarterback who squashed skepticism last season and led the Tigers to an 11-win season that included a win against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, a team leader who last season threw nearly as many passes of 20-plus yards (52) as returning Georgia starter and Heisman Trophy candidate Carson Beck (58), and more than returning Alabama quarterback and Heisman candidate Jalen Milroe (51).
Mizzou quarterback Brady Cook runs for 18 yards past Murray State defensive lineman Vincent Dinkins (93) during the second quarter Thursday, August 29, 2024, at Faurot Field.
Laurie Skrivan, Post-Dispatch
Cook’s even more experienced now than he was then, and he knows the difference between Murray State and Buffalo and ranked BC. A CFP appearance is within the Tigers’ paws this season if they seize it. Games against ranked opponents, whether they’re ranked at the season’s end or not, matter more.
Remember, too, that Cook and his offense’s production were rather tame through the first two cakewalk games of last season, before coach Eli Drinkwitz and offensive coordinator Kirby Moore started getting deeper into the playbook against Kansas State and beyond. Chess not checkers, Drinkwitz reminded us back then.
A look around the league would also be wise, for the sake of some quarterback context.
Florida already has moved on to its freshman quarterback DJ Lagway after initially starting Graham Mertz. Auburn has benched interception prone Payton Thorne in favor of redshirt freshman Hank Brown. Texas A&M’s Conner Weigman has completed fewer than 53 percent of his passes and has just one completion of 20 or more yards.
There are SEC campuses suffering from real QB issues. Mizzou isn’t one of them. Saturday would be the perfect time for Cook to make that clear once more.
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No. 6 Mizzou’s schedule about to get tougher, starting with No. 24 Boston College: ‘Have to improve’
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri’s hosting a brunch party on Saturday, which means it’s time to tidy things up.
The No. 6 Tigers face No. 24 Boston College at 11:45 a.m. at home, the only ranked-on-ranked game of the day. As a result, there will be plenty of eyes on the game — not just from another sellout crowd, but from a broader audience intrigued by MU’s possible status as a College Football Playoff contender and the Eagles’ hot start.
Any anonymity granted by starting the season against the likes of Murray State and Buffalo will fade under the sunshine of a matinee game. When the 2024 season is all said and done, Boston College might not be a Top 25 team. But it is this week, making it a more pressing test for the Tigers.
“We’re going to have to play better than we have the past two weeks,†Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “We’re going to have to clean up penalties. Going to have to play fundamentally sound. We’re going to have to find ways to create explosives in the pass game. Going to have to be a lot more physical at the line of scrimmage — we have to sustain blocks without holding. Lot of things that we can improve on, that we’re going to have to improve on in order to compete in this game.â€
His point about penalties was an emphasis in practice. Mizzou, through two games, ranked near the top of the Southeastern Conference in a metric no team wants to be high up the leaderboard in: penalties.
Missouri receiver Theo Wease Jr., left, pushes his way past Buffalo cornerback Eddie Pleasant III after catching a pass for a first down Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.
Colin E. Braley, Associated Press
All of the Tigers’ infractions have been on offense, which leaves room to tidy up the blocking technique mentioned by Drinkwitz and eliminate formation penalties that also popped up in Week 2.
Explosive plays have been tough to come by so far. Quarterback Brady Cook and a deep crop of wide receivers have been close on some deep passes — and, to their credit, mined some pass interference penalties off incompletions — but have yet to connect in a significant way.
That hasn’t mattered much so far, partly because MU has enjoyed a steep talent advantage over its competition. But even without the big plays, the Tigers’ offense has been quite efficient.
Through two games, Missouri picked up 58 first downs — 30 on the ground, 23 through the air and five via penalties — which sits third in the nation. Only Mississippi and Arkansas moved the chains more often.
First downs don’t perfectly correlate to points, but consistently picking them up bodes well from an efficiency standpoint. The Tigers are also third among teams that have played two games in third down conversion rate, escaping from those scenarios 60.7 percent of the time.
That has allowed Mizzou to find success even when deep passes fall incomplete early in a set of downs. Starting the year with efficiency over explosiveness could also be an indication of what returning significant parts of last season’s offense can do for MU.
“That’s a sign of growth and maturity from all of us on the offensive side of the ball,†Drinkwitz said. “We all want it now for instant gratification. We all want explosive plays. You’d rather be on SportsCenter for that than, you know, three yards in a cloud of dust or five-yard hitches.
“But the reality of what we’re figuring out is that teams don’t really want to give up explosive plays versus our wide receiver corps, so we have to be willing to make them defend us in a different manner,†he continued. “And I think our offensive staff in the first two games has done a really good job of figuring out what the defensive plan against us was, and then even having to come up with stuff that maybe wasn’t in the game plan that we know defeats this or defeats that.â€
Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III, right, maneuvers along the sideline before being knocked out of bounds by Buffalo cornerback Eddie Pleasant III in a game on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.
L.G. Patterson, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Because a ranked power conference team is coming to Columbia on Saturday, the time for Mizzou’s offense to show off its firepower is rapidly approaching. If Missouri is going to assemble a resume worthy of a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, it would be well served to pick up a win against team No. 24 in the AP Poll.
Entering Week 3, only three Football Bowl Subdivision teams had played a weaker set of first two opponents than the Tigers, according to ESPN’s strength of schedule metrics: Toledo, Rutgers and Navy.
But between this weekend’s slate and the end of the season, there are only 13 FBS programs with tougher schedules than Missouri.
That’s significant. While the CFP Selection Committee isn’t sorting teams by ESPN strength of schedule rating and then picking 12, strong records tend to indicate which “bubble†teams would make the expanded playoff field. As things stand now, Missouri has a chance to make a statement down the stretch after dominating the opponents it needed to early on.
That starts with cleaning up details in Saturday’s intriguing clash with Boston College.
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3 things to watch for in No. 6 Mizzou vs. No. 24 Boston College
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Eli Drinkwitz has tasted Boston before and found it rather bitter.
Nearly three years ago, his Missouri team faced Boston College in a road nonconference game. An emotional roller coaster of a game ended with an overtime loss and field-storming for the Atlantic Coast Conference program — a result on Drinkwitz's mind as the Tigers get a rematch with the Eagles.
No. 6 Mizzou (2-0) hosts No. 24 Boston College (2-0, 1-0 ACC) at 11:45 a.m. Saturday on the SEC Network. It’s the only game that day between two teams ranked in the AP Top 25, supplying MU with a test in the form of an intriguing, buzzworthy opponent.
Here are three things to watch for when the Tigers and Eagles clash at Memorial Stadium:
Boston College quarterback Dennis Grosel (6) looks to toss the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Missouri, Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Mary Schwalm
2021 reprise
The 2021 game between MU and BC, held at Boston College, started well for the Tigers. The visitors’ first drive covered 72 yards for a touchdown, then Missouri picked off the Eagles’ first offensive play.
But it turned into a high-scoring game from there, requiring kicker Harrison Mevis to make a 56-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime. The Eagles scored on their first drive of the extra period, and the Tigers threw an interception on their OT possession, ending the game at 41-34 in favor of BC.
Boston College ran for 276 yards in that game, and though the Eagles coaching staff has turned over since, Mizzou’s head coach still remembers that.
Drinkwitz recalls the Eagles “dominating the run,†he said.
“We definitely have a tremendous amount of respect for the offensive line play they have," he said.
The result stands out to Drinkwitz from his up-and-down early years as MU’s coach.
“That moment, that game was hard for a lot of different reasons,†he said. “I didn’t think we played particularly well. There was a lot of noise around that game for comments that were made by me, so learned a hard lesson as a head coach there. Then, the emotional swings of that game: We came back, tied it up, they scored in overtime, we throw a pick the first play.â€
Does that lead to any motivational edge in a rematch? The start to Saturday’s game could be the tell.
Boston College head coach Bill O'Brien talks to Boston College tight end Kamari Morales (88) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Colin Hackley)
Colin Hackley
The O'Brien effect
It’s no slight to any of Mizzou’s coaches to say that the most well-known man with a headset and a play sheet will be on Boston College’s sideline.
Bill O’Brien, a past head coach at Penn State and the NFL's Houston Texans, was also an assistant for dynasties at Alabama and with the New England Patriots.
His hire was something of a coup for BC. After Bill Belichick left the Patriots, O’Brien’s services as offensive coordinator were not retained. He agreed to be the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, but when the Boston College job opened late in the carousel cycle, he jumped at the opportunity to turn around the Eagles.
O’Brien has historically succeeded right off the bat in those situations. He took over at Penn State immediately after the school’s sexual abuse scandal and navigated the turbulent aftermath to post an 8-4 record.
Boston College’s dynamic is nowhere near as grave as Penn State’s was then, of course, but he still got off to a fast start by beating Florida State on the road in the season opener — a result that laid the groundwork for this week’s No. 24 ranking.
“When you’re talking about Coach O’Brien, whether it’s been in college football with what he did at Penn State or in NFL with what he’s accomplished — Deshaun Watson’s best years were with Coach O’Brien as his head coach, quarterbacks coach, so got a lot of respect for how he approaches offensive football,†Drinkwitz said.
Missouri tight end Brett Norfleet (87) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Arkansas during the second half Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, in Fayetteville, Ark.
Michael Woods photos, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Offensive injuries
Because Saturday’s game is a nonconference contest, Mizzou isn’t required to provide any sort of official injury report ahead of time. Drinkwitz addressed some of the Tigers’ lingering health concerns during his Tuesday news conference, though statuses could very well change before kickoff.
Wide receivers Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr. are both probable. Burden left last week’s game in the first half with an illness, according to the team. Wease played the entire game and posted career highs in receptions and yards but was a little banged up afterward.
Wease wore a noncontact jersey during Tuesday’s practice.
“Not concerned with either one of those right now,†Drinkwitz said.
Tight end Brett Norfleet, who left the season opener against Murray State with a stinger, was questionable entering this week’s practices. He practiced Tuesday but in a noncontact jersey. His status will likely be determined close to kickoff based on how the week’s practices go.
Right guard Cam’Ron Johnson, a late scratch from the Buffalo game after suffering a practice injury, is also questionable. Mitchell Walters filled in for Johnson against the Bulls, but Johnson was another player the coaching staff would observe in the run-up to Saturday.
'Man, that's my brother': Mizzou siblings Caleb and Corey Flagg Jr. finally playing together
Missouri linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. practices with linebacker Will Norris as they warm up before the Black and Gold spring game on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo. Flagg, who transferred to Mizzou from Miami, will get to play with his brother, Corey Flagg, for the first time in college this season.
Christine Tannous, Post-Dispatch
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Caleb Flagg’s games came first.
Playing sports as a kid, he’d wrap up his game and head over to a different field to watch another, where his older brother, Corey Jr., would be playing.
“I used to wish to be on the field with him,†Caleb told the Post-Dispatch, thinking about “all the plays we could have been making. Of course, I used to be saying to myself: I would have more touchdowns.â€
Corey Flagg, Missouri football
Caleb Flagg, Missouri football
A decade and a half later, through circumstances that range from a Texas high school football dynasty to a former Missouri coach to the transfer portal, Corey and Caleb Flagg are finally on the field together.
It happens to be at Mizzou. And it was a long time coming.
Both Flagg brothers have found roles with the No. 6 Tigers. Corey, 22, is one of two middle linebackers used in MU’s defense. Caleb, 20, leveraged a strong spring camp into a rotational spot as a safety.
They transferred together over the offseason, albeit from separate schools. Corey appeared in more than 40 games across four seasons at Miami, while Caleb was ready to move up a level after two strong years at Houston Christian.
“I just can’t thank Coach Drink(witz) enough for allowing me and my brother to be a part of this,†Corey said after Missouri’s season-opening win over Murray State.
‘We know this is not normal’
Jon Kay saw both Flagg brothers coming through the pipeline.
Kay, as the head coach at Galena Park North Shore High School in the Houston area, was aware of talented brothers who were playing at Cunningham Middle School within the district.
Corey, as the elder sibling, joined the program first. He emerged as a standout during his junior year when the Mustangs marched all the way to the 2018 Texas Class 6A D1 championship game — a high school football gauntlet up there with the toughest anywhere in the nation.
North Shore won in Hollywood movie fashion, on a final-play Hail Mary pass, beating Duncanville and future Mizzou cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. But Corey had struggled.
“He was trying so hard to make every play,†said Kay, now the linebackers coach at Rice. “I think it was a pretty valuable lesson for him, just to learn how to play within a defense.â€
A year later, Corey had improved. In a title game reprise, he helped the Mustangs pitch a second-half shutout for back-to-back championships to close out his career. Corey was the game’s defensive MVP.
Caleb, a sophomore at the time, was supposed to be part of that team. He’d earned a special teams role with North Shore’s varsity team, but an early season injury kept him off the field.
Missouri linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. practices with linebacker Will Norris as they warm up before the Black and Gold spring game on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo. Flagg, who transferred to Mizzou from Miami, will get to play with his brother, Corey Flagg, for the first time in college this season.
Christine Tannous, Post-Dispatch
And Corey was off to Miami to start his college career.
“That was very special,†Caleb remembers thinking. “It really gave me hope, to see that there’s actually offers and it was real close to me. He helped me keep my dream alive with becoming a Division I athlete. ... That’s why I’m blessed to have a big brother like him.â€
But it was also a window to share the field closed.
“I always felt, even though they never told me this, that they always wanted to play together again,†Kay said.
The Flagg brothers figured the college recruiting process would put them at different schools, so that goal was on hold.
“But (in the) NFL, we had dreams,†Caleb said. “We’d see each other in the NFL, hope we get drafted on the same team.â€
Before any of that could happen, the younger Flagg had a high school career to close out. In his first season without his older brother around the house, Caleb and the Mustangs lost in the state semifinals. In 2021, his senior season, they won the championship again.
It was the third in four seasons for North Shore and the Flagg family. A video from that day shows Corey on the sideline, filming his younger brother’s celebrations.
A month later, Caleb committed to Houston Christian.
“Proud of you bro!†Corey wrote on X, formerly Twitter, following his younger brother’s commitment. “You don’t know how much this means to me, man. Love you.â€
The brothers had made it, in one sense: They were both playing college football. They also made it challenging for their family to watch them play.
“It’s still crazy how they did it, but they did,†Caleb said. “Every weekend, they split it up. ... There was always somebody in the stands for us.â€
Houston Christian safety Caleb Flagg gets ready for a play during a game against Western Kentucky on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Bowling Green, Ky. Flagg has transferred to Mizzou, where this season he'll play with his brother, Corey Flagg Jr.
James Kenney, Associated Press
When they could, the Flagg brothers watched each other’s games. At its most convenient, it was a bit like their youth sports days — one would play before the other, making cheering each other on a pre- or postgame activity.
“If we had a 6 p.m. kickoff and he had a 2:30,†Caleb explained, “pregame, I’d have his game on my phone, watching his game. Watching him would kind of get me in the mode for my game.â€
After the 2023 season, Corey decided to transfer for his final year of college football, while Caleb wanted to jump up a level or two after a strong performance at Houston Christian, so the brothers entered the transfer portal.
Blake Baker, at the time Missouri’s defensive coordinator, called Corey. Baker had recruited the elder Flagg brother to Miami, back when he was the Hurricanes’ defensive coordinator and linebacker coach.
And after the Mizzou assistant saw some of Caleb’s film, he had a question for Corey: Would both brothers want to play for the Tigers?
“That was a blessing that just fell in our lap,†Caleb said. “It didn’t build up — nothing to it. It was just straight like that.
“We instantly knew that we wanted to play together, so that decision was instantly made,†he continued. “But once we got up here to the visit to Mizzou, man.â€
Both brothers were impressed with what Missouri had to offer. On their visit, they clicked with Daniel and Harold Blood, another pair of brothers now together with the Tigers after the latter’s offseason transfer.
Almost immediately after the Flaggs committed to MU out of the transfer portal, there was a speed bump. Baker suddenly left to take the defensive coordinator position at Louisiana State. The coach who’d drawn both brothers to Columbia was gone.
“All well wishes to Coach Baker,†Corey said. “He’d done a lot for my family, even when I was at Miami, so I appreciate him for what he’s done. Definitely was some uncertainty because that was the guy I was talking to in the portal process — him and (linebackers) Coach DJ (Smith). But Coach DJ and Coach Drink made us feel at home, so that’s why we stayed.â€
As Drinkwitz remembers it, he didn’t have to do any real convincing to keep Corey and, by extension, Caleb in the program.
“Honestly, there really wasn’t a pitch,†Drinkwitz said. “(Corey) chose his place. Coach Baker had a lot to do with it, obviously with the previous relationship and knowing the scheme. But he chose this place for the guys in the locker room and has reiterated that throughout the process: that this was a place for him and his brother.â€
What helped keep the brothers on board, too, was consistent delivery from the Mizzou coaching staff. Promises were kept, even if the coach who made them was no longer in the facility.
“Everything they said they would do, they’ve done,†Corey said. “They’ve provided this opportunity to compete.â€
And compete they did. Caleb was the Tigers’ spring game defensive MVP, a performance that positioned him well for a spot on the two-deep when preseason camp rolled around. Corey has impressed, through two games, at linebacker, where his ability to cover ground is reminiscent of his North Shore performances.
They’re enjoying having each other around. Between practices, they watch video clips together — “that’s fun, watching film with our brother,†Caleb said.
The Flagg family attended the Tigers’ first two games of the 2024 season, basking in the ease of being able to see both brothers in one game, no dividing and conquering required.
“It’s unreal, and it’s a blessing,†Caleb said. “(We’re) not taking the moments for granted because we know this is not normal. Not everybody gets to play with their brother and have your family be in one place for a football game. We’re cherishing the moments.â€
They might both be contributors to a Southeastern Conference program, but the roots of making it to this stage, together, are in growing up together.
“Growing up, I always chased my brother because that was always my role model,†Caleb said, then added: “He’s a phenomenal big brother. He gave me a perfect example to follow.â€
And following him to Missouri has worked out. Caleb is reminded of it from time to time when he’s sharing the field with Corey and sees his last name mirrored on the jersey in front of him.
“It’s still a thought in my mind,†Caleb said, “like, ‘Man, that’s my brother.’â€
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz on lessons learned, adjustments as team preps for Boston College
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz 'learned a hard lesson as a head coach' when Mizzou lost at Boston College 3 years ago
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz gives injury updates on Luther Burden III, others
'Sometimes we go a little overboard,' offensive lineman Cayden Green on Mizzou's penalties
Offensive lineman Cayden Green on his adjustments after transferring to Mizzou
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz on how he's correcting team's penalty problems
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz has 'all the confidence in the world' in kicker Blake Craig
Eli Drinkwitz on how Mizzou plans to use lessons learned against LSU's Jayden Daniels vs. Boston College QB
Eli Drinkwitz on how Mizzou identified team's 'joker' defensive ends
Mizzou's defensive improvement driven by players who set a standard, coach Eli Drinkwitz says
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz on 'really, really good' Boston College team
'Everybody is doing their part,' Mizzou running back Marcus Carroll on team's offense
Mizzou linebacker Triston Newson on containing Boston College QB: 'Real shifty, quick'
With Mizzou's $250 million Memorial Stadium renovation formally approved, talk turns to funding
KANSAS CITY — University of Missouri administrators formally approved a $250 million renovation of Mizzou’s Memorial Stadium on Thursday, the expected next step for the project.
The stadium’s new-look north concourse is expected to be ready in time for the 2026 college football season and will feature several new premium seating areas. Nothing vastly changed from a design or plan standpoint between an April announcement of renovation plans and unanimous approval from the UM System Board of Curators during a Thursday meeting — except for the implications.
Ground will be broken Nov. 30 in conjunction with MU’s final regular-season football game of the year, a tangible step toward the realization of renderings once again touted after the meeting.
But there’s still a quarter of a billion dollars needed to fund the renovation, which seemed especially relevant during Thursday’s meeting on the UMKC campus. Administrators detailed the need they saw — and still see — for spending that kind of money at this point in time, when Missouri football is ranked sixth in the nation.
“It wasn’t going to change for a long time if we didn’t do it now. The decision to invest $250 million for Memorial Stadium was not a whim,†said Bob Blitz, a curator and the chair of the board’s Mizzou athletics oversight committee. “We learned that the most public-facing signal of championship expectations is the quality of the stadium of the university. You can see that we’re looking for championships, and you can expect championships.
“Most importantly, we learned that the failure to invest in this today would create a rapid decline in what is our rapidly improving program,†he continued. “Every metric that we looked at compelled us and directed us to make this investment now.â€
Athletics director Laird Veatch was hired after the board first unveiled its plans for the north concourse back in April, taking the job with acknowledgment of how the project would dominate his first months on the job.
“We are marching forward quickly and aggressively,†Veatch said. “We’re moving forward in good faith that our Mizzou, loyal fans are going to say ‘yes’: They’re going to say ‘yes’ when we ask for their support, they’re going to say ‘yes’ to purchasing tickets. We are confident, given all the momentum we have.â€
The athletics department is expected to cover half of the project’s cost — so, $125 million — through philanthropy.
Veatch said the department is “over halfway there in terms of overall commitments,†which would put the current fundraising tally a bit above $62.5 million.
That progress is worth monitoring. Veatch said in June that Mizzou athletics had secured 10 seven-figure donations, and the athletics department announced an anonymous contribution earlier this year that was expected to include $50 million for the north concourse renovation.
“I would say we have a lot of really good conversations going with several of our donors that will put us in a position to further that along,†Veatch said. “But we do have a lot of work to do, and we need them to say ‘yes’ and support us, but we’re confident we have the capacity and passion to do it.â€
The university side of MU will pay for the project’s other $125 million in cost, with at least some expected to be debt borrowed against the addition’s future revenues. There seems to be a substantial chance that the university will seek at least some state funding to go toward Memorial Stadium’s new north concourse.
“We’re not shy about asking them,†Blitz said.
Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey visited Thursday’s meeting ahead of a planned trip to Columbia that will take him to Missouri’s Saturday football game against Boston College.
In public remarks to the Board of Curators, he conveyed confidence in the SEC’s stability amid broader uncertainty in college athletics about the future of revenue sharing, realignment and the eroding oversight of the NCAA.
“Throughout what’s happening today, I repeatedly offer that in these times of change, there’s no better place to be than the Southeastern Conference,†he said.
MU administration tied its decision to greenlight the Memorial Stadium project to its stature within the SEC and Sankey’s presence.
“As an SEC member — the most important conference in the country — we want to be an even stronger partner, stronger member going forward, and that takes investment,†UM System President and MU Chancellor Mun Choi said. “Rest assured, we’re going to work hard throughout our every sector to generate the revenues that we need to make sure that this project is done on time and on budget.â€
The Memorial Stadium renovation will add about 2,000 premium seats while constructing new seating areas, above, below and around the famous hill and rock M.
Sankey on Disney-DirecTV dispute
On a vastly different note from the Memorial Stadium discussions, the Post-Dispatch asked Sankey whether an ongoing dispute between Disney and DirecTV that has left the television provider’s customers unable to watch ABC, the SEC Network and ESPN channels — the networks that hold the SEC’s media rights — has reached a level of concern for the conference.
“Each time there’s a carriage negotiation, sure, it’s a level of attention,†Sankey said. “And in fact, I had not even opened the email from my friends at DirecTV, and it was on social media that they had written me a letter. We’ve stayed in constant communication with our colleagues at ESPN and Disney. I know they’re working diligently to provide the opportunity to restore the service. We’ll see what happens. ... Hopefully they can find their way to a conclusion.â€(tncms-asset)3c98e300-7040-11ef-af68-fbb61fb75850[0](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)8e484e28-6f89-11ef-802f-bbc0b6500483[1](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)c0230b08-6ee0-11ef-86e5-7b832d9621e7[2](/tncms-asset)
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz on lessons learned, adjustments as team preps for Boston College
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz 'learned a hard lesson as a head coach' when Mizzou lost at Boston College 3 years ago
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz gives injury updates on Luther Burden III, others
'Sometimes we go a little overboard,' offensive lineman Cayden Green on Mizzou's penalties
Offensive lineman Cayden Green on his adjustments after transferring to Mizzou
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz on how he's correcting team's penalty problems
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz has 'all the confidence in the world' in kicker Blake Craig
Eli Drinkwitz on how Mizzou plans to use lessons learned against LSU's Jayden Daniels vs. Boston College QB
Eli Drinkwitz on how Mizzou identified team's 'joker' defensive ends
Mizzou's defensive improvement driven by players who set a standard, coach Eli Drinkwitz says
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz on 'really, really good' Boston College team
'Everybody is doing their part,' Mizzou running back Marcus Carroll on team's offense
Mizzou linebacker Triston Newson on containing Boston College QB: 'Real shifty, quick'
Read the full transcript of Mizzou beat writer Eli Hoff's sports chat
Bring your Tigers football, basketball and recruiting questions, and talk to Eli Hoff in a live chat at 11 a.m. Thursday.
Transcript
Eli ±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýGood morning from Kansas City! The UM System Board of Curators is meeting at UMKC later this afternoon to talk about the Memorial Stadium project, and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey is in town. Could be some interesting things coming your way from those events this afternoon. But for now, it's all about your questions!
Todd H:Â Good day to you Eli--hope all is well your way. I've missed so many chats lately and I'm not proud of it.Â
±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýHowdy, Todd! I may be writing from a coffee shop next to UMKC's campus, but I promise I don't take attendance.
°±ð±¹´Ü´Ç³Ü:ÌýEveryone is talking about BC being for real and Mizzou better watch out. I say we don't know anything about BC based on two games....and perhaps not much about Mizzou. What say you?
±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýSure. I don't think anyone can argue with that. How much of what we'll know about any team by season's end is evident through Week 2? Probably not a whole lot, and last year's Mizzou team is a good example. The working hypothesis through the first two games of last season was that the Tigers would get blown out by K-State... and then that didn't happen.
I actually think Missouri is more of an unknown than Boston College is, though. We've seen BC go all-out to win a game — Week 1 to beat Florida State. That showed that Castellanos can scramble and control a drive, the Eagles can and will run right at you, and the defense, especially around the line of scrimmage, doesn't mess around. That isn't everything, but it's something. What I think the bigger unknown is with Boston College is how good it'll end up being. Florida State could finish 8-4 and that win stays as a really good one for BC. Or they could be 4-8 and that ends up being a routine one.
Whereas with Mizzou, there've been two shutouts against some lowly opposition. The offense has a lot of firepower — nobody's disputing that — but it hasn't showed it yet, and hasn't needed to. I think if I'm a neutral observer trying to figure something out while watching this game, it's actually with how the Tigers look in this one. But I see where that can be subjective.
°Õ¾±²µ±ð°ùµþ´Ç³ú:ÌýIs the Mizzou defense likely to spy the BC QB for the entire game or just in certain situations?
±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýThis is one of the things I'll be watching for. I'm pretty confident that Mizzou will try to through a few different things at Castellanos — Eli Drinkwitz said just about as much during his news conference. I'm sure at least some of those will involve a QB spy.
And the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of Corey Flagg Jr. in that role. He's incredibly mobile for a middle linebacker and can tackle well, so if Mizzou needs someone to follow a scramble in a hurry and put a stop to it, that seems like it's up Flagg's alley. I don't know if this actually would impact things, but Flagg's on the short side for a linebacker, too, which could actually play to his favor. If Castellanos (also short) is escaping the pocket, maybe Flagg is quite literally under the radar compared to the trees that are linemen.
Where the approach might matter the most — and be the most interesting — is on 3rd downs. Let's say Boston College faces a 3rd and 8. There's a good chance they pass, but picking up 8 yards for a scrambling QB isn't exactly difficult. If Mizzou goes with its prowler package (3-1-7 defense), that gets interesting. There's a lot of speed and versatility on the back end to contain Castellanos.
I know a lot of you have vested interests in this game, but from just a football standpoint, that's going to be fascinating. Drinkwitz called it a "chess match," and I'm inclined to agree.
Todd H:Â These penalties committed by our OL have been infuriating and are inexcusable and unacceptable. This is not something new Eli--these OL penalties have been a problem now for over 2 seasons! (Remember how 1st and goal at the UGA 1 was moved back 5 yards and MU had to end up settling for a FG in that game 2 years ago?!?) What can Drinkwitz do as the head coach to fix this problem?
±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýI'd argue the inexcusable ones are the illegal formation ones. Drinkwitz called them "embarrassing," so I don't think I'm taking an unfair shot there. Those ones are on the coaches. Especially with in-helmet comms now, they need to be lining up in a way that they are either correct from the get-go or can be corrected from the sideline. Just shouldn't happen.
Penalties backing up field goals isn't anything new with Mizzou, either. Mevis' 61-yarder was longer than it needed to be because of a penalty. So that supports your point.
There might be a technique aspect to some of these holding calls that have popped up. The O-line spent time this week working on when to time their release — the fine line of finishing a block without holding the other guy. That's probably the extent of what the coaching staff can really do for right now.Â
And maybe being in a higher-pressure situation will help. It's not like any of these penalties have been costly so far. Sub-optimal, sure, but the impact hasn't exactly jeopardized a game. That could change starting on Saturday. If the players are a little more locked in overall that might help avert mental lapses. Though I also understand if not all of you share that optimistic view.
°Õ¾±²µ±ð°ùµþ´Ç³ú:ÌýThe Mizzou program has to be happy that BC comes in as a ranked opponent it's a must win game and a win will only help the resume moving forward. Also, wouldn't you agree that a number by BC helps the team's motivation, if that's needed?
±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýDefinitely. With where things stand right now (see above point about what we really know at this stage of the season), some points of Mizzou's schedule have strengthened (BC, Vandy, maybe Arkansas and South Carolina?) while others have weakened (Texas A&M, perhaps Auburn). Given how we think the CFP process might shake out, every bit of strength helps — assuming, of course, Missouri wins.Â
And yes, it's good for motivational purposes, too. If you've been reading our pages or listening to the Eye on the Tigers podcast, you've known not to underestimate Boston College. Week 1 against Florida State should've confirmed that. The ranking by their name is there for the rest to catch on that this team, at this stage, is one to take seriously. I don't think Missouri was going to be caught by surprise — regardless of whether BC was ranked 14, 24 or would be 44 if the poll went that far, this was always going to be the best team faced so far this season. There's plenty of material to hype up this MU team for the importance of this game.
°±ð±¹´Ü´Ç³Ü:ÌýI don't think that matters. They will be unranked again when Mizzou beats them. And later in the season people will say "but BC was 24 when Mizzou beat them." And they'll say "It's just BC...and they aren't ranked any more."
±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýI guess. But there's also a world where BC contends in an ACC field that looks pretty wide open right now, isn't there? I'm not saying there won't be a 20-20 hindsight view of this game, just like there is with BC beating FSU, but what matters at the moment is that Mizzou gets the No. 24 team in the country this weekend, and beating them is helpful for building a resume.
´³±ð°ù±ð³¾²â:ÌýI was thinking about how BC beat Florida State and Duquesne, and it seems very unlikely that BC could manage to run such long, slow drives with 75% rushing plays and so many successful 3rd downs against Mizzou's defense. Clock control only works if you can keep moving the chains. I'm starting to believe that MU may not be as vulnerable to a running QB in 2024, either. (Does being vulnerable to a Heisman winner even count?) So at this point I'm really only worried about Mizzou's offense being the letdown. (Also: another lopsided stat in the BC-FSU game was the penalties; so that's making me a little nervous.)
±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýThe question there is how Mizzou's defense can do against the run, right? And I think the answer to that remains to be seen — hence my earlier point that there are still a lot of unknowns about this team even with some encouraging signs. You'd expect the Tigers to hold up better than Florida State, defensively, and I'm not even going to use Duquesne as a bar. But the game will show whether that's the case.
Figuring out how to deal with mobile quarterbacks is especially important for this year's team. Jayden Daniels made last year's unit look silly – but you're right, he won the Heisman because he made darn near everyone look silly. Diego Pavia at Vandy is a scramble. So is Milroe at Bama, Thorne at Auburn, Sellers at South Carolina. That type of quarterback is hard to stop at the college level, but if Misosuri can't at a minimum mitigate their damage, it'll be a long season.Â
It's also fair to have some questions about the offense. We'll see how much explosiveness is in the cards against a tougher opponent.Â
°Õ¾±²µ±ð°ùµþ´Ç³ú:ÌýThe book makers set the opening spread at 17.5, doesn't sound like they are buying the BC hype and this should be a very comfortable Mizzou win? However, the spread seems high to me. Your thoughts?
±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýI don't disagree with Vegas too often, but that does seem a little high. That spread is saying Mizzou will win by more than two scores. And if you had to predict this result in terms of scores, I think a lot of folks would say they think BC will be within two scores late in this one. Or at least, that's where I land. But I don't go betting against the spread.
°Õ¾±²µ±ð°ùµþ´Ç³ú:ÌýIsn't it fair to say that Mizzou must get off to a quick start offensively and hopefully make BC play from behind? I would rather have the BC QB attempting passes to catch up rather than using his legs to cause havoc.
Hoff:Â Game script-wise, that certainly seems like something that would help. The first couple of drives will be tone-setters. If BC gets to run 12 plays, that's a very different start from going 3 and out.Â
¶Ù°ä³Ò:ÌýHey, Eli: Just joining the chat, and I was listening to the pod early this morning and stunned to hear (though perhaps I shouldn't be) that some fans think Drew Pyne would be better than Cook. I look at Pyne and see an NFL-type backup. Lesser talent, but experience makes him ideal to take over if injury calls for it. I wonder though--does the coaching staff see him as a future starter? I'm sure he was recruited with assurances that he'll have a chance, but it seems like Mizzou has landed some young talented QBs and I think Pyne is just a guy.
±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýI was shocked by that too. But the people on Twitter are the people on Twitter. And some of them will look for any reason to advocate for someone not named Brady Cook.
I do think Pyne will be in the mix for the starting job next season. He has experience and will be quite familiar with Mizzou's scheme by that point. I could see Missouri rolling with a competition of Pyne, Sam Horn (if he picks football) and possibly another transfer portal vet. But it's too early to be certain of how that'll go.
³§³¦³ó±ô²¹²â:ÌýInterested to hear how Jude James the local Francis Howell WR is doing as a Freshman and when we might see him in action.
±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýI expect him to redshirt this season. He looked good in camp, but that was with Brett Norfleet and Jordon Harris hurt. With them back in the picture, James is battling for fourth in the TE room at best. He and Whit Hafer will be the developmental guys for this season.
°ä°Â·¡³å°Õ¾±²µ±ð°ù:ÌýJust curious about the transfer punter from Murray State. Any idea why he couldn’t beat out Bauer for the job?
±á´Ç´Ú´Ú:ÌýTo be blunt: Because Bauer is a better punter. That job was up for grabs. Bauer had better punts in camp and has been quite solid in the first two games. It's very much a results-based position.
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No. 6 Mizzou catching No. 24 Boston College, QB Thomas Castellanos, amid early season buzz
Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos (1) is pursued by Florida State defensive lineman Darrell Jackson Jr. (6) and linebacker Blake Nichelson (20) during the first half of a game Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Tallahassee, Fla.
Colin Hackley
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Here comes momentum.
After facing two vastly inferior teams to begin the 2024 season, No. 6 Missouri faces one of the nation’s more buzzworthy teams in Week 3: No. 24 Boston College.
The Eagles earned their ranking after a high-profile road win against Florida State — at the time, an upset, though the Seminoles’ implosion challenges that status now — and comfortably beat Duquesne in Week 2.
Now, the Tigers have a ranked opponent coming to sold-out Memorial Stadium for Saturday’s 11:45 a.m. kickoff on the SEC Network.
“They’re battle-tested, obviously, with their road win versus Florida State,†MU coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “I think they’re very polished as a team. I think Coach (Bill) O’Brien has done a tremendous job with not only the transition from taking over from Coach (Jeff) Hafley but also the program alignment.â€
Despite having quite the resume — he was the head coach of the NFL’s Houston Texans and an assistant under Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots, plus a rather successful stint at Penn State following the school’s scandal — O’Brien’s hire at Boston College went relatively under the radar.
He kept talent in place from last year’s squad that went 7-6 overall and 3-5 against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents, but the intrigue became significantly more tangible after beating Florida State in prime time.
The Eagles’ headliner is Thomas Castellanos, a mobile quarterback whose arm and legs are both dangerous. He transferred to Boston College from Central Florida ahead of last season and wound up setting the Eagles quarterback rushing record with 1,113 yards and 13 scores on the ground.
Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos (1) scrambles during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida State, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Colin Hackley)
Colin Hackley
Passing was a little bit more of a question mark for him in 2023, with 2,248 yards and 15 passing touchdowns — to 14 interceptions — but this season, he looks more well-rounded.
“I think they kind of put him in a box, so to speak, last year and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to create a dynamic run game for you and then the play-action pass,’†Drinkwitz said. “I think they’re treating him as he should be, which is a really good player at the quarterback position. They don’t really define what he has to be. He’s growing in a lot of different ways. Last week, they went empty (backfield) quite a bit with him and let him throw the ball vertically down the field based off what the coverage was giving him. There hasn’t been a lot of quarterback designed runs so far. I’m sure they’ve got them, but so far, it’s just been taking what the defense gives.â€
Castellanos has run the ball 17 times through two games for 71 yards. But just 11 of those yards have come on plays designed for him to tuck and run, according to Pro Football Focus, with the other 60 picked up on scramble plays.
It’s that off-schedule, improvised kind of playmaking that could especially challenge an MU defense that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in its past 12 quarters of action.
Drinkwitz said he likes “SportsCenter†anchor Scott Van Pelt’s comparison of Castellanos to Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray — both are on the shorter side and can slip out into space.
“I think that’s a very good comparison,†Drinkwitz said. “He’s a dynamic player with his feet, but I think he’s a very accurate passer. The play is never over with the ball in his hands.â€
Castellanos has been under pressure for just six of his 26 throws this season, which suggests the Tigers defensive line could make him uncomfortable in new ways. Containing Boston College’s signal caller, though, might mostly come down to Missouri’s linebackers.
“We’ve just got to be ready to contain him, be ready to run,†outside linebacker Triston Newson said. “A guy like him, he can come out of the backfield so quick.â€
Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz talks about facing a mobile quarterback on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, before a game against Boston College. (Video by Mizzou Network, used with permission of Mizzou Athletics)
Mizzou could use a linebacker as a “spy,†keeping him roving outside the pocket to stop any Castellanos scrambles before they amount to much — middle linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. would seemingly have the speed and athleticism to keep pace in that role. However, that can lead to vulnerabilities in other parts of the field.
“It’s definitely a chess match,†Drinkwitz said. “I don’t think you can go in and say, ‘We’re going to do just this one thing,’ or, ‘We’re just going to do this thing and hope it works.’ You’re going to have to have multiple options and see which one plays.â€
At other positions, Mizzou will see a pair of players it’s familiar with from their tenures at previous schools.
Running back Treshaun Ward is Boston College’s leading rusher, with 20 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown, plus four catches for 91 receiving yards and two scores through the air. He previously played at Kansas State before transferring over the offseason.
Former Vanderbilt receiver Jayden McGowan, a return specialist, is likely to be in the special teams mix.
“We know him well from his time at Vanderbilt and have a lot of respect for him as a player and know that he has game-breaking speed,†Drinkwitz said.
The Tigers are unlikely to find the same advantages around the line of scrimmage that they did against Murray State and Buffalo, but that reality is already on MU linemen’s radar.
“They’re big; they’re physical,†left guard Cayden Green said. “Watching that Florida State game, they really just out-physicaled them. They got a lot of draft picks on that D-line, so it’ll be a good test.â€
Mizzou prepping for early ranked showdown with Boston College: Eye on the Tigers
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On this week's episode of the Eye on the Tigers Podcast, Eli Hoff and Ben Frederickson share their standouts and concerns from Missouri's win over Buffalo, including Luther Burden III's exit with an illness and Theo Wease Jr.'s career night. They praise the Tigers' defense and back-to-back shutouts before a preview of No. 6 Mizzou vs. No. 24 Boston College this weekend. How will MU try to stop quarterback Thomas Castellanos? What kind of day does Brady Cook need to give? Eli and Ben give their answers before picking other college football games of interest during Week 3.
Johnny Walker Jr. and Joe Moore III, who both play Missouri's "joker" position, combined for four quarterback hurries, two tackles for a loss and one sack against Buffalo.Â
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz on lessons learned, adjustments as team preps for Boston College
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz 'learned a hard lesson as a head coach' when Mizzou lost at Boston College 3 years ago
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz gives injury updates on Luther Burden III, others
'Sometimes we go a little overboard,' offensive lineman Cayden Green on Mizzou's penalties
Offensive lineman Cayden Green on his adjustments after transferring to Mizzou
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz on how he's correcting team's penalty problems
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz has 'all the confidence in the world' in kicker Blake Craig
Eli Drinkwitz on how Mizzou plans to use lessons learned against LSU's Jayden Daniels vs. Boston College QB
Eli Drinkwitz on how Mizzou identified team's 'joker' defensive ends
Mizzou's defensive improvement driven by players who set a standard, coach Eli Drinkwitz says
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz on 'really, really good' Boston College team
'Everybody is doing their part,' Mizzou running back Marcus Carroll on team's offense
Mizzou linebacker Triston Newson on containing Boston College QB: 'Real shifty, quick'
Sports columnist Ben Frederickson shares his Week 2 SEC takeaways about Mizzou's upcoming conference opponents.
Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz talks about players' injury updates on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, before a game against Boston College. (Video by Mizzou Network, used with permission of Mizzou Athletics)
