Eli Drinkwitz updates the status of DB Jaylon Carlies

Missouri defensive back Jaylon ‘JC’ Carlies was questionable for the Tigers opener on Thursday, a 35-10 win over South Dakota. And heading into a Week 2 matchup against Middle Tennessee State and the air raid, head coach Eli Drinkwitz shared that Carlies is on track to be a full go come Saturday.

A full availability report will come out Thursday, essentially as confirmation, barring a setback. On Wednesday on the SEC coaches teleconference, Drinkwitz said Carlies was already practicing full speed.

“Yeah, we normally release an injury report on Thursday that’ll have his full availability, so I don’t want to misspeak. But he did practice yesterday without restriction and so I anticipate that would not change,” Drinkwitz said.

It’d be a nice addition and depth to what is already one of the strongest defensive units in the SEC.

Drinkwitz is still sorting out his quarterback room

Missouri might be one game into their season but they still haven’t made their quarterback choice officially official. Even so, Drinkwitz says the Tigers are going to make that call on their own and without the help of anyone who’s on the outside looking in.

Drinkwitz had quite the response to a question regarding the quarterback battle in Columbia in his postgame press conference after his team’s 35-10 win over South Dakota. After a glowing review of Brady Cook, last night’s starter, one media member assumed that that meant Cook was the QB1. That was not the case, though, as Drinkwitz made it clear that their thoughts and opinions did not matter whatsoever within their program.

“No, it doesn’t (mean Cook is the starting quarterback). It sounds like I love the young man,” said Drinkwitz. “But I’m not going to let any of y’all decide, I’m not going to let public perception decide.”

“We’ll make a decision within these walls and we’ll go with it. But I’ll be honest – None of y’all’s opinions matter at all. So write up what you want, say what you want. It don’t matter. Nobody cares,” Drinkwitz said. “In this locker room? Nobody cares. They don’t. We’re going to prove it on the field. Nobody cares. So you can write your opinion if you want to.”

Cook, last year’s full-time starter, was the starter again in Thursday night’s 25-point win over the Coyotes. He finished his 22nd appearance as a Tiger by going 17/21 for 172 yards and two touchdowns overall.

Then, after going up 28-3 at halftime, Sam Horn, a redshirt freshman, former four-star prospect, and Top-15 QB in 2022, checked in. He finished his second collegiate appearance by completing 3/5 passes for 54 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.