The 2019 season brings uncertainty, as the protracted appeal over a ridiculous "scandal" with a single actor still has not been resolved. On the field, Mizzou faces what appears to be a much easier schedule than in years' past. The early season is loaded with home games before a protracted road stretch from mid-October through November.
Schedule:
Spoiler!
8/31 @ Wyoming
9/7 vs. West Virginia
9/14 vs. SEMO
9/21 vs. South Carolina
10/5 vs. Troy
10/12 vs. Ole Miss
10/19 @ Vandy
10/26 @ Kentucky
11/9 @ Georgia
11/16 vs. Florida
11/23 vs. Tennessee
11/29 @ Arkansas
Recruiting:
Spoiler!
Commits:
Jalen St. John, OG: **** 5.8 RR, St. Louis, MO
Brady Cook, QB: *** 5.7 RR, St. Louis, MO
Jay Maclin, WR: *** 5.7 RR, Kirkwood, MO
Mitchell Walters, OL: *** 5.7 RR, St. Louis, MO
Kevon Billingsley, DE: *** 5.7 RR, East St. Louis, IL
Robert Wooten, DE: *** 5.7 RR, Stafford, TX
Drake Heismeyer, OL: *** 5.6 RR, St. Charles, MO
Elijah Young, RB: *** 5.6 RR, Knoxville, TN
Cooper Davis, DE: *** 5.6 RR, Melbourne, FL
Will Norris, LB: *** 5.6 RR, Columbia MO
Dominique Johnson, RB: *** 5.6 RR, Crowley, TX
Ray Curry, OL: *** 5.5 RR, Memphis, TN
Harris Mevis, K: Unranked, Warsaw, IN
Javian Hester, WR: **** 5.8 RR, Tulsa, OK
Jalen Logan Redding, DE *** 5.6 RR, Columbia, MO
In-state talent is noticeably better than 2019, but the depth is not as impressive as the 2018 class that Missouri missed badly on. There are 7 4+* recruits per rivals, and as per usual, Ohio State has poached one of the two best in-state recruits, with Notre Dame taking the first 5* prospect in several years, Jordan Johnson. The program has de-invested in Georgia after making inroads in and around Gwinnett, and has dug further into Texas to compensate. Whether or not this is a good strategy is yet to be borne out.
The previous best recruit, Antonio Doyle, an ILB from St. Louis, decommitted on Thursday
The Class Rankings are in the low 50s from Rivals and 24/7 and again near the bottom of the SEC.
Hamas' Crystal ball sees a lot of variance. I could see this team winning as few as 7 and as many as 10 games. Georgia is the only certain loss. Florida is likely still overrated by name, but time will tell.
Official prediction: 9-3. Recruiting prediction: slightly disappointing
Drinkwitz: I like the hire. He’s a young, offensive innovator. Yes, he inherited a good situation at Appalachian State, but he also improved their offense.
Watching their offense, I like what they’re doing. It’s what I’ve wanted at Mizzou for a long time.
It’s a run-heavy spread that will rely on dual threat QBs. High use of misdirection. Multiple option (similar to Malzahn’s system but a bit more pass friendly).
He had experienced coaches on staff at Appy State, so he isn’t afraid to have more veteran guys around to lean on.
The coaching tree is a good one - should be able to find a strong assistant group - and he won some recruiting battles at Appy State against North Carolina and South Carolina from what I can glean. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Superturtle:
So long story short 3 members of the Board of Curators flew in to visit with Drinkwitz and assure him he has their full support
Reading between the lines it sure seems like Sterk is a dead man walking for how he handled this.
So, how do we grade Sterk after all of this? Do we give him a pass because he ended up with what looks like a good candidate, or do we barbecue his ass for needing the intervention after the floated candidates were roundly rejected?
Do we look kindly upon the Martin hire, or has he been a disappointment?
What about the South EZ? The budget?
Curious as to everyone's thoughts, because I'm pretty torn on him at this point. [Reply]
Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins:
So, how do we grade Sterk after all of this? Do we give him a pass because he ended up with what looks like a good candidate, or do we barbecue his ass for needing the intervention after the floated candidates were roundly rejected?
Do we look kindly upon the Martin hire, or has he been a disappointment?
What about the South EZ? The budget?
Curious as to everyone's thoughts, because I'm pretty torn on him at this point.
F. Maybe even F-. Firing Odom in a fit of anger because he said mean things only to have the Board of Curators bail your stupid ass out because of 1. A lack of any plan whatsoever to bring a quality candidate in and 2. Having your candidates you eventually do bring to the table get soundly rejected because they suck so bad. Add in the embarrassing losses Martin and the basketball team have put forth and this guy needs taken out behind the woodshed. [Reply]
I think Sterk got lucky. Sometimes ADs do. The best thing Alden did was be patient with Pinkel and have it work out. It also could have blown up in his face and cost him his job.
He had to have the Board of Curators members along to bail him out here. He ended up with a good candidate with a ton of upside, but Drinkwitz was someone he should have been talking with from the beginning.
The fact Jeff Monken made his final 3 candidates, along with Skip Holtz, is damning. The fact Troy Calhoun made his top 5 is damning.
I haven’t heard positive things about anything Sterk has done at Mizzou. He’s a distant-emotionally micro manager (worst combo possible) from what I hear. [Reply]
How did Sterk get lucky? He was flat out told his candidates weren't acceptable, then the board personally went and gave Drinkwitz the sales pitch. That's fucking embarrassing for Sterk. He essentially had his job done for him. Why is he even still here? [Reply]
Being better than Mack Rhoades doesn't make you good.
Then again, even Mack Rhoades has been far better than Mack Rhoades while at Baylor. I guess it's possible that Mizzou was the reason Rhoades sucked but man...Rhoades REALLY sucked.
Sterk's been better than that. Quite a bit better than what Rhoades was here, in fact. But ultimately I can't say he's been terribly good at all. This firing/hiring thing was handled about as poorly as possible. Needing a BoC to save you from yourself when it seems readily apparent that you'd have made a TERRIBLE hire if you had plenary authority is a real problem.
I wouldn't really have a problem with getting this hire wrapped up and then putting his job up for a vote. He's done little to suggest that he's the right guy for this job long-term. Even if the Drinkwitz hire works out, it's clear that Sterk wasn't the architect of it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
Being better than Mack Rhoades doesn't make you good.
Then again, even Mack Rhoades has been far better than Mack Rhoades while at Baylor. I guess it's possible that Mizzou was the reason Rhoades sucked but man...Rhoades REALLY sucked.
Sterk's been better than that. Quite a bit better than what Rhoades was here, in fact. But ultimately I can't say he's been terribly good at all. This firing/hiring thing was handled about as poorly as possible. Needing a BoC to save you from yourself when it seems readily apparent that you'd have made a TERRIBLE hire if you had plenary authority is a real problem.
I wouldn't really have a problem with getting this hire wrapped up and then putting his job up for a vote. He's done little to suggest that he's the right guy for this job long-term. Even if the Drinkwitz hire works out, it's clear that Sterk wasn't the architect of it.
All this. It seems like the BoC had to follow behind him wiping up his messes and finally decided to put him on the bench and handle the hiring themselves. I would think he has to go. [Reply]
We have confirmed that #Mizzou will pay new coach Eliah Drinnkwitz $4 million per year, which represents a more than 400 percent raise for Drinkwitz. Story: https://t.co/DAjfOwbUey