Eli Drinkwitz anticipates honoring Mizzou's seniors, and returning potential starters

After getting crushed 66-24 at the hands of Tennessee, Missouri football returned to work for their next matchup with New Mexico State. Saturday’s game will serve as MU’s senior day, with 21 players looking to earn the right to take a rock from Memorial Stadium and be carried off the field by their teammates.

Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz went through each player individually during his Tuesday press conference.

We just really appreciate what they've done and the sacrifices that not only they’ve made, but their parents and their fans and their families, to come to the games and put a really good product on the field,” Drinkwitz said. “I think these 21 seniors that we have represented the Mizzou football Tigers in the right way and they are true sons to this university and this state.”

Saturday is not actually the group's final home game. However, Drinkwitz said the ceremony is scheduled for this week, due to wanting it to happen before students leave for Thanksgiving.

In addition to the right to take a rock, MU’s seniors will be playing to extend their football careers. The Tigers need to win their final two games to earn bowl eligibility.

Drinkwitz said making a bowl game is not on his mind going into Saturday’s matchup with the Aggies.

"I’m only focused on senior week,” Drinkwitz said. “The only message for us and our football team is these seniors this week and getting the rock. Chase two rabbits, you’ll catch none.”

The task at hand

After last week’s matchup against the Volunteers, a top-five team in the nation, New Mexico State looks like a reprieve on paper. However, the Tigers can’t afford to take any game for granted at this stage of the season.

Drinkwitz praised the Aggies, who enter Saturday’s contest on a three-game win streak.

“A lot of respect for what they’re doing,” Drinkwitz said. “They played really hard on special teams and obviously played their best football late in the year.”

He emphasized that the Tigers can’t play down to their opponent, just because it’s not an SEC matchup.

“We have to play to our standard,” Drinkwitz said. “We can’t just assume, this is a team that’s going to come in here and they’re going to want to make a name for their program and their self. They’re playing at a high enough level to do that.”

Coming back

Drinkwitz said that offensive lineman Hyrin White, who will miss the entire 2022 season with an injury, plans to apply for a medical redshirt to return next season. The Tigers had hoped to get White back at some point this year, but Drinkwitz said before the Tennessee game that White was officially out.

MU’s head coach was confident the NCAA would grant White’s request.

"That’s really, for him, the best possible outcome,” Drinkwitz said.

Linebacker Chad Bailey will also return next season, according to Drinkwitz.

"His best football is still ahead of him,” Drinkwitz said. “Continue to improve and be a leader on our football team, so that’s a big-time get for us to be able to retain those players.”

The snub

Blake Baker, Missouri’s defensive coordinator, was widely expected to be a contender for this year’s Broyles Award, which goes to the nation’s top assistant coach. Baker took over the defense this season and orchestrated the unit's turnaround, which was among the SEC’s worst last year.

However, when the nominees were announced on Tuesday, Baker was not among them. Several Missouri opponents were on the list, including Arkansas’ Jimmy Smith, Florida’s Rob Sale, Georgia’s Todd Monken, Kansas State's Joe Klanderman and Tennessee’s Alex Golesh.

Former Missouri assistants Casey Woods, now the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at Southern Methodist, and Ryan Walters, now the defensive coordinator at Illinois, were among the nominees.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Mizzou football: Eli Drinkwitz on seniors, New Mexico State, more