'It was time for us to finish': Eli Drinkwitz reacts to Mizzou's win over Arkansas
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Eli Drinkwitz took the podium after Missouri football defeated Arkansas with a cigar and gave a small "phew."
It's hard to blame him. The Tigers clinched bowl eligibility with a 29-27 win over the Razorbacks in a game that took one of the best games MU played this year to win.
"We just wanted this one so bad," Drinkwitz said.
Here's what Drinkwitz said after earning a bowl berth with a win over Arkansas.
On winning the rivalry trophy
Wide receiver Barrett Banister didn't get a chance to play Friday. The Fayetteville native, who has been with Missouri football for six years, relished in the win after the game.
Drinkwitz understands because he knows.
"That trophy means a hell of a lot to him, and to our team," Drinkwitz said.
More:Three takeaways from Mizzou football's win against Arkansas
MU is now 7-2 all-time against Arkansas since joining the SEC. The Hogs got the better of MU last year, but the Tigers returned the favor.
Not only did it mean more to win Friday's game over a rival with a named rivalry and a trophy at stake, but it was even sweeter to clinch a postseason game.
On throwing late in the fourth quarter
On 3rd and 4 in the fourth quarter, with a crucial first down on the line, Missouri called a gutsy play.
Needing to milk the clock, Bush Hamdan, who was calling plays Friday, called for a pass play. An incompletion stops the clock and meant Arkansas would get the ball back with just under two minutes to play.
Cook hit freshman Mekhi Miller for a 22-yard gain.
"We wanted to win the game," Drinkwitz said. "Coach Peeler and coach Hamdan talked all week about, with Barrett being out, that's kind of his route. They talked all week about how Mehki was going to be his best option."
More:How the Mizzou football offense's stellar performance is reflected in our postgame grades
It was a sign of growth. Drinkwitz trusted his coach to call a successful play, Drinkwitz trusted the work Peeler did with Miller and Drinkwitz trusted his quarterback to make the throw.
Would Missouri have made that same call earlier this season? That's up for debate. But it worked Friday, and it was a reason why Missouri won.
"I don't know, but we did it today," Drinkwitz said. "It was a lot of fun out there tonight."
More:Why Mizzou football's win over Arkansas was the team's best performance of season
On the defense's performance
Missouri's defense came into Friday's game allowing 25 points per game. The unit has been vying for a way to forget a 66-point game against Tennessee.
On Friday, the Tigers allowed 27 points, over their average, but Drinkwitz said it wasn't because of poor play.
"We really weren't playing that bad defensively," Drinkwitz said. "We just miss a couple of situational plays."
The Tigers' defense sacked KJ Jefferson seven times Friday. They held a consistent rush on Jefferson but also recorded 11 tackles for loss. Isaiah McGuire had two sacks.
In reality, MU should have had nine or 10 sacks on Jefferson. The Tigers missed a few, but that was a sign the rush was working.
"If we could get them behind the sticks our pass rush could get there," Drinkwitz said.
On Mizzou football's mentality
Drinkwitz said this season, MU spent so much time digging itself out of a hole that it fell short because it didn't have a chance to finish.
Drinkwitz framed the win with a certain perspective. The season was a year-long fight, something that began last January.
"We talked all week about how we signed for a 12-round fight," Drinkwitz said. "Nothing can defeat us, and we weren't letting the 12th round defeat us either."
Friday was different. MU led for most of the game and scored in the first quarter. The latter was something the Tigers hadn't done much this season.
On Friday, with a rivalry, bowl game and arguably some reputation at stake, Missouri needed to change diatribe into praise. Drinkwitz's crew got the job done.
"It was time for us to finish," Drinkwitz said.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Here's what Eli Drinkwitz said after Mizzou football beat Arkansas
