Mizzou sports are back, and the new season is already moving fast.
Fall camp has opened for football, which means the Tigers are into their second week of work. Around the program, the staff has been busy for a while, and the offseason opponent breakdown is already complete. At media day before camp officially got rolling, head coach Eli Drinkwitz spoke about what the program has built and where it’s headed.
“All right, seventh season, man! What an awesome place to be out.
So blessed to be at the University of Missouri for my seventh year, and very excited about this year, this team, what we put together. Appreciative to our administration, to our president, our board of curators, to our fans, to our supporters who have allowed us to get the best team that we could possibly put together, and it took a lot of hard work.
And now we’re excited about the next step, the next journey that we have into trying to become our team this year.”
Special teams is one of the units drawing attention early. After last season served as a wake-up call, the group is looking for a much better run this fall.
New additions Papuchis and Reus are trying to show they belong, while Craig is working back from injury after going a perfect 2-for-2 on field goals in 2025. Le Blanc, a preseason All-SEC third-team pick, is the steady presence handling the snaps.
There’s also a new wrinkle in the backfield. Xai’Shaun Edwards is being positioned to carry the ball this season, and Roberts made it clear he expects production there.
“He’s gonna run the ball this season. He’s definitely a good ball runner,” Roberts said of Edwards. “He’s got a lot of good football knowledge, and he’s gonna be a good addition for our backfield.”
Quarterback play remains the big swing factor for Missouri, and the upcoming season at the position has already become a focal point. Jaden Lewis looked ahead at the 2026 quarterbacks and pointed to the obvious truth: the position drives everything. Strong quarterback play powered the Tigers’ 2023 Cotton Bowl run, while inconsistency helped drag the team backward in 2025.
That same theme of early-season evaluation is showing up across the other sports, too.
Soccer got its first runout on August 5 with an exhibition against Lindenwood University in St. Charles.
Missouri came away with a 3-1 win, scoring twice in the opening 45 minutes - a welcome change after last season’s struggles creating offense. Freshman Lana Adams also made her debut count, scoring in the second half to finish the win.
The Perryville, Missouri, native was the Tigers’ only in-state addition in this year’s recruiting class.
The regular season begins Aug. 13 with a two-game road trip in the Bluegrass State. Missouri opens at Western Kentucky and then heads to Murray State.
Volleyball is also in motion. Saturday’s Black & Gold Scrimmage gave an early look at a roster packed with new faces, and the Tigers won’t wait long to play again. Creighton comes to town on August 15 for an exhibition matchup.
Coverage around that team is already ramping up as well. Aaron Segal has started two weekly volleyball series, First Serve and The Fifth Set, alongside Sophie Silvers.
On Monday’s First Serve, he laid out three things that could shape Missouri’s season: chemistry, schedule and size. On Friday’s The Fifth Set, he spoke with head coach Dawn Sullivan, who said the team’s energy and togetherness are part of what makes it appealing.
“I think they’re connected,” Sullivan told me this week. “This is a team that you’re going to want to come watch just because of the joy you’re going to see from them and how they play the game and how they play together.”
Sullivan also said the Tigers are likely to work through some early growing pains before settling into their identity as conference play gets closer.
“If I had a crystal ball,” Sullivan said, “early we’re going to be a little young. We’ll have some good matches, we’ll have some learning moments, and then as we get to conference we’re going to continue to build and build and build.”
In Other News...
Did Mizzou Find A Long Term Frontcourt Piece In Nicholas Randall
Nicholas Randalls first season at Missouri was light on minutes but heavy on clues. He appeared in 22 of the Tigers 33 games and found a way to fill the box score in all but one, which at least hints at how often he was able to get on the floor and stay involved. The offense was a different story, with shooting issues and turnovers dragging down his efficiency, but there was enough activity around the rim to keep him on the radar as more than a passing roster piece.
What makes Randall worth watching from here is the combination Missouri cant easily teach: size, athleticism, defense and rebounding. That is the kind of foundation that can keep a young frontcourt player around long enough for the rest of the game to catch up, and it is why some around the program see room for a familiar kind of late bloom. The Tigers do not need him to become polished overnight, but they do need to know whether the raw tools can eventually turn into real frontcourt production. [Read more 🡒]
Austin Simmons Is Already Fueling Hope For Missouris New Offense
Austin Simmons didnt take long to settle into Missouris new offense, and that matters with a quarterback room and coaching staff trying to build something quickly. The transfer from Mississippi has already won the starting job, and he sounds comfortable with the setup around him, pointing to a strong working relationship with quarterbacks coach Garrett Riley and offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey as he gets acclimated.
Simmons also sees enough familiarity in Lindseys system to ease the transition, which is a good sign for a Tigers attack looking for a smoother start this fall. He has also been quick to single out teammate Matt Zollers for his arm strength, a small but telling sign that the competition and collaboration in the room may help push Missouri toward the kind of offensive ceiling it has been chasing. [Read more 🡒]