Missouri’s offense is entering 2026 with a new look, a new playcaller and a quarterback room that could shape how far the Tigers go this season.
Eli Drinkwitz is betting on the combination of Chip Lindsey and Garrett Riley to help unlock that next step. Lindsey, the former Michigan playcaller, has taken over as offensive coordinator, while Riley, the 2022 Broyles Award winner, steps in as quarterbacks coach. Drinkwitz said Monday he likes the direction the unit is heading.
“I look forward to that room with Coach Lindsey’s leadership and his direction, with Coach Riley’s coaching, the rest of that offensive staff. I’m excited about what the offense can do,” Drinkwitz said on Monday.
At quarterback, Missouri is turning to Ole Miss transfer Austin Simmons, with sophomore Matt Zollers behind him. Simmons, a redshirt junior, completed nearly 60% of his passes and threw for 1,026 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions in 17 games at Ole Miss. He also started against Georgia and Kentucky last season, finishing those two games with 576 passing yards, a 60% completion rate and three touchdowns to four interceptions.
Simmons lost the starting job to Trinidad Chambliss because of injury and watched Ole Miss reach the College Football Playoff semifinal. He now takes over for Beau Pribula, who threw for 1,941 yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his lone season at Mizzou.
Zollers brings a different kind of value. The former four-star recruit passed for 503 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions with a 53% completion percentage in three starts as a freshman. Drinkwitz also made a point to praise Zollers for staying in Columbia as a backup rather than transferring.
The Tigers should have no shortage of targets for Simmons. Sophomore Donovan Olugbode is coming off a promising true freshman season, veteran tight end Brett Norfleet returns as a senior, and transfers Cayden Lee from Ole Miss and Caleb Goodie from Cincinnati are expected to give Simmons dependable options.
The offensive line looks experienced too, with Lee’s Summit North alum and senior Cayden Green anchoring left tackle and drawing national recognition as one of the best in the country.
Missouri’s ground game, though, will open the season with a complication. Ahmad Hardy is recovering from a gunshot wound he suffered in a Mississippi shooting in May. The consensus All-American has been cleared for football activities, and Drinkwitz said the timeline is five to eight weeks, which could mean the first three games, though his return remains uncertain.
While Hardy works back, redshirt junior and St. Louis native Jamal Roberts and Houston Christian transfer Xai’Shaun Edwards are expected to carry the load.
Roberts ran for 753 yards last season and ranked third in the SEC with 6.1 yards per carry. Edwards arrives after posting 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns at the FCS level.
Montana transfer and redshirt sophomore Malae Fonoti is also expected to help.
“The identity hasn’t changed. We’re going to be a dominant downhill run, vertical pass, and focus on execution,” Drinkwitz said.
The biggest swing factor is Simmons himself. Missouri wants steadier decisions from the Miami native, whose intelligence has long been a selling point and who earned his bachelor’s degree last May at 19 years old. Drinkwitz said the challenge is part of the process.
“There’s some things that he can’t get away with that maybe he got away with before. But I think that’s good.
Challenging each other is a way to grow. I’m very excited,” Drinkwitz said.
His teammates sound just as convinced. Roberts said Simmons has already taken command of the huddle.
“He’s not afraid to throw it,” Roberts said. “He’s definitely taking charge.
He’s keeping everybody on the same boat, same page, and we’re doing the same thing with him. By him being a transfer, we’re showing him the Mizzou way as well.
Just taking charge and running an offense as a captain, as a quarterback.”
Green echoed that confidence, pointing to Simmons’ relationship with the offensive line.
“He’s great. He really likes his O-line.
We hang out all the time. He takes us out to eat.
He hosts us. He’s a great leader, great energy.
As far as us, I don’t think it changes much for us. Our mentality, every play, we go in to win every play.”
Simmons’ left-handed delivery, dual-threat ability and 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame give Missouri plenty of ways to attack. If the Tigers find their rhythm early, Drinkwitz believes the offense could help them become a surprise SEC title contender in the first year of the nine-game schedule.
The season begins Thursday, Sept. 3, at the newly-renovated Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
“The thing that has been really cool to watch on the offensive side of the ball, we have a lot of flexibility in scheme,” Drinkwitz said. “It’s about (how) we can take this concept and this concept and marry it to what Austin really likes. I think that’s what great coaches do.”
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