Missouri’s win over Texas A&M on Saturday carried more weight than the scoreboard. The Tigers took the field wearing helmets marked with a heart and the letters “DJ,” a tribute to freshman offensive tackle Johnnie “DJ” Jones, whose fight has become a deeply personal storyline inside the program.
Jones has not played this season. His situation first surfaced after Missouri’s Oct. 3 win over Florida, when coach Eli Drinkwitz said in a television interview that the team was “praying for” him. On Tuesday, Drinkwitz laid out what had happened: during freshman intake, Missouri found a heart issue, sent Jones to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, for a second opinion, and earlier this week learned that he needed a heart transplant.
“It's tough right now,” Drinkwitz said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as they go through this.
I know Johnnie was watching our game. It's just hard, a(n) 18-year-old with everything in front of him, and you're just not prepared for that kind of news.
Our team wasn't prepared for that kind of news, but we're praying for him and I know a lot of Mizzou fans will hopefully join in that prayer because he does need help in a hurry. We're pulling for you, buddy."
Jones received the transplant and underwent surgery from Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Drinkwitz said the family got the update by FaceTime.
“We knew we needed a tragedy to save a life. It was sad for all of us. He FaceTimed me and our staff on Tuesday night and told us they found him a heart, it was unbelievable joy."
Jones is recovering now, but the road ahead remains long. There is a Support Now page available to donate to Jones and his family.
The tribute on Missouri’s helmets was one of the clearest signs of how much Jones means to the program. Quarterback Austin Simmons said Jones has stayed in contact with the team through it all.
“I talked to Johnny a few times. You know, throughout this whole thing, and I'm just really loving the fact that he's been positive throughout this whole entire period in his life,” Simmons said.
“It's a rough patch, and he's been going through a lot mentally and physically, of course. He's been talking to us in our group chat with the team, and it's just great hearing from a lot.
So my prayers go out to him, and I'm just wishing the best and to be recovered.”
Drinkwitz stressed that the result against Texas A&M doesn’t change the bigger picture.
“There's still a lot of work left to be done for DJ,” Drinkwitz said. “A lot of prayers he still needs.
It's awesome to win, but the outcome doesn't change how we feel about DJ. And if we didn't win the game, we'd still love him, and wouldn't mean we fought any less for him.
You know, the outcomes are controllable, but the process that we repeat, the love that we share, the fans have been awesome. His family needed a place to stay.
Somebody called from Florida State University and offered a condo to their family. I mean, it's just unbelievable what what this human, college football people can do.
Jones’ successful surgery is a major step forward, but Missouri’s message Saturday was clear: the story is far bigger than football.
In Other News...
Mizzou Just Sent A Serious Message With That Texas A&M Win
Missouris trip through November picked up a lot of weight with a 27-6 win over Texas A&M, a result that snapped the Tigers drought against the Aggies and came with the kind of balance winning teams usually show in the stretch run. Jamal Roberts kept pushing the offense forward with 222 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and he became the first Missouri running back since 2000 to top 200 yards in back-to-back games.
Just as important, the defense made Texas A&M look uncomfortable from the start, limiting the Aggies to six points while Nicholas Rodriguez led the way in tackles and the pass rush piled up sacks and interceptions. For Missouri, it was more than a clean conference win. It was the sort of complete performance that can change how the rest of the league views a team, especially when the schedule starts to tighten and every snap feels bigger than the last. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzous Surge Suddenly Looks Like More Than One Big Win
Missouris 27-6 win over Texas A&M at Faurot Field was the kind of all-around performance that can change how a stretch of the season feels in a hurry. The Tigers smothered the Aggies for most of the afternoon, holding them to 74 yards and two first downs through the first 45 minutes, while the offense did enough behind quarterback Austin Simmons, a touchdown catch by Cayden Lee and multiple field goals from Blake Craig to keep the game under control.
Jamal Roberts gave the Tigers the kind of ground-game punch that can travel, rushing for 222 yards and two touchdowns as Missouri dictated the terms from start to finish. For a team that has been trying to build momentum, the bigger question now is whether this was simply a statement win at home or the start of something sturdier, because the way Missouri looked on both sides of the ball suggested more than a one-off surge. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou's Secondary Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Against Texas A&M
Missouris secondary heads into its toughest assignment yet with Texas A&M bringing one of the leagues more demanding receiving pairings into view. Isaiah Horton and Mario Craver offer contrasting skill sets that have helped power the Aggies offense, which means the Tigers will need the improved play theyve shown recently to carry over when the ball starts going up in the air.
The larger challenge for Missouri is not just matching up with one receiver or the other, but handling the full stress test that comes with Texas A&Ms passing game. Marcel Reeds season production has helped fuel that attack, and if Missouri wants to keep this matchup on its terms, the back end will have to stay disciplined, tackle cleanly and avoid giving the Aggies easy answers downfield. [Read more 🡒]