Missouri Unsure What to Expect from Revamped Murray State Team
The Missouri Tigers coaching staff is searching online for any footage of Murray State’s 2024 team.
Murray State, Missouri’s Week 1 opponent, has an entirely new coaching staff and many new players. Their starting quarterback comes from South Dakota Mines, where he played for four years, and the offensive coordinator previously worked as an assistant at Jacksonville High School. The team that will take the field in Missouri on Thursday will look completely different from the one that played in Kentucky in 2023—only the uniforms might remain unchanged.
“This is going to be a tough challenge, possibly the hardest opening game we’ve faced since I’ve been here,” Coach Drinkwitz said in a press conference. “It’s really hard to predict their schematics, whether it’s offense, defense, or special teams.”
New head coach Wright has 22 years of coaching experience, including three in the NFL and the last two as a tight ends coach at South Carolina. This marks his first head coaching role.
“He does an excellent job,” Drinkwitz remarked. “His experience spans the SEC and the pro level, and he’s been successful at various stops. He has a diverse coaching staff, so we’re pulling film from multiple sources to get an idea of their strategies.”
Wright’s squad includes 23 transfers from FBS schools and seven from other FCS programs. The Missouri coaching staff has been working hard to study film on Murray State’s newcomers, but it’s challenging to predict how they will be utilized in Week 1.
“It’s going to be different,” safety Daylan Carnell noted. “We don’t have much information on them with all the new players and staff. We’re really trying to focus on our own game, applying our rules to whatever we see on the field to play fast.”
Drinkwitz has stressed the importance of fundamentals as his team prepares for the season opener. With Murray State’s unpredictability, Missouri can only prepare to a certain extent.
“We need to concentrate on our execution,” Drinkwitz stated, “and ensure we are ready to play, maintain our excitement, and focus on tackling and taking care of the ball. Winning in critical situations and executing properly will be vital.”
Missouri’s players have been given a varied film study assignment to prepare for any potential scenarios Murray State might present.
“They’ve shown us a little bit of everything,” Carnell explained, “so we can be prepared for anything. We’re not just focusing on one thing; we’re ready for a variety of plays.”
Despite Missouri being strong favorites in the opener, Drinkwitz is reminding his players that nothing is guaranteed in college football. He highlighted that the first Saturday of the season featured three upsets, including Georgia Tech beating No. 10 Florida State.
“He always tells us to focus on this game,” linebacker Khalil Jacobs said. “We really have to concentrate. Anything can happen on any given day.”
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