It’s year three of the Eli Drinkwitz era in Columbia, Missouri, and the folks around the program have more questions than answers as they approach the 2022 season. Missouri is a weird program right now with no direction for the future. For some, Missouri has the potential to tap into what the Tigers were able to do when they first joined the conference, yet, there’s still a bit of leeriness on the front of being optimistic for the 2022 Missouri Football season. Not to mention, Missouri has one of the most challenging schedules in all of the SEC. However, Missouri has fourteen starters returning for the 2022 season. Eight of them are on the defensive side of the ball, and six are on the offensive side.

On offense, Missouri has six guys who return to the program from an up and down 2021 season. Five of the six return to Missouri on the offensive line unit, with the other returning man representing the wide receiver core. Those six guys, Tauskie Dove, Javon Foster, Connor Wood, Luke Griffin, Xavier Delgado, and Hyrin White. Like many other programs across the Southeastern Conference, Missouri has a quarterback battle that nobody seems to know how it will eventually play out. Missouri has a room with three different guys who are battling to earn the starting position for the Tigers. Brady Cook, Tommy Lock, and Tyler Macon have developed one of the most intriguing position battles in all of College Football. From the outside looking in, Missouri will likely go with Brady Cook in the season opener against Lousiana Tech on September the third.

On the defensive front, Missouri has eight returning starters from last season. Isaiah McGuire, Trajan Jeffcoat, Chad Bailey, Devin Nicholson, Ennis Rakestraw Jr, Kris Abrams- Draine, Martez Manuel, and Jaylon Carlies. Two guys in particular for Missouri stand out amongst the rest. Martez Manuel and Isaiah McGuire will be the difference makers for the Missouri defensive unit this season.

Overall, 2022 could be another season of what if’s for the Missouri Tigers. Nobody can accurately predict what Missouri will do this season. With the challenging schedule, they have this season, a six-win season is likely for the Missouri faithful in 2022. Missouri is a weird program to break down. They have the potential to be next level, but in the years under the current coaching staff, Missouri has not provided anything for College Football to hold as intangibles in regards to the future of this program.