Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz opened his Tuesday press conference with a blend of gratitude and frustration — thankful for the opportunity to lead the Tigers during Thanksgiving week, but candid about the disappointment of last weekend’s loss at Oklahoma.
“We didn’t play our best in all three phases,” Drinkwitz said. “Defense kept us in it all game, but the other two phases didn’t do nearly enough.”
With the regular-season finale looming, Missouri shifts fully into preparation for Arkansas, a team Drinkwitz described as “dangerous,” resilient, and far better than its record. The Tigers enter the Battle Line Rivalry having historically dominated it — Mizzou leads the all-time series 11–4, winning 10 of the last 15 meetings.
For Arkansas, the game also marks senior night and a final opportunity to secure a rivalry trophy.
Drinkwitz repeatedly emphasized the challenge posed by Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green command of Razorback’s head coach Bobby Petrino’s system.
Missouri’s defense, which ranks as one of the most consistent units in the SEC, will be tested by an Arkansas offense Drinkwitz called “as explosive as any we’ve seen.”
Asked about Missouri’s inconsistent passing attack, Drinkwitz didn’t hide the reality:
“There’s a lot of room for improvement,” Drinkwitz said. “In the moments where we need to rely on it, it hasn’t come through the way we wanted.”
He cited a recurring defensive strategy opponents have used in recent weeks — loading the box and challenging Mizzou receivers in man coverage. Drinkwitz said the Tigers need more “answers” and “counter punches,” especially after Mississippi State and Oklahoma successfully adjusted mid-game.
Still, the head coach boiled the offensive issues down to one statistic:
“Third down. That’s it,” Drinkwitz said. “If you can’t convert on third down, you can’t stay on the field long enough to get into a rhythm.”
One of Drinkwitz’s longest answers came on the newly adjusted transfer-portal windows. He called the changes a mixed blessing:
“In one sense, it’s going to be really good… In another sense, it’s terrible.”
With the spring window removed and a tighter December period looming, Drinkwitz argued that teams may be trapped with incomplete rosters and no mechanism to replace unexpected departures.
“We don’t have waiver wires. We don’t have free-agency flexibility like the NFL. You’re signing 85 men in two weeks.”
Drinkwitz floated the idea of a February transfer opportunity and more academic flexibility while still preserving progress-toward-degree requirements — a concern nationally as high transfer rates make on-time graduation more difficult.
Tigers Quarterback Beau Pribula, speaking for the second time since returning from his lower-leg injury, described the emotional lows of his initial prognosis.
“When I was on that cart, I didn’t think I’d be able to walk again for a long time,” Pribula said.
Pribula credited Missouri’s training staff for a recovery he called “pretty unbelievable.”
Despite the setback, Pribula said he felt comfortable progressing through reads against a top-tier Oklahoma defense last weekend. To help the offense take its next step, he echoed Drinkwitz’s emphasis on early-down execution:
“When we’re more efficient on first and second down, we set ourselves up for easier third downs. That’s when everything opens up.”