THE MAN? Austin Simmons Takes The Reigns For Missouri

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Austin Simmons is officially the Missouri starting quarterback, and that announcement seemingly

came out of nowhere, and weirdly, that gives me some confidence.

I'll explain why coming up unlocked on Mizzou.

You are locked on Mizzou, your daily podcast on the Missouri Tigers, part of the Lockdown

Podcast Network, your team every day.

Hail you true sons and daughters.

I'm John Miller, your Mizzou Mafio.

So and the central scrutinizer of Missouri Tigers football and basketball.

And on today's program, I'm actually going to talk with Chris Gordy here from locked

on SEC on his program.

He's going to steer the ship here.

And we're going to talk not only about Austin Simmons being named QB1, but also Josh

Atkins suffering a serious injury, the man who is going to be tasked with presumably

protecting Austin Simmons blindside.

Well, sounds like he might be missing even part of the start of the 2000 and 26 season.

So bad news there, but I think maybe some good news here that Missouri already willing

to name its starting quarterback.

So you know what, let's get to the discussion with Chris Gordy right now.

Joe, you're now going to talk about the Missouri Tigers as they have concluded there.

Spring ball practices are buddy John Miller from locked on Mizzou.

And John, this has kind of become a thing to get used to when it comes to Mizzou.

That they start before everybody else and they wrap before everybody else when it comes

to spring ball because drink likes to get on all the work before before they're spring break

where some schools like to they'll take spring break off in the middle of things.

But welcome in man, what a spring it was for Mizzou.

Get all this work in early.

Oh, yeah, so exciting so much news.

Yeah, I mean, to be honest, the only thing is Eli Drankwoods is at least honest with us

that he doesn't really care about spring football.

He's not going to make much of it.

And the last couple of years with the construction and the north end of the stadium.

It's been a great excuse for Eli to not even have a spring game.

So I'll be I'll be curious to see if that comes back in 27.

I don't think it will to be honest with you.

Yeah, and the interesting part too with with Drankwoods and company.

The last couple of years, even when they had Brady Cook and then obviously last year with

Bob Herbula, they didn't they kind of took his time to name a starter yet a little bit different

this this year.

Yesterday to conclude spring ball, he names a starter.

Eli Drankwoods making a decision on who will be QB1.

And I mean, look, no surprise.

It's going to be Austin Simmons, the former starter from Ole Miss who transferred

in this offseason beats out the the portal mate Nick Evers.

And of course, sophomore Matt Zollers, who was a true freshman.

I sure got a handful of stars.

So not surprising.

We all expected it, but also a little bit uncharacteristic for Drank.

Because he normally draws this thing out.

Says there's no rush to name a starter.

Why draw, you know, why why Russian anything?

Yeah, I agree.

You and I were talking a little bit off air and I was sarcastically reacting to the news.

They're going, oh my god, I can't believe it.

Austin Simmons.

But at the same time, I do think you can be a little bit optimistic if you're a Missouri fan here

and say, yeah, this is a little bit out of the norm and say, hey, maybe Austin Simmons says,

maybe grab the reins a little bit more, maybe then Bob Herbula did last season.

That's the optimistic side of it.

I think maybe I don't even know that there's a pessimistic side of it.

I think maybe the other reaction is maybe this is just a different strategy by Eli Drinkwoods

and his staff as well.

Maybe they just want to name a starter more early in the process and just put all of that

to bed, have the media, the fans focus over here, almost being the magician, if you will.

It's interesting, too, because it looks dollars was was a highly tattered recruit.

But, you know, the sample size we saw from last year, there was some good, but also a lot bad.

It was just, and look, it's a reality going through growing pains as a true freshman being thrown

into the fire.

But when the season ended, I remember somebody telling me, oh, well, Mizzou's got their quarterback

for next year. I said, whoa, I don't think there's going to roll with dollars next year.

I think they're going to look at the portal and so to go to the portal and get a guy

experienced like Austin Simmons, I mean, a crazy part is, John.

Like a year ago, this time, we weren't talking Tritidad Chambers at all at Ole Miss.

It was all about Austin Simmons.

I talked to it at the Manning Passing Academy last summer.

This is a kid that was super excited to take over the reins at Ole Miss and be the guy.

And, you know, fortunately, an ankle injury sidelines him.

But it's not like he lost the job or got beat out by Tritidad Chambers.

He won that starting job. He earned it.

It's just the injury and the way Tritidad was on a heater, he never got it back.

But this is a guy. It's not exactly chop liver coming over to Como.

This is a legit SEC starting quarterback.

Yeah, it's a really interesting situation.

There aren't a ton of analogous situations in college football history other than

off top of my head, maybe like Jalen Hertz to a tug of myola, like that kind of thing where,

you know, a guy who is the presumptive starter ends up getting knocked out.

It's just, it's a very interesting situation.

And one where Missouri feels like it needs to roll the dice on the talon here on Austin Simmons.

And I think what Missouri's trying to put out here is, yeah, this guy has

limited experience, limited snaps as a starter, but we believe in him.

I think that's very much what Missouri's trying to put out here.

Yeah, you look at the numbers he put up last year.

You know, we're really as two seasons combined a little bit and up up to the year prior,

but a thousand yards passing six touchdowns.

The interceptions were a little bit of a concern.

Five interceptions he did throw, but again, a guy who's comes in and nothing gets

Bo Purbula, but even more skins on the wall than what Purbula had.

I feel like it at Penn State.

So, you know, when we talk realistic expectations for Austin Simmons,

what's the buzz from his new fans on him?

Well, let's just say I'll just speak for myself here.

I think when you look back to last year, you mentioned Bo Purbula and Matt Zollers,

I just don't think the Missouri passing game in general can be any worse than it was last season.

So at the very least, I think, I think the Tigers will be better.

And not only does Austin Simmons have more arm talent, I think, then certainly,

then certainly Brady Cook and Bo Purbula.

Matt Zollers has a heck of an arm.

No doubt about that.

But Simmons at six foot four, to me, allows Missouri to potentially attack

the intermediate middle part of the field as well.

Not just outside of the numbers with that arm strength, but with his size,

I think you've potentially got that as well.

And I'll tell you this on Matt Zollers.

I'm not ready to give up on him whatsoever.

A guy who was a true freshman thrown into the SEC unexpectedly last season.

And a guy who in high school, his senior year of high school,

had a dislocated ankle where his foot was pointing the exact opposite direction.

And so for him to come back that season,

hey, that good on him for being a tough guy and a competitor.

But no more often than not, I think the following season is you recover from a serious injury like that.

And you get back to not just being on the field,

but back to your full performance as well.

I think that's what we'll see for Matt Zollers.

Hopefully this is a red shirt season for him, ideally.

And he'll still have a couple seasons,

even post Austin Simmons to potentially start.

Is in your opinion just looking at Austin Simmons and what you know about him?

I mean, is the upside on him higher than that of Brady Cook?

It's nothing against Brady Cook.

He did what he was supposed to do with the program.

And through for turning guards want a lot of games.

But does it feel like the talent level is even higher than what Brady Cook got you to?

I don't think there's any question.

And I'm as big a Brady cook of fan as I think anybody who's a Missouri guy.

But I don't think there's any comparison as far as actual ceiling.

Austin Simmons is not only again.

Not only has a better arm is physically just a bigger guy as well,

which absolutely makes a difference,

especially if we're talking, hey, upside at the NFL level.

But even at the college level, it matters too.

Even a sport where we've seen guys like Bryce Young and Kyler Murray, for example,

excel.

It still is less an ideal to be five foot nine.

Not the Brady Cook was that small.

I'm just saying Austin Simmons is he's a special kind of talent.

He really is.

We can see our conversation with John Miller from Hualachton,

and John as we look at this Missouri team.

It's not just quarterback Austin Simmons, a new face,

but some new faces that wide receiver.

And it starts with the guy who was a true freshman last year,

who heads into a sophomore season in Donovan,

Alubina, I think I got that right.

You nailed it.

I've got it wrong so many times.

But bringing over Caden Lee from from Ole Miss is a guy that played a lot of football

in the SEC and his very experience.

Funny.

The On 3 report came out there.

It was like, oh, Caden Lee's really catching some attention.

It's like, oh yeah, he should.

He's a guy who has the chemistry with Austin Simmons already.

But bringing it got like Caleb Goody.

It's interesting because it's some new faces there

at the wide receiver spot from a zoo where we got so used to seeing

Luther Burton and a lot of those regulars the last handful of years.

Yeah, the thing is I almost look at Caden Lee as kind of like Kevin Coleman.

And I also chuckled at that on 3 report as well.

Not that it was inaccurate or anything.

It was very similar to the, hey, Austin Simmons is QV1.

I'm like, oh my God, blow me over with the feather.

Again, it's like same deal with Kevin Coleman for Missouri last season.

He was a very productive player for Mizzou last season in a passing game

that was obviously lacking.

Wasn't his fault.

The point is like, yeah, we saw it Mississippi state.

Of course, he was going to be good.

I feel the exact same way about Caden Lee.

Now, where there are more, there are more questions with Austin Simmons.

The good news is those guys are really good friends.

I actually had Austin on my show a couple months ago or so.

I know that those two are really good friends.

And so they have good chemistry already.

So Caden Lee, a guy who has proven his metal in the southeastern conference already.

The fact that he has obvious chemistry with Simmons already.

I mean, that's, that's a big deal from Missouri.

It really is, especially your slot receiver.

That's, that's a guy almost every quarterback is going to rely upon.

It's almost your safety blanket these days.

Almost even more so, especially in the Missouri offense.

Definitely more so than a tight end.

In coming up, Chris Gordy and I get to the other big news.

A four Mizzou football, which is Josh Atkins unfortunate injury.

So let's get to all the angles.

They're coming up on the program and more Mizzou football with Gordy.

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Hilton, for this day.

How concerned should we be at the news?

Obviously they bring in the big, I guess it's going to slide in right tackle, Josh Atkins,

but the big OT from Arizona state that they figure was a plug-and-play starter,

sustained a leg injury, and Frank Saini's going to miss it.

At least probably the start of the season.

That's worrisome.

It really is.

And like you say, because Austin Simmons is a left hand or

well, the right tackle spot is the blind side.

I tend to think these days really the left tackle and the right tackle are about equal.

I really do.

I just think because defenses are smart enough that if you have a weak player on either side,

they know how to attack it.

But regardless, if you're going to lean one way,

yeah, you'd rather have the strength at the right tackle with that left hand and quarterback.

So regardless, it's a concern.

It really is.

He was somebody, Missouri was counting on.

But you know what?

Missouri has done pretty well in terms of, hey, portal offensive lineman, but yeah,

that's a real, real concern.

That was a bummer to hear out of spring.

The good news is for the offense, you get not one, but two stood running backs back in a mod

hearty and end Jamal Roberts and two big pieces.

I mean, it's, you know, I'm on hearty.

Really just took the SEC by storm ever since he stepped foot there on campus.

But I got to think you feel good about getting those two guys back with all the new,

other new pieces there on offense.

I of course, I agree with you.

And not only do I think that of course that getting Roberts and hearty, especially back

is going to help Austin Simmons.

But here's another thing I'm thinking about with again, the increased stature of Austin Simmons,

can Missouri go under center more?

I think they can.

I really do.

I think that's a difference and maybe that helps a mod hearty.

And more importantly, maybe that helps the Missouri play action game.

I think everybody who follows football statistics knows that, especially when it's

first and 10, second and five, you know, favorable type of down and distance where the defense

doesn't really know what's coming.

Play action is almost a cheat code at this point.

So I think Missouri can maybe do a little bit more under center stuff, especially with the

threat of hearty and Roberts.

As you look at the defense, new pieces there, particularly in linebacker and really in the

secondary where they needed some help.

Any any pieces there on the defense that kind of excite you as we look at the 2026?

Well, that's a good question because Missouri has so many pieces to replace defensively.

I will just say Woodyard, Robert Woodyard, right?

Robert Woodyard from Auburn, the linebacker, Robert Woodyard Jr.

To me, Missouri had an incredible transfer at linebacker.

Last season in Josiah Trotter and just to be able to replace him with a guy who made,

I think, what, 13, 14 tackles in the Missouri game last season against the Tigers.

I think the Tigers know exactly what they're getting at Robert Woodyard Jr.

And he along with Nick Rodriguez, a guy who was second string for most of last season,

it really came on at the end of last season.

I think Missouri will be absolutely fine at those two off-ball linebacker spots.

Yeah, I've heard some good things too about the secondary additions like Chris Graves who,

you know, played this and I mean, you know, again, it was always, they named him as a starter too.

It was him and Austin Simmons, they were basically like, hey, they're actually going to start.

Drinkwitz was like, well, we don't really name starters in the spring.

Those were the two exceptions there.

And we can just assume Kaden Lee and other Ole Miss guys well.

Yeah, Mizoo always seems to have good DBs ever since to expend their, they've had that.

Last thing, John, what do you make of kind of how the schedule sets up?

You open with Arkansas Pine Bluff.

We too on the road for Kansas, which is a rivalry game and will not be easy.

Sure.

But then you get Troy.

Then you're at Mississippi State Home for Florida to start SEC play.

I mean, I look at this and say, yeah, I mean, you know, it's the SEC.

It's always a challenging schedule.

That's about as good as a soft landing of a starting five as you can have compared to other

SEC programs.

Yeah, just the first eight in general, I think landed about as well as it could have for

Missouri and considering, hey, Austin Simmons, a new starter.

If we could just get a six and two there, that kind of thing, because the last four is brutal

for Missouri.

You've got Georgia, Texas, Kentucky, at home.

I'm forgetting the fourth one off my head, Oklahoma.

Thank you.

So the sooners at home as well get another playoff team there, three out of the last four.

I guess Texas was right on the cuss, but the point is a playoff caliber team there.

Most people would probably anticipate the long horns will be in the playoff with arch coming

back this year.

So a brutal finish the last third of for Missouri.

But yeah, I agree with you, especially compared to how you look at 27 28 and 29.

We can already look at those schedules.

Well, Missouri gets the five at home four on the road this season set up number one.

That does help.

I think it does set up kind of nicely for Missouri this season, relatively speaking.

Like I've said a million times, there's no such thing as an easy SEC schedule.

But I will say this compared to 24 and 25.

This is going to be a tougher schedule, but almost everybody in the conference can probably

say that this year.

Yeah, in that October 17th game, it's just going to be while going to Oxford with Austin

Simmons who Ole Miss fans seem to like the harbor any resentment.

It's like, look, we got to turn to that and he turned up to be a gym.

But to your point, I got a ton of feedback as soon as Austin transferred and weeks after

even just it was nothing but love from Ole Miss fans.

It was a cacophony of people from down in Oxford in the surrounding areas.

We're going, hey, you got a great one in Austin Simmons.

We love the kids.

I mean, really, no negative comments and just a ton of positive comments, which,

if you're familiar with social media, Chris, not always the case, especially when it's not really,

I wasn't asking for it either.

It's completely unsolicited, so I definitely noted that for sure.

Well, wait until this has a loss or two, and as you come to town,

they're going to be the hell with Austin Simmons.

What if it is that?

That's right.

I hope that happens genuinely.

Yeah, it's going to be fun to see.

Of course, John Miller, he's got you covered every day with everything locked on

Mizzou.

John, I appreciate the time, man.

Thank you, Chris.

And good stuff with Chris Gordy, as always.

But you know what, I still got a little bit more locked on Mizzou to get to,

including some pretty big news happening out off the basketball court,

at least some potential news.

A lot of stuff happening behind the scenes here, Missouri.

Well, about to hit the transfer portal here in a few weeks time.

But even before that, the Tigers looking at a big time in state high school

prospect that is seemingly back on the market.

So let's get there in just a minute.

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And more head to a locked on Mizzou dot supercast dot com.

And you know what a couple of weeks ago, really about a week and a half ago,

there's some pretty major news on the high school basketball floor in the state of

Missouri. By the way, principia senior Quentin Coleman is who I'm referring to here.

He had the second most points in a state championship game ever as his panthers.

One the cat be class three Missouri state championship by scoring 50 points

in the state championship game. So not too shabby there. Well, the thing with

Quentin Coleman is the St. Louis product here. He would have been committed to wake

forest for some time. And now he's back on the market and really good seniors don't

necessarily come on the market very often this late in the process. And from what I've heard,

it's down probably between Missouri, Texas tech and quite possibly the Kansas J Hawks as well.

So a win there for Missouri would be huge on a bunch of different levels.

He is in the same class as Jason Crow Jr. and Tony Brian, a couple of McDonald's all Americans.

Well, to give you an idea of how good Quentin Coleman is, the nasmith all American high school

team just came out. Jason Crow Jr. was on the first team of five guys. Guess it was on

the second team of five guys, none other than Quentin Coleman. So obviously his addition

to Missouri next season, by the way, could be a potentially huge deal for the Tigers.

A 6364 kind of Lanky guard who is I would say just now starting to grow into his body really

starting to fill out there may even more be more upside left more meat on that bone for a Quentin

a Coleman. And I will say this by the way I was talking to, by the way, if you do want some previews

for the basketball game tomorrow Miami and Missouri. Hey, I've had a bunch of that my last three

episodes in particular yesterday's episode with Alex Dono of Locked on Canes. One thing we didn't

get to where we're talking about off the air was Jackson Cantwell, who of course looked like he was

a Missouri lean at one point during his high school career. Of course, son of Christian Cantwell,

the great, the great shot putter and silver medalist who is a Missouri alum. Well, Jackson ends

up at Miami. And I will say it kind of makes sense. I got to say the more I talked to Dono,

Mario Cristobal. His calling card is offensive line play and Miami is aggressive too in getting

those types of players more so. I think high school guys at the offensive line than about any

other program. And I think Missouri certainly was a little bit bitten and now shy having spent

good money on guys like Kiwan Lacey guys like Williams Winnery out of high school to see them

go on to other places. Winnery of course still has yet to really live up to to the hype. Kiwan Lacey

obviously one of the best running backs in the country last year, along with the mod hearty by

the way. So anyway, that'll be Locked on Mizzou today. Thanks for joining me here this morning on

this special edition of Locked on Mizzou with Locked on SEC's Chris Gordy. And again, check out

Locked on Mizzou dot supercast dot com for all of your information on the everyday club. And

until next time, and that'll be probably Saturday morning. It's going to be such a late Missouri

game. I don't see any chance I'm going to be getting a podcast out at midnight or later to be

honest with you. But Saturday morning, absolutely. Whatever happens, I'll be here for you right here

on Locked on Mizzou. Water usually wins. It rots wood and tears docks apart. Unless you build with

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and your reward status to feel like. Thank you for being a Hilton Honors Gold member.

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and unlock benefits at over 9,000 locations worldwide. Hilton for this day.