Eli Drinkwitz discusses increased competition within Mizzou depth chart in preseason camp

Eli Drinkwitz is entering his 3rd season at Missouri with the hopes of making headway in the Sec East. The Tigers finished 3rd in the division in 2020 while tying for 4th in 2021, but enter 2022 predicted by the media to place 6th.

With Mizzou in the middle of preseason camp ahead of its Sept. 1 opener vs. Louisiana Tech, several positions appear to be in contention as teammates are pushing each other to make moves up the depth chart.

“We’re having really good competition,” Drinkwitz said on Thursday. “I mean, there are people that are uncomfortable right now on the depth chart, guys that have been on the ‘1s’ for 2 years and they’re running with the ‘2s’. It’s not personal. It’s meritocracy, man. You get what you earn.”

He made it crystal clear that he wasn’t afraid to sit players that were thought to be locked into starting positions, thanks to the improved depth up and down the roster.

“Just ’cause you’ve been here before doesn’t mean you just get to roll in there. You gotta produce and you gotta perform. and in the past maybe we didn’t have enough depth to get that done. We do now.”

Watch: #Mizzou's Eli Drinkwitz says there are people uncomfortable on the depth chart this year, due to the level of competition through fall camp.

"In the past we didn't have enough depth to get that done, we do now." pic.twitter.com/twd0xCPktf

— Nathalie Jones (@NathalieABC17) August 11, 2022

Sydney Hunte

Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.