Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said he switched from Diet Coke to coffee this week as his drink of choice since the SEC switched the Tigers schedule from playing Arkansas, to facing Vanderbilt this week.

Since the rising COVID-19 numbers at Arkansas, with corresponding protocols, caused the switch, Drinkwitz shared what he texted Arkansas coach Sam Pittman late Monday night.

“I sent Coach Pittman a text last night about 11:45 and said his butt better be awake, he can’t be at home sleeping since we had to change our game plan,” Drinkwitz said. “He thought that was pretty funny.”

Drinkwitz added that, “It’s been an interesting season,” and that the team found out about 5:30 last night about the opponent switch. The coaching staff was “pretty much down with game plan for the other team we were going to play.”

Since the protocols are a daily worry for coaches, Drinkwitz also shared that Mizzou had zero positive COVID tests out of Sunday’s round of testing. But there are two more rounds of test results due before the end of the week. Drinkwitz said Mizzou should get some guys back today for practice.

Drinkwitz said Mizzou turned in a roster of 59 scholarship players to the SEC this week, including some players who are questionable to play while dealing with injuries.

Drinkwitz also said that defensive coordinator Ryan Walters is back with the team after leaving quarantine, and that true freshman Brady Cook is currently the team’s backup quarterback as Shawn Robinson is out, and Micah Wilson would serve as the third-string choice.